No. 6 Baylor stays perfect with 72-59 win over Saint Mary’s

LAS VEGAS — Quincy Miller scored 15 points and Perry Jones III had 14 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 6 Baylor over Saint Mary’s 72-59 Thursday night in the third round of the Las Vegas Invitational.

Quincy Acy added 12 points and 10 rebounds while Brady Heslip scored 11 as the Bears (11-0) remained one of six undefeated teams in Division I. Jones also blocked four shots.

Baylor never trailed and pulled away in the second half after leading 36-34 at the break.

Rob Jones led Saint Mary’s (10-2) with 14 points and seven rebounds, but the Gaels’ eight-game winning streak was snapped. Brad Waldow added 12 points for Saint Mary’s.

Baylor plays West Virginia in the final round Friday, while Saint Mary’s takes on Missouri State.

Earlier on Thursday, West Virginia defeated Missouri State 70-68 in overtime as Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins earned his 700th career win.

Baylor took control in the second half and eventually built a 15-point lead with 8:02 left. The Gaels were held to 35 percent shooting after hitting 55 percent in the first half. Meanwhile, Baylor shot 50 percent from the field for the game.

Baylor outrebounded the Gaels 37-24. After the Bears scored the first six points of the game, there were eight lead changes in the first half as neither team built a lead larger than that six.

This was the second meeting between Baylor and Saint Mary’s. In 2010, they met in the NCAA tournament’s South Regional semifinal, where the Bears won 72-49 in Houston.