Takeaways from Baylor's win over Creighton in Las Vegas
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With the holiday season upon us, basketball is heating up both at the professional and collegiate levels. In college basketball, the end of the calendar year means early-season holiday tournaments such as the Battle 4 Atlantis and the Maui Invitational, giving fans high-level hoops and intriguing non-conference matchups.
Baylor basketball got into the action this season with the Players Era Tournament, one of the newest holiday tournaments but arguably the most talent-laden, featuring eight ranked teams and a host of potential NBA first-rounders, even with injury to Kansas' Darryn Peterson, including Tennessee forward Nate Ament, Houston freshmen Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac, and Tounde Yessoufu. With that, let's dive into what we learned from Baylor in their 81-74 win over the Creighton Bluejays.
Obi on the scene
After four years between junior college and Division II, Obi Agbim was one of the most highly sought-after guards in last year's transfer portal cycle after averaging nearly 18 points at Wyoming last year. However, in his first game against a power conference opponent as a Bear, Agbim managed only 2 points on 0/7 shooting in 35 minutes against Washington.
This afternoon, Agbim opened the scoring up for the Bears and ended the first half leading all scorers with 13 points, being aggressive early in getting to his spots and showcasing shotmaking from three and in the mid-range. With a team lacking depth both inside and with on-ball guards, it will be crucial for Agbim, along with Issac Williams, to consistently be able to add on-ball scoring pop, and playmake for others when things get haywire. Even with a scoreless second half, the flashes of what this team needs from Agbim were there.
Hot start for the Bears
After starting slow and trailing early in all three contests to start the season, Baylor came out ready to play from the first whistle in their first neutral-site game of the year. Leading 10-4 at the first media timeout and taking an 8-point lead into half, Baylor's hot start was buoyed by their shooting, making their first five three-pointers and ending the first half shooting 6/8 from three, but also increased intensity defending on the perimeter for the Bears. That early lead allowed the Bears breathing room to sustain the runs made by Creighton in the second half, who tied the game up twice down the stretch.
Physical forwards for Scott Drew
With the Bears deploying only one true center, there's a consistent need for Baylor forwards to punch above their weight class. Dan Skillings and Cameron Carr in particular answered the call for that today, combining for 35 points and 17 rebounds. Carr, on his 21st birthday, continued to make his case as Baylor's best player with 21 points and a high-flying alley oop, and Skilling's rebounding in the second half spearheaded Baylor's 26 second-chance points and 22 offensive rebounds to close out the game. Caden Powell chipped in seven boards, and while Tounde Yessoufu struggled with another inefficient night scoring the ball, he was able to impact the game with his hustle and defense, logging five rebounds, four stocks, and leading the attack with Baylor's perimeter defense.
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Josh began covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Before this, he previously wrote for Syracuse men's basketball and football at SI from 2022-24. As a former Division I defensive lineman at Prairie View, Josh is passionate about storytelling from a former athlete's perspective. When he's not covering Baylor, he enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts and music, and loves cooking a good meal.
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