WACO, Texas – Southern battled for four quarters but ultimately fell to No. 15 Baylor, 77–60, Thursday night at Foster Pavilion. The Jaguars kept the game competitive early and showed resilience late, but the Bears' depth and efficiency proved to be the difference in the non-conference road match up.
Southern briefly led in the opening quarter and trailed just 17–14 after one, but Baylor used a strong second and third quarter to seize control. The Bears outscored the Jaguars 41–27 over the middle two periods to build a cushion Southern couldn't overcome, despite a strong fourth-quarter effort.
Southern shot over 50 percent in the final period and matched Baylor 19–19 in the quarter, but the deficit was too much to erase against the nationally ranked Bears.
Keys to the Game
1. Third-Quarter Surge: Baylor outscored Southern 23–16 in the third quarter, stretching a 10-point halftime lead to 17 and shifting momentum decisively.
2. Second-Chance Opportunities: Baylor held a 13–4 edge in second-chance points, capitalizing on offensive rebounds.
3. Bench Production: Baylor's bench contributed 29 points compared to Southern's 25, providing consistent scoring throughout the game.
4. Shooting Efficiency: Baylor shot 46.7 percent from the field, while Southern finished at 35.5 percent.
Stats Leaders
Jaylia Reed: 11 points, 3-of-6 from three
Demya Porter: 10 points, 4 rebounds
Jestiny Dixon: 10 points
Jocelyn Tate: 9 points, 3 assists
Zaria Hurston: 6 points, perfect 4-for-4 at the free-throw line
Southern finished the night shooting 92.9 percent from the free-throw line (13-of-14) and forced 20 Baylor fouls.
By the Numbers
60 – Points scored by Southern
31 – Total rebounds by the Jaguars
3 – Made three-pointers by Southern
14 – Points off turnovers for Southern
36:35 – Time Baylor held the lead
17 – Largest Baylor lead
Up Next
Southern closes out its non-conference slate on Sunday with a road match up at SMU before turning its focus to conference play. Tipoff is slated for 4 PM.
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