Baylor Basketball: Studs and Duds From Season-Opening Win Over Northwestern State

Baylor basketball is back, and several new faces made an immediate impact in the Bears' season-opening win over Northwestern State.

Baylor coach Scott Drew yells back at players in the second half of the game against Kansas Saturday, February 10, 2024 inside Allen Fieldhouse. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Bears faced Northwestern State in their first game of the 2026-27 season. Baylor entered the season with plenty of momentum after picking up exhibition wins over preseason No. 1 Florida and preseason No. 3 Illinois.

As expected, the Bears took care of business against Northwestern State in their season opener. Here's a look at who stood out in the matchup.

Stud: Brett Decker Jr.

Dec 6, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Liberty Flames guard Brett Decker Jr. (4) shoots a free throw during the second half of the game against the NC State Wolfpack at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Liberty transfer is one of the top three-point shooters in all of college basketball, and he showed why on Monday, knocking down five of his nine attempts from beyond the arc. Decker finished with 17 points and was one of Baylor's biggest offensive contributors.

Baylor has lacked a consistent three-point shooter for the past few years, but Decker looks to change that.

Stud: The Mingo Brothers

Feb 21, 2026; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions guard Kayden Mingo (4) dribbles during the second half against Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Cale Jacobsen (31) at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Baylor needed to find a true point guard this offseason, and Kayden Mingo is that guy. He came away with 17 points, seven rebounds, and two assists.

Dylan Mingo, the younger brother of Kayden, committed to Baylor after previously committing to North Carolina. Dylan finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

Both Kayden and Dylan will be very efficient for Scott Drew and the Bears this year.

Stud: Elijah Williams

The freshman made some big plays for Baylor. He finished with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field, along with five rebounds and two assists.

His performance against Northwestern State was an encouraging start to his college career, as he showed he can contribute in several areas of the game.

Dud: Isaac Williams IV

Mar 10, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Baylor Bears guard Isaac Williams IV (10) blocks a shot by Arizona State Sun Devils guard Anthony Johnson (2) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Isaac Williams IV is going to be a huge factor in the Bears' success this year, and he was great for Baylor last season, but tonight just wasn't his night. He finished with eight points on 3-of-12 shooting from the field and went 0-for-4 from beyond the arc. He also added two rebounds and four assists.

I do not doubt that he will be great for Baylor this year, and I don't expect to see many bad performances from him. The shots just weren't falling tonight.

Dud: Juslin Bodo Bodo

Mar 20, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; High Point Panthers forward Juslin Bodo Bodo (21) dunks against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After transferring from High Point to Baylor last year, Juslin Bodo Bodo was unable to play due to being injured. He is mainly known for his defense and rebounding.

He finished with zero points, three rebounds, zero assists, and two turnovers against Northwestern State. I know he's not someone who is going to put up a lot of numbers, but it wasn't a great game for him.

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