George, Flagler pace No. 12 Baylor in win over Nicholls

Published Dec. 28, 2022 10:40 p.m. ET

Associated Press

WACO, Texas (AP) — Keyonte George scored 21 points, and No. 12 Baylor pulled away from Nicholls State in the second half of an 85-56 victory Wednesday night.

George and Adam Flagler both made four 3-pointers for the Bears (10-2), who never trailed in their final game before opening Big 12 play.

Flagler had 20 points and Langston Love finished with 17 on 5-of-6 shooting. Freshman Josh Ojianwuna added 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Latrell Jones scored 18 points for Nicholls (6-7). Caleb Huffman had 11 points and eight rebounds.

The best spurt for the Colonels was a 10-2 run to open the second half, when Mark Nelson had a tip-in before four consecutive layups by different players got them within 47-41 with 16 1/2 minutes left. They never got closer.

Flagler's 3-pointer then opened a 31-7 run for Baylor. Nicholls State twice went more than four minutes without a point and missed 19 of 22 shots over that extended stretch.

BIG PICTURE

Nicholls State: The two-time defending Southland Conference champion Colonels, who played for the first time in nine days, now get another week off before their next game. They were originally scheduled to play their league opener on New Year’s Eve against Southeastern Louisiana, but that game was moved to Dec. 15 — a game Nicholls won 88-73 — after the Lions requested the change so they could play Vanderbilt on Dec. 30.

Baylor: The Bears have won 80 of their last 84 nonconference home games over a stretch of more than 10 years.

UP NEXT

Nicholls State next plays Jan. 5 in a Southland game at Texas A&M-Commerce.

Baylor opens Big 12 play Saturday at Iowa State.

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