WACO, Texas (AP) — Jalen Bridges had 18 points with eight rebounds, big man Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua played for the first time since a gruesome knee injury last season and 11th-ranked Baylor beat Texas Tech 89-62 on Saturday.
Bridges scored 16 of his points in the second half, including two three-point plays and another layup in an early 14-2 run run that extended Baylor’s lead to 14 points. He added a 3-pointer soon after that.
Freshman Keyonte George scored 17 points for the Bears (17-6, 6-4 Big 12). Adam Flagler had 13 points and eight assists.
De’Vion Harmon had 20 points and Jaylon Tyson had 19 for Texas Tech (12-11, 1-9).
Tchamwa Tchatchoua, the 6-foot-8 senior known as “Everyday Jon” for his constant high-energy approach in games and practices, got a raucous standing ovation when he went to the scorer’s table to check in with 13:05 left in the first half.
It was his first time in a game since Feb. 12, 2023 — exactly 51 weeks earlier — when the Cameroon-born player tore multiple ligaments in his left knee in a non-contact injury during a home game against Texas. He finished with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting and four rebounds in 14 minutes.
After two rebounds in his first three minutes of action, he returned later in the first half and hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Another 3-pointer by Tchamwa Tchatchoua came during an 11-0 run by Baylor in the second half that Bridges capped with a 3-pointer for a 70-45 lead.
BIG PICTURE
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders didn’t have another big comeback in them, five days after matching the biggest comeback victory in Division I this season when they rallied from 23 down to beat No. 13 Iowa State in overtime at home for their first Big 12 victory. .
Baylor: The Bears are 79-22 against instate teams since the start of the 2011-12 season. … After four consecutive games shooting 37.1% or worst from the field, their worst stretch of the season, Baylor shot 53.8% (35 of 65). That included 10 3-pointers.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Baylor was already on the verge of returning to the top 10 in only three polls since a one-week absence that ended its streak of 65 consecutive poll appearances since the start of the 2019-20 season. The Bears lost 76-71 at No. 10 Texas earlier in the week, so they’re not likely to move up — but also may not move down much, if at all.
UP NEXT
Texas Tech plays at Oklahoma State next Wednesday night.
Baylor hosts Oklahoma on Wednesday night. The Bears won 62-60 in Norman two weeks ago.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll