Wednesday, December 31, 2014

O'Neale Helps Baylor Bears Rout Norfolk State 92-51

WACO, Texas --  Royce O'Neale scored 15 points of his career-best 23 points in the opening minutes of the second half to lead No. 22 Baylor to a 92-51 win over Norfolk State on Tuesday night.

Rico Gathers added 13 points and 11 rebounds for Baylor (11-1). Taurean Prince and Al Freeman scored 13 each.

Jeff Short had 23 points and D'Shon Taylor scored 11 for Norfolk State (9-6). Rashid Gaston had 10 rebounds and six points.

O'Neale had a 3 to open the second-half scoring, and then with Baylor holding a 40-29 lead, he took over. After a dunk by Gathers and one free throw by Johnathan Motley, O'Neale hit 3s on Baylor's next four possessions. After Lester Medford converted a 3-point play, the Bears led 55-29 with 14:41 left in the game and the game was effectively over.



O'Neale scored five consecutive points as Baylor took an early 12-8 lead. From there, Norfolk went on an 11-2 run - spurred by 3s from Taylor and Short - and took a 19-14 lead with 11:31 to play, prompting Baylor coach Scott Drew to call a timeout.

On the Bears' next possession, Motley was called for an offensive foul as he was starting a short drive to the basket. After that, however, Baylor went on an 11-2 run of its own to take the lead back, 25-21, at the 5:50 mark. O'Neale hit a 3 and Prince converted a three-point play during the stint.

Prince hit a 3 in front of the Norfolk bench at the buzzer to give Baylor a 32-27 halftime lead.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Baylor's 92 points were a season high surpassing its previous high of 80 (vs. McNeese State, 11/14/14).
• Baylor's 60 second-half points were the most in any half by the Bears this season.
• Baylor's 34 field goals made were a season high surpassing its previous high of 30 (vs. McNeese State, 11/14/14).
• Baylor set a season high with 28 assists surpassing the previous total of 23 (McNeese St., 11/14/14).
• Baylor set a season high with 23 offensive rebounds surpassing the previous total of 22 (vs. Texas Southern, 12/1/14).
• Baylor's eight blocks matched a season high (vs. SFA, 11/24/14).
• Baylor's 41-point margin of victory was the largest loss suffered by Norfolk State since the Spartans lost to the University of Florida, 84-50 (3/18/12).
• Royce O'Neale scored a career-high 23 points passing his previous high of 22 (at Vanderbilt, 12/4/14).
• O'Neale's 23 points tied for the most by a Baylor player this season (Gathers, 23 vs. Texas Southern, 12/1/14).
• O'Neale hit a career-high five 3-point field goals, passing his previous high of four, accomplished four times.
• O'Neale reached double figures (23) for the fourth time this season and for the 14th time in his career. Baylor is 12-2 when he scores at least 10 points. • O'Neale led the Bears in scoring for the third time this season and the sixth time in his career.
• Rico Gathers posted his Big 12-leading 6th double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds; it was the 13th of his career.
• Gathers reached double figures in rebounds for the 10th time this season and the 24th time of his career.

STAT OF THE GAME
60: Second-half points for Baylor, turning a five-point halftime advantage into a a 41-point victory.

Box Score | Notes | USATSI Photo Gallery 

COURTESY BAYLOR UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELAITONS

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