John Gurzinski | Associated Press
John Gurzinski | Associated Press
By The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — Baylor keeps getting the job done by playing as a team.
Quincy Miller scored 15 points, one of four Bears players in double digits, and No. 6 Baylor beat Saint Mary’s 72-59 Thursday night in the third round of the Las Vegas Classic.
“We don’t care who scores,” Miller said. “We’re trying to share the ball. We just try to get everyone in the game. We just want to get everyone involved. We just want to win.”
And that’s exactly what they’re doing.
Perry Jones III added 14 points, nine rebounds and four blocks for the Bears (11-0), who remained one of six undefeated teams in Division I.
“They’re no pressure,” Miller said. “It’s not about rankings.”
Quincy Acy added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Baylor, while Brady Heslip scored 11.
“A lot of people don’t realize how good a program Saint Mary’s is,” said Baylor coach Scott Drew, who has the Bears off to their best start since winning their first 12 games in 2000-01. “In the first half, we came out with a lot of energy and then as time went on, they were able to make interior passes that led to some 3s. In the second half, we did a better job taking care of the ball.”
Baylor never trailed in the second half and pulled away after leading 36-34 at the break.
Rob Jones led Saint Mary’s (10-2) with 14 points and seven rebounds, but the Gaels’ eight-game winning streak was snapped. Brad Waldow added 12 points.
Baylor plays West Virginia in the final round Friday, while Saint Mary’s takes on Missouri State. Baylor will see West Virginia regularly when the Mountaineers move to the Big 12.
“They’re a big, strong, talented team,” Miller said. “Great rebounding team. We’re very excited to play them.”
Earlier on Thursday, West Virginia defeated Missouri State 70-68 in overtime as Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins earned his 700th career win.
Baylor took control in the second half and eventually built a 15-point lead with 8:02 left. The Gaels were held to 35 percent shooting after hitting 55 percent in the first half.
“We should be a good shooting team,” Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett said. “I thought we did a good job getting shots. I thought we rushed some 3s. Offensively, I wasn’t discouraged. I thought we got good shots. We took care of the ball.”
Baylor, however, shot 50 percent from the field for the game and outrebounded the Gaels 37-24.
“I thought we rebounded the ball well, and Saint Mary’s is third in the country in rebounding,” Drew said. “So that was a challenge for us.”
After the Bears scored the first six points of the game, there were eight lead changes in the first half as neither team built a lead larger than that six.
This was the second meeting between Baylor and Saint Mary’s. In 2010, they met in the NCAA tournament’s South Regional semifinal, where the Bears won 72-49 in Houston.
Both teams are making their first Classic appearance. This was Baylor’s first trip to Las Vegas since 1982.
Meanwhile, Saint Mary’s has made the Orleans Arena a home away from home.
The Gaels have made the trip here for the past three West Coast Conference tournaments. They won it in 2010, defeating Gonzaga in the final. They also defeated Mississippi State in a regular-season game last December.
