Inside The Bears

Takeaways from Baylor's 94-81 win over Tarleton State

The Bears win a physical game at home in the Foster Pavillion. A lot of positive for the Bears to carry on with and some negative for the Bears to fix in this long week.
Jacob Haddadin|
Dan Skillings with a steal in the first half of the game Friday night.
Dan Skillings with a steal in the first half of the game Friday night. | Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images Purchase Licensing Rights

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Baylor Bears

The Baylor Bears moved to 3-0 on the season after taking down Tarleton State on Friday night. Tennessee transfer Cameron Carr once again led the way for the Bears, but while Baylor won 94-81 -- it wasn't all good.

Here are some of our takeaways.

Impressive offensive performance paired with a disappointing defensive performance

The Bears started extremely hot, scoring 27 in the first 8:15 of the game. Baylor did not miss a field goal until the 14:38 mark when JJ White missed a wing-three, which was then remedied in the same possession after an offensive rebound and a JJ White corner three.

The Bears did not have an empty possession until the 13:38 mark in the first half. The Bears held a 17-point lead at one point in the first half and ended the half with 55 points on 58% shooting. The offense continued that dominance in the second half, ending the game with 94 points on 58% shooting. The Bears continued to spread the ball around, with 5 players scoring in double digits and 21 total assists.

The Baylor defense struggled throughout the game. Through the first 10 minutes of the first half, Tarleton St. kept it close. Scott Drew went to a 1-3-1 zone, anchored by 6' 8" Michael Rataj, and that seemed to slow the Tarleton St defense for the rest of the half.

Tarleton kept the momentum through the half and kept adding pressure through guard Dior Johnson. Although Baylor's defense continued to improve throughout the game, Tarleton kept in it with Baylor turnovers and Tarleton's impressive offensive rebounding performance. Tarleton ended the game with 18 offensive rebounds compared to Baylor's 12 defensive rebounds. Dior Johnson had 42 points on 60% from the field. Johnson, the former Pitt Panther and UCF Golden Knight, was undoubtedly the most talented player for Tarleton St., but a 42 point performance is something Scott Drew will be very frustrated with leaving this game.

Cam Carr continues to impress

Cam Carr continues to show why he should be drafted in the first round when the NBA draft comes around next summer. He started the game 6-7 from three and, through the first half, had 17 points. The standout play of the half has to be the poster and-one dunk that got the crowd going and extended the Baylor lead to 17.

What Carr adds to this team on both ends can not be ignored. The three-point shooting and the ability to guard 1-4 with his length are a luxury in college basketball in 2025. Carr also showed some of his playmaking ability, being the primary ball handler on a few possessions. This takes the load off the point guard and allows Agbim to take a few spot-up threes, something that he was very good at in his previous school, Wyoming.

Cam led the way scoring tonight, with 27 points, shooting 10-13 from the field and 3-6 from three. If Cam Carr continues to play like this, and the Bears continue to win games, we could be looking at a national player of the year finalist and a lottery pick.

Isaac Williams the carries the Bears through the second half

Isaac Williams had 12 points and 0 turnovers in 14 minutes in the second half. Along with an energetic defensive performance. Isaac Williams has the potential to be a consistent spark off the bench for the Bears, akin to what Jayden Nunn did for Baylor in 2023. Not only were Isaac Williams' points important for the Bears in the second half, they came at timely moments where the Bears had their back against the wall, facing heavy Tarleton St. runs. Williams ended the game with 16 points, 5 assists, and 0 turnovers. Scott Drew emphasized the performance in his post-game presser as well. If Baylor wants to succeed in Big 12 play, they will need this fire off the bench consistently.

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Jacob Haddadin
JACOB HADDADIN

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.

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