By Ben Everett | Sports Editor
Baylor men’s basketball fell to No. 15 Texas Tech 86-61 Saturday afternoon in Lubbock. The Bears are 1-3 in their last four games.
Baylor played without senior guards Makai Mason (toe) and King McClure (knee) for the second time in the last three games.
Without their experienced backcourt, the Bears committed 19 turnovers, just one shy of tying a season-high.
Baylor head coach Scott Drew called a timeout early in the game when Texas Tech sophomore guard Davide Moretti drained a 3-pointer on the Red Raiders’ first possession. The timeout did not cool down Texas Tech’s shooters. The Red Raiders shot 4-for-5 on 3-pointers in the first eight minutes of the game to take an 18-15 lead into the under-12 media timeout.
Baylor sophomore forward Mario Kegler kept the Bears in the game early on. Kegler scored 10 of Baylor’s first 15 points, making three 3-pointers while converting on a four-point play on one of his attempts from deep after he was fouled by Texas Tech freshman guard Kyler Edwards.
The Baylor offense suffered during an almost five minute drought without any points. Junior guard Devonte Bandoo broke the silence with a 3-pointer, and freshman guard Jared Butler followed that up with one of his own to cut the Red Raider lead to 28-21.
The Red Raiders lived behind the 3-point line and the free throw line in the first half. Texas Tech shot 8-for-14 from three-point range and 17-for-19 from the free throw line en route to a 45-32 halftime lead. Sophomore guard Jarrett Culver led the way for the Red Raiders, scoring 14 points, including three 3’s in the first half of play.
Foul trouble started to pile up for the Bears. Junior forward Freddie Gillespie and Kegler each picked up their fourth fouls within the first three minutes of the second half.
After the Red Raiders built a 22-point lead, Baylor embarked on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 14 as the second half reached its midway point.
Turnovers plagued the Bears in the second half. After turning the ball over eight times in the first half, Baylor coughed up possession 11 times in the first 12 minutes of the second half.
The Red Raiders put in substitutes with seven minutes to go and cruised to an 86-61 win.
The Bears look to bounce back when they face No. 23 Iowa State at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Ames, Iowa.
