The Sports Network
By Pat Taggart, Associate College Basketball Editor
FACTS & STATS: Site: Ferrell Center (10,284) -- Waco, Texas. Television: Local. Home Record: Prairie View 1-0, Baylor 4-0. Away Record: Prairie View 0-4, Baylor 0-0. Neutral Record: Prairie View 0-2, Baylor 0-0. Conference Record: Prairie View 0-0, Baylor 0-0. Series Record: Baylor leads, 10-0.
GAME NOTES: The Baylor Bears are obvious favorites in tonight's non-conference clash with the Prairie View A&M Panthers.
Prairie View competes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and has not proven capable of hanging with top-flight competition thus far. The Panthers lost to Marquette of the Big East Conference and Wisconsin of the Big Ten by a combined total of 83 points in back-to-back games to open the season. Last Wednesday, Prairie View fell short against Western Illinois in a 69-63 final, dropping to 1-6 overall.
Baylor has won its last nine home games and figures to enter tonight's tilt with plenty of confidence. The Bears, who call the Big 12 Conference home, have won their last 27 games when holding opponents under 70 points, including their first four this season. They were most recently in action against Lipscomb last Monday and posted a 72-60 win.
The Bears have won all 10 previous meetings with Prairie View A&M.
The Panthers struggled at the offensive end in the loss to Western Illinois last time out, as they shot just 34.9 percent from the floor and managed only 10 assists. Prairie View also suffered a 37-30 rebounding disadvantage and a 15-10 deficit in points from the foul line. Defensively, the Panthers permitted the Leathernecks to shoot 51.2 percent from the field. Trant Simpson scored 16 points, while Duwan Kornegay (11 points) and Brandon Webb (10 points) were solid contributors as well in the loss. The Panthers have scored fewer than 70 points in five of their seven games, and it certainly hasn't helped the cause that they are being outrebounded by over 13 boards per outing. Simpson is netting 13.9 ppg to pace his squad.
LaceDarius Dunn is widely considered the best player on the Baylor roster, and he finally returned from suspension to play his first game of the season against Lipscomb last Monday. Dunn showed no signs of rust, as he poured in 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, including a 7-of-11 effort from three-point range. Quincy Acy was tremendously impressive as well, as he posted 18 points and 14 rebounds. The Bears did turn the ball over 19 times, but a 45-33 rebounding advantage and strong defense enabled them to overcome the miscues. Acy is averaging 17.8 ppg this season on 60.5 percent shooting from the floor, and he is ripping down 10.8 rpg as well. Perry Jones III adds 12.3 ppg and 8.5 rpg to the mix, and Anthony Jones provides 10.8 ppg. Baylor is generating 74.0 ppg while allowing 56.2 ppg on 36.7 percent shooting by opponents.
Dunn, Acy and company will dominate the Panthers, who will be well out of contention by intermission.