National Basketball Association
Baylor 64, Gonzaga 63
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, December 2, 2022
Where: Sanford Pentagon, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Officials:
# Marques Pettigrew, # Michael Greenstein, # Kipp Kissinger
Attendance:
3448
By Field Level Media
Jalen Bridges made two free throws with 16 seconds left as No. 6 Baylor closed the game with an 8-0 run to post a 64-63 victory over No. 14 Gonzaga on Friday night in the Peacock Classic at Sioux Falls, S.D.
Keyonte George scored 18 points as the Bears (6-2) prevailed in the rematch of the 2021 national championship game won by Baylor.
Gonzaga (5-3) had a chance to win the contest as Rasir Bolton received an inbounds pass in the backcourt and drove all the way to the hoop but his left-handed layup was off the mark as time expired.
Adam Flagler scored 11 points and Langston Love added 10 for the Bears, who improved to 2-5 all-time against the Bulldogs.
Malachi Smith scored 16 points, Anton Watson recorded 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds and Julian Strawther 10 points and 10 rebounds for Gonzaga.
Bulldogs star Drew Timme scored a season-low nine points before fouling out.
Gonzaga held a team-best seven-point lead before Flagler buried two 3-pointers in 24 seconds to pull the Bears within 63-62 with 1:10 remaining.
Bridges made two free throws with 16 seconds left to give Baylor a one-point lead and the Bears held on when Bolton couldn't convert.
Baylor shot 37.1 percent from the field, including 6 of 24 from 3-point range.
The Bulldogs made 36.1 percent of their shots and were 6 of 22 from behind the arc.
Gonzaga took its first lead since 3-2 when Watson scored on a layup for a 41-40 edge with 15:39 left in the contest.
Timme scored his first basket of the game to give the Bulldogs a 53-52 lead with 6:04 left.
Timme scored his second field goal 29 seconds later to again give Gonzaga a one-point edge.
Watson later hit a jumper to push the Bulldogs ahead by one and start an 8-0 flurry. Smith added two free throws, Timme scored a basket and Smith slammed home a dunk to give Gonzaga a 63-56 lead with 1:41 remaining before Baylor rallied.
George had 14 first-half points as Baylor held a 38-33 halftime lead. Smith scored 11 in the half for the Bulldogs.
The Bears ripped off 10 straight points early in the game to hold a 12-3 lead.
Baylor pushed the lead to 12 when Bridges drained a 3-pointer to make it 19-7 with 12:19 left in the half. The Bears again led by 12 at 30-18 with 5:25 remaining.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Baylor |
|
Gonzaga |
Keyonte George 18 |
Scoring |
Malachi Smith 16 |
Dale Bonner 3 |
Assists |
Nolan Hickman 8 |
Flo Thamba 8 |
Rebounds |
Anton Watson 13 |
Jalen Bridges 4 |
Free Throws Made |
Malachi Smith 5 |
Dale Bonner 2 |
Steals |
Anton Watson 3 |
Jalen Bridges 2 |
Blocks |
Drew Timme 2 |
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Points |
FG% |
3PM-3PA |
FTM-FTA |
Assists |
Rebounds |
Blocks |
Steals |
Turnovers |
Baylor
|
64 |
37.1 |
6-24 |
12-15 |
8 |
30 |
5 |
7 |
14 |
Gonzaga
|
63 |
36.1 |
6-22 |
13-21 |
12 |
37 |
3 |
9 |
18 |