Everything Scott Drew said following Baylor basketball's win over UTRGV

The Baylor Bears got out to a slow start on Monday night, but Baylor would end up defeating UTRGV, 96-81, to start the new season 1-0. The Bears were led by Tennessee transfer Cameron Carr, who scored 28 points. Star freshman Tounde Yessoufou scored 24.

Nov 4, 2025 Takeaways from Baylor basketballs win against Rio Grande-Valley had to say.

Opening statement

Half of Division One is going to lose tonight, that play. So it's always better to win and learn from film. I thought we really improved from GCU to IU. In some areas, I thought we really improved from IU to here after the first eight minutes of the game, first eight minutes of the game -- we really struggled. And I think I thought I had hoped playing in Indianapolis and playing that open scrimmage would kind of simulated some of the energy and excitement in the first game. And I was wrong because shout out to the students. They just bring the level to energy to another level and the loudness, excitement, I think a lot of players had family here for the first time as well.

And so in the adjustment for everybody after eight minutes, I think they scored 26, 28 in the first eight and they scored just 11 the rest of the way in the first half. So I thought we did a lot better things there. Rebounding was good. Turnovers was the one thing we wanted to work on. For IU we had 16 there, we only had 11 today. That's really good. Thing that obviously we're a little disappointed in would be the defense. So credit Rio Grande. This is a team last year early in the season, they had a three to tie it to go to OT at Wisconsin. And Wisconsin was a three-seed in the tournament. So doesn't matter who you face, everybody can lose a game early in the season. And obviously, they're a well-coached team.

On calling two timeouts early and message

I think I was hoping one time out would settle the nerves. I guess we needed two. So the good thing is right after that, I think everybody locked in and picked up what we're doing. And then coaching staff did a good job adjusting our ball screen coverage too. And that probably helped.

On the defense

Yeah, I, you know, GCU had a lot of size and length. IU had a lot of physicality. And this team was a lot quicker and more guard oriented. So it's just it was a different look. And it exposed -- it took us a second to catch up to the speed of it. But as far as defensively, I know we have, I mean, if we just play that defense from the 12 minute mark down that 11 points, I mean, we had sections of IU and sections of GCU just like that. So now the question is us finding rotations, when people get fatigued or whatnot, who plays well with who, what adjustments we can make with certain lineups in but my point is, if we weren't good anywhere, then you'd be like, maybe you're right. But the fact that we've showed really good stretches. And like 12 minutes is a good sample size. It's not a one minute or two minute stretch. So I do know we can get there. We're not there now.

On Cameron Carr

Well, Cam is one of those guys. He looks really good. And when it's cooking, it's fun to watch. I think with Cam, the great thing at Tennessee and since he's here is just the consistency. And he's a very skilled, as athletic as any player that we've had here. But his overall toughness ability to make winning plays. He's doing those things defensively, more, more consistent. And some of that was he's still slight, but when he got into college, he's probably a little underweight. And he's done a good job learning and growing. And I know when it's when things are rolling, he's fun to watch. And as far as dunking wise, I mean, he's as good as anybody we've had. We've had some elite ones.

On Obi Agbim

Well, I thought Obi was a lot more aggressive than he was in the first two scrimmages, which was great to see. And we missed him a couple times when he got going in that first half, we should have found him. And then he's adjusting too, because he's never really had a season at this level being a point guard.

And Wyoming is only division one year, probably half and half and beginning of the year played point off most of the end of the year off the ball. So just adjusting to when to be aggressive when to get the offense going. And it's new for everybody and no one know how to read teammates. I mean, everybody's new. So it takes time. The good news is, every day the guys they want like each other and they are really coachable and they want to get better. So that gives you a chance to improve each and every day.

On what they can improve on

Well, I think offensively, working on too many, especially early in the game, a lot of threes that we could have gotten better looks. And then and then when you get a lead, trying to make sure that you know what we want to do, like to grow a lead can't come down and take bad shots. You can't not sprint back and give up a layup like those kind of things just shoring up where that's why you play 12 good minutes and you play a bad minutes that we just got to get more consistent on, again, things that we can control, taking, taking shots that we don't need to take and making defensive mistakes that we shouldn't make.

And you know what, that's what you're supposed to do at the beginning of the year.If everyone was really good at the beginning of the year, there's no room to grow and improve.

Where the team is at in finding its identity

I think we got a ways to go. And hopefully we get there in eight months. So but I mean, it's, as you know, normally it takes teams two, three, four years playing with guys and Big 12 has got what 71% as I just heard from The Athletic projected new starters. So everybody's in the same boat. So and again, what you see in practice, can't simulate game stuff, because some people just play a little different games than they do in practice. And when you're going against your other group in practice, they might not be able to simulate what you face in the game. So I think we all learn together.