Jalen Bridges made two free throws with 16 seconds left as No. 6 Baylor closed the game with an 8-0 run to post a 64-63 victory over No. 14 Gonzaga on Friday night in the Peacock Classic at Sioux Falls, S.D.
Keyonte George scored 18 points as the Bears (6-2) prevailed in the rematch of the 2021 national championship game won by Baylor.
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Gonzaga (5-3) had a chance to win the contest as Rasir Bolton received an inbounds pass in the backcourt and drove all the way to the hoop but his left-handed layup was off the mark as time expired.
Adam Flagler scored 11 points and Langston Love added 10 for the Bears, who improved to 2-5 all-time against the Bulldogs.
Malachi Smith scored 16 points, Anton Watson recorded 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds and Julian Strawther 10 points and 10 rebounds for Gonzaga.
Bulldogs star Drew Timme scored a season-low nine points before fouling out.
Gonzaga held a team-best seven-point lead before Flagler buried two 3-pointers in 24 seconds to pull the Bears within 63-62 with 1:10 remaining.
Bridges made two free throws with 16 seconds left to give Baylor a one-point lead and the Bears held on when Bolton couldn’t convert.
Baylor shot 37.1 percent from the field, including 6 of 24 from 3-point range.
The Bulldogs made 36.1 percent of their shots and were 6 of 22 from behind the arc.
Gonzaga took its first lead since 3-2 when Watson scored on a layup for a 41-40 edge with 15:39 left in the contest.
Timme scored his second field goal 29 seconds later to again give Gonzaga a one-point edge.
Watson later hit a jumper to push the Bulldogs ahead by one and start an 8-0 flurry. Smith added two free throws, Timme scored a basket and Smith slammed home a dunk to give Gonzaga a 63-56 lead with 1:41 remaining before Baylor rallied.
George had 14 first-half points as Baylor held a 38-33 halftime lead. Smith scored 11 in the half for the Bulldogs.
The Bears ripped off 10 straight points early in the game to hold a 12-3 lead.
Baylor pushed the lead to 12 when Bridges drained a 3-pointer to make it 19-7 with 12:19 left in the half. The Bears again led by 12 at 30-18 with 5:25 remaining.
–Field Level Media
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