Baylor Beats Tarleton as Carr Shines With Big First Half

Baylor University earned a solid 94-81 win over Tarleton State in Waco, Texas, with Cameron Carr giving one of the best performances of his young season. Carr scored 27 points in the game, including 17 important first-half points that helped Baylor take early control. The Bears once again proved their strength at home and improved their season record to 3-0.

Cameron Carr was the star from the opening minutes. He made seven of his eight shots in the first half, scoring a point almost every minute he played. His confident shooting helped Baylor take a strong 55-42 lead at halftime. The team overall shot 57.6% in the first half, which made it difficult for Tarleton State to slow them down. Carr also energized the crowd with strong drives, a big dunk, and a three-point play that extended Baylor’s biggest first-half lead to 48-30.

While Carr was the main scorer, Baylor showed excellent team balance. Isaac Williams scored 16 points, giving consistent support throughout the game. Dan Skillings Jr. contributed in many ways, adding 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Obi Agbim added 14 points, while Tounde Yessoufou scored 12. With five players reaching double figures, Baylor showed they have several scoring options beyond Carr, which makes them a dangerous team.

Tarleton State stayed close mainly because of a brilliant performance from Dior Johnson. Johnson scored 42 points, making 17 of his 24 shots. He was effective from everywhere—short jumpers, drives, and even from beyond the three-point line. His incredible scoring kept Tarleton within reach several times, but his effort was not enough to overcome Baylor’s stronger team play. Freddy Hicks also supported Tarleton with 13 points and reached double-digit scoring for the fifth game in a row.

Baylor made several important scoring runs in the first half. Carr scored five straight early to give Baylor a 15-9 lead. Later, the Bears went on a 9-2 run, finished with Carr’s slam-and-one. Agbim and Skillings also reached double figures before halftime, showing how well Baylor shared the scoring load. Despite Johnson scoring 14 in the first half for Tarleton, Baylor’s teamwork allowed them to stay comfortably ahead.

In the second half, Tarleton State showed great fight. Twice, they cut the lead to single digits. Johnson made a short jumper to make it 65-56 with just over 13 minutes left. But every time Tarleton came close, Baylor answered immediately. JJ White and Cameron Carr hit back-to-back three-pointers, restoring a big lead, and Williams added another long-range shot to make it 77-58. Even though Tarleton kept pushing, Baylor never allowed the lead to shrink too much.

With around four minutes left, the Texans again reduced the margin to 84-72. However, Dan Skillings Jr. hit a three-pointer that ended Tarleton’s hopes of a comeback. Baylor kept control for the rest of the game and finished with a comfortable 94-81 victory. Johnson remained excellent until the final whistle, but Baylor’s strong defense and consistent scoring made the difference.

The win takes Baylor to a promising 3-0 start this season. With balanced scoring, strong shooting, and standout performances like Carr’s, Baylor looks ready for tougher challenges ahead. Tarleton State, now 2-3, will look to build on Johnson’s amazing performance as they prepare for their next game.