Immediate Reactions to Baylor's win over San Diego St.
In this story:
Baylor met the San Diego State Aztecs late Wednesday night in Las Vegas at the Players Era tournament. This game is the third in three days for the Bears, who had already lost JJ White in their opening game against Creighton. Baylor closed as a 2.5-point favorite over the Aztecs, but there was real concern among Baylor fans regarding the size and length of San Diego State's bigs, Miles Heide and Magoon Gwath. Baylor seemed to put that fear to bed early, especially when Gwath racked up two quick fouls within the first two minutes of the game.
Both teams started the first half on fire. Baylor shot 53.8% from the field, and San Diego St. shot 50%; there was no stopping either of these teams. Tough shot after tough shot falling on both ends. The first half was also a game defined by each team going back and forth on runs. Baylor would get to halftime with a four point lead, the standout performance of that first half being Cam Carr once again. In the first half, Carr led the team in scoring, rebounding and had a strong defensive performance with a block.
The second half was more of the same from both teams. I felt as if the game had become more physical with the reintroduction of Gwath for San Diego St. Baylor handled the physicality well and even seemed to thrive under the conditions. Baylor out rebounded the Aztecs 36 to 29. Baylor would go on a 12-0 run in the second half and never really looked back. There was a real energy to the way the Bears were playing in the second half; everyone was creating chaos and seemed to be on the same page. It was a great performance by Isaac Williams from the bench, who had 13 points and a notable pass deflection which forced a terrible shot to enforce the 12 point Baylor lead with 8 minutes to go.
Tounde Yessoufou continues to struggle
Tounde Yessoufou is still deemed a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA draft, but as more games are played, the less likely that seems to happen. What we knew about Tounde coming in is that he is a good shooter, with elite athleticism, and a great defender. All those things do stand true, but the issues seem to be glaring here in the non-con, with consistent poor shot selection and a very raw handle. Obviously, true freshmen are going to struggle early on in the season, and I have no doubt that he will continue to grow as the year goes on. The difference of Baylor being a top three team in the Big 12 or a top eight team in the Big 12 may be how Tounde develops come late-January, early-February.
Dan Skillings Jr.: Glue Guy
Dan Skillings Jr. has taken the glue guy role for the Bears, something that Baylor has struggled to find since Jeremy Sochan in 2021. Skillings finished the game with 11 points and 7 rebounds. The stat line does not do his performance justice. Skillings played 34 minutes and finished with a +/- of 21. Dan has played a lot of power forward for the Bears, and it seems like a natural fit.
A specific moment I want to note is Skillings at the free-throw line in the second half. He misses the free throw short, grabs his own rebound, kicks it out, and the Bears get a score on that possession. Little moments like this start runs for the Bears and continue the mounting pressure throughout a game. Scott Drew loves this type of player, someone who plays with fire and motivates the rest of his team to play with a similar effort and fight.
Championship level of energy and effort
This was the most energy, effort, and fight that I have seen from a Baylor team since 2023. Fifteen new players, 0% returning production, and this team still seems to be on the same page. They embrace physicality, opposition runs seem not to faze them, and they curate an organized chaos on defense. It is really a beautiful thing to watch. If the Bears want to win the Big 12, they will need to play like this every night. Baylor forced ten turnovers and had six more offensive rebounds than San Diego St. These are effort plays that translate to winning basketball. They have been doing this all tournament, and if they continue to do it, we could be looking at a Big 12 title contender.
More From Baylor On SI
Jacob is a contributor for Baylor Bears On SI. A lifelong sports fan, he started writing game reactions and opinion pieces during Baylor football and basketball seasons, turning that hobby into a growing presence in sports media. He brings an authentic, fan-driven voice to his work and is excited to keep building his voice and breaking down the topics Baylor fans are talking about every day.
Follow Jacob252731