WACO, Texas (AP) — LJ Cryer scored 20 points, Adam Flagler had 13 points with 10 assists and fifth-ranked Baylor beat Northern Colorado 95-62 on Monday night for coach Scott Drew’s 400th victory with the Bears.
Flagler had 3-pointers to start and end an early 13-0 run that put Baylor (3-0) ahead to stay after Northern Colorado took its only lead.
Drew is in his 20th season at Baylor, where he took over a decimated roster and scandal-plagued program with only four NCAA Tournament appearances that had been ranked for only two games out of 2,197 over the previous 97 seasons.
Baylor is 400-222 under Drew, who has 420 wins overall including his one season as Valparaiso’s head coach. The Bears were national champions two seasons ago and have been to 10 NCAA Tournaments for Drew.
Daylen Kountz, the Big Sky leading scorer last season with 21.2 points a game, had 19 points for Northern Colorado (1-2). Matt Johnson had 14 points with four 3s, while Dalton Knecht had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Jalen Bridges, a transfer from West Virginia, added 15 points for Baylor, and true freshman Keyonte George had 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Dale Bonner also had 12 points and six steals, and BYU transfer Caleb Lohner had 10 rebounds.
Northern Colorado led 5-2 on Johnson’s 3-pointer only 69 seconds into the game. Flagler then hit a tying 3-, and by time he made another one 5 1/2 minutes later, Baylor was up 15-5 after a span when Northern Colorado had six turnovers and missed four shots.
ALL RELATIVE
Drew’s nephew Caleb Shaw, a a 6-foot-5 freshman guard, played for the visiting Bears and had averaged 13 points his first two games. With his uncle on the sideline and grandfather in the stands, Shaw finished with four points on 1-of-11 shooting.
BIG PICTURE
Northern Colorado: The Bears were a little closer than they were a week earlier against another top-five team, when they opened the season with an 83-36 loss at No. 3 Houston. Kountz, a fifth-year guard, made 9 of 21 shots with six turnovers. He has 14 made shots and 15 turnovers this season.
Baylor: Like they had in their first two home games, the Bears with their mix of returning guards and new players spread the minutes around while looking at different combinations. The competition level steps up significantly with ranked opponents in their next two games, away from home.
UP NEXT
Northern Colorado is home Saturday against San Jose State.
Baylor play No. 16 Virginia on Friday night in Las Vegas, where it will then take on No. 8 UCLA or No. 19 Illinois on Sunday.
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