NASSAU, Bahamas — Chaz Lanier had an impressive performance with seven 3-pointers, accumulating a total of 25 points in the first half, as No. 11 Tennessee triumphed over No. 13 Baylor with a score of 77-62, securing the Baha Mar Championship title.
Lanier dominated the court from the outset, scoring five 3-pointers within the first four minutes of play, which propelled the Volunteers (6-0) to an early lead of 16-2. His final shot from beyond the arc right before the halftime buzzer expanded Tennessee’s lead to 47-20.
Completing the game with a shooting line of 9 of 16 from the field, including 7 of 10 from beyond the arc, Lanier claimed the MVP honor for the tournament. Jordan Gainey also contributed significantly to the team’s victory with 16 points.
On the other hand, Baylor (4-2), having just come off a thrilling double-overtime win against No. 22 St. John’s due to Jeremy Roach’s buzzer-beater the night before, managed to outscore Tennessee 42-30 in the second half, but that was not enough to close the gap on the scoreboard.
Norchad Omier was a standout for the Bears, finishing the game with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and VJ Edgecombe chipped in with 20 points. Jeremy Roach’s scoring struggles continued, as he was limited to just eight points throughout the match.
Key Takeaways: Tennessee exhibited a stark contrast to their previous performance; after struggling to maintain a slight advantage against Virginia, the Volunteers came out strong against Baylor, who had no response to their fast start.
Baylor’s fatigue from the intense double-overtime game the previous night was apparent, as they found it challenging to recover from a large deficit in this match.
A pivotal moment occurred when Lanier went on a 15-point scoring spree in the first four minutes, setting the tempo for Tennessee and allowing them to establish a commanding lead of 23-4 at the 11:40 mark in the first half.
In terms of shooting performance, Baylor struggled from three-point territory, making only 6 of 22 attempts for 27.3%, while Tennessee found success, converting 12 of their 27 three-point attempts for a percentage of 44.4%.
Looking ahead, Tennessee will prepare to host UT Martin on Wednesday, while Baylor will also play at home against New Orleans on the same day.