In much the way we became accustomed to watching last season, Baylor relied on its defense to hold Illinois down until the Bears offense found its punch. Baylor held just a 49-46 advantage with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game before a 5-point surge from Adam Flagler (18 points, 3assists) sparked a 17-4 run over two minutes that put Baylor up for good. The Baylor Bears beat the Illinois Illini 82-69.
The defense was the key for Baylor. The Bears forced 12 turnovers, which were especially needed in the first half when the offense hadn’t yet found itself.