Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua led a balanced scoring attack with 21 points as No. 10 Baylor pulled away for a 75-60 win over Kansas State on Wednesday night in Manhattan, Kan.
The Bears had six players finish with at least eight points as they earned their seventh straight head-to-head win over the Wildcats. Baylor got 15 points and eight assists from James Akinjo plus 10 points from Adam Flagler.
Baylor (20-4, 8-3 Big 12) reached 20 wins for the 13th time in the last 15 years after reaching 20 wins only three times in 100 seasons prior to that stretch. The Bears had dropped two of their previous three contests before Wednesday.
Kansas State (12-11, 4-7) had only two players produce more than four points. Nijel Pack led all scorers with 31 points, and Mark Smith added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Both teams were missing key players. Baylor’s leading scorer, LJ Cryer (13.9 points per game), sat out his fourth straight game due to a foot injury. Kansas State’s Selton Miguel (7.9 ppg) missed his fourth consecutive game because of an ankle injury.
Kansas State’s two biggest losses this season have come at the hands of the Bears, including a 74-49 setback on Jan. 25 in Waco, Texas.
Wednesday’s game was tied 34-34 at halftime, but the Wildcats’ chances took a big hit early in the second half. Markquis Nowell picked up two quick fouls, including his fourth with 17:43 left. Baylor scored seven of the first eight points after the break and 19 of the first 23.
Nowell wound up scoreless, missing all six of his field-goal attempts.
Kansas State had much more success in the first half Wednesday after trailing 39-21 at halftime of the first game between the two clubs. Baylor’s largest lead of the half was two points. The Wildcats led by as many as seven at 20-13.
Pack and Smith each had 13 first-half points for the Wildcats, while Baylor was led by Kendall Brown and Tchamwa Tchatchoua with eight first-half points apiece.
Baylor finished the night with a 39-31 rebounding advantage.
–Field Level Media
