Associated Press
By Greg DeVries
Sports Writer
No. 6 men’s basketball won a close game in Stillwater, Okla. on Saturday against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, 64-60. This game had a very different feel than the previous meeting against Oklahoma State that Baylor won 106-65 on Jan. 14 in the Ferrell Center.
Sophomore Perry Jones III finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Quincy Acy contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds. The high scorer of the game was OSU’s Brian Williams, who finished with 23 points.
“It helps having experienced players who have played in front of a great environment,” head coach Scott Drew said. “At the same time I think they can help the young guys not to get too excited when we have runs.”
Drew also addressed the recent dominant play by Jones. Jones has recorded three double-doubles in four games. Over this stretch, he is averaging 18.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.
The beginning of this stretch marked Jones’s return from an ankle injury suffered in Baylor’s game against Kansas on Jan. 16.
Since then, Jones’s added aggression has been noticed.
“[It’s] definitely the most consistent stretch he’s had,” Drew said. “If you just go back and watch that Kansas game, once he tweaked the ankle we were up three or five and all the momentum and everything just changed at that point. As a coach, I probably should have gotten him out because laterally, he couldn’t move nearly as effectively on the defensive end, and that affects you in a lot of different areas.”
Freshman Quincy Miller has struggled lately. Miller shot just 3-11 and finished with seven points. In the previous meeting, Miller finished with 21 points.
“I don’t know if they scouted me that well. I don’t know what it was but they took two charges. I guess I’ve got to switch it up,” Miller said.
Acy said he is confident Miller will pull through this two-game slump.
“Quincy Miller was a phenomenal player in high school. He saw the ball almost every possession,” Acy said. “Quincy Miller has showed that he has great passing ability.”
Baylor is now 7-1 in games decided by five points or less. This kind of pressure will help the team in the Big 12 Tournament and into the NCAA Tournament.
“It just gives us confidence. I mean, it’s not like we didn’t have any at first, but it just helps boost it,” Miller said.
Acy said Drew has gotten the team ready for these close game scenarios.
“Coach prepares us all the time in practice with our in-the-game situations,” Acy said. “We have confidence in ourselves that we will make the right decisions and not make any mistakes at the end.”
The Bears next play on Wednesday at the Ferrell Center against the Kansas Jayhawks.
