WACO, Texas — In a stellar performance, Jalen Celestine, a transfer from Cal, contributed significantly off the bench with 20 points and four 3-pointers, leading the 12th-ranked Baylor Bears to a dominant 104-41 victory over Tarleton State on Sunday night.
The Bears, who improved their record to 3-1, saw VJ Edgecombe add 17 points while Jeremy Roach, a transfer from Duke, chipped in with 14 points. Freshman Robert Wright also made an impact by scoring 12 points and dishing out nine assists. Jayden Nunn and Josh Ojianwuna rounded out the scoring with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Baylor has not found itself in a trailing position during its last three games after suffering a heavy 38-point defeat in their season opener against Gonzaga.
On the other hand, the Texans, currently sitting at 1-4, were led in scoring by Joseph Martinez, who tallied 11 points, including a 3-pointer in the closing minute of the game.
**Takeaways**
For Tarleton State, the team faced challenges in overcoming Baylor’s full-court press, struggling to execute their offense effectively. The Texans are in the midst of a roster overhaul, as less than 5% of their scoring from the previous season returns. This game marked the second in a series of contests against power conference opponents within a four-game stretch.
Baylor, on the other hand, demonstrated an efficient offensive strategy, hitting 47% of their attempts from beyond the arc (15 out of 32) and recording assists on 22 of their 31 baskets.
**Key Moment**
A standout play occurred late in the first half when Edgecombe delivered an exhilarating two-handed slam dunk off a lob pass from Roach. This highlight was part of an impressive 44-6 run for Baylor during the last 16 minutes of the first half. Edgecombe, noted for his five-star recruit status, also featured a spectacular tomahawk dunk in the second half.
**Key Stat**
The Bears capitalized on 28 turnovers committed by Tarleton, scoring an impressive 46 points from those mistakes. Additionally, they restricted the Texans to merely 13 points in the first half while embarking on three separate scoring runs of 17-0.
**Up Next**
Looking ahead, Baylor will face off against No. 22 St. John’s in a tournament taking place in the Bahamas on Thursday. In another action that evening, Texas will take on Michigan.