FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - Baylor dressed just six scholarship players because of injuries that shortened the bench and sidelined two of the top three scorers for the 23rd-ranked Bears.
It didn’t matter much against tiny Randall, a 400-student Oklahoma college with a large roster considering the size of the student body.
Nuni Omot scored a career-high 30 points while Jo Lual-Acuil and freshman Tristan Clark notched double-doubles, leading Baylor over Randall 105-82 in the Bears’ return to Fort Hood on Saturday night.
Lual-Acuil matched his career best with 19 points and had a career-high 16 rebounds, Clark added 16 points and 11 boards and King McClure scored 23 for the Bears (7-2).
Baylor snapped a two-game losing streak while playing for the third straight year at the sprawling Army post about an hour from the Waco campus. The Bears were without leading scorer Manu Lecomte and Terry Maston, their No. 3 scorer, along with Mark Vital.
“The last couple of years we’ve been really blessed,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “We haven’t had many injuries or illnesses or season-ending stuff. I think they all added up and came this year. The good thing is we’ve still only lost two and we’ll get people back.”
Trey Sneed scored 29 points and Xavier Hunter added 23 for Randall (5-9) of the National Christian College Athletic Association. The Saints have 18 players and used 17 against the Bears.
Randall was within seven points late in the first half after Hunter drove for a layup and Brad Ficken hit a 3-pointer for a 41-34 deficit. Baylor had two 3s to help push the lead back to 49-34 at halftime.
“We never look down on playing any opponent,” McClure said. “We knew these guys could play basketball. They shoot it just like we do. We can’t take anyone lightly. We didn’t play the way we should have, didn’t play defense the way we should have.”
Omot had a career high in 3-pointers, going 6 of 8 from long range and 12 of 17 overall as the Bears shot 57 percent. Clark made seven of eight shots. Jake Lindsey scored 12 points, putting all five Baylor starters in double figures.
The Saints were within eight with 13 minutes left when McClure hit a 3-pointer to start a 14-2 run for a 79-59 lead. McClure had a layup to finish the run.
Tyson Jolly missed all five of his shots but led Baylor with 10 assists.
BIG PICTURE
Randall: It was an impressive showing to keep the deficit inside 10 points well into the second half, fueled in part by shooting 46 percent (10 of 22) from 3-point range. Sneed and Hunter combined to go 7 of 14 from deep.
Baylor: After losing back-to-back games at Xavier and at home to No. 6 Wichita State, the Bears should have an easier time heading into Big 12 play. The conference opener is Dec. 29 at Texas Tech.
TOO MUCH SIZE
Baylor outrebounded Randall 45-22. The Saints’ tallest starter was the 6-foot-4 Sneed. Four Baylor starters were 6-5 or better.
TIP-INS
It was the second meeting between Baylor and Randall, and the Bears have won both. … Baylor has won 32 consecutive regular-season games against unranked nonconference opponents. … Baylor scored a season-high 56 points in the second half.
UP NEXT
Randall: Southwest Region Conference opener at Ozark Christian College on Tuesday.
Baylor: Texas Southern at home Thursday.
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