Adam Flagler and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua are sophomore transfers who have already been starters on the Division I level. Matthew Mayer could start for a lot of Big 12 teams. And LJ Cryer might be one of the best freshman point guards in the nation.
Between them, they nearly outscored SFA's entire team.
In Baylor's home opener Wednesday night at the Ferrell Center, the bench outscored the SFA reserves, 43-13, in helping the second-ranked Bears (4-0) blow out the Lumberjacks, 83-52, and snap SFA's 18-game winning streak.
"If we're going to try to make this run to the national championship, I think it's good to have great players on the bench," said junior guard Davion Mitchell, who had 11 points, seven assists and four steals. "The starters can't score all of the time, they're not always going to have good nights. So, it's great to have someone on the bench that can be starters."
Topping five double-figure scorers, Flagler and Tchamwa Tchatchoua had 14 and 13 points, respectively, while Mayer added 10 and Cryer six for the Bears.
"I love our bench," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "I think (SFA coach Kyle) Keller gave our bench the biggest compliment when he said they've been playing our bench's highlights from the Illinois game in their locker room just to show energized they are. We've gotten so many compliments nationwide about how our bench really gives us energy."
With Mitchell setting "the tone up top" with four steals, Baylor's harassing defense forced 35 turnovers that led to 43 points.
"Davion did a great job making it hard for them to get in an offense," Drew said. "Coach Keller runs some great stuff, so you've got to keep them off-balance."
Coming out of final exams, the Bears got out to a slow start and led by only three points nine minutes into the game.
Flagler hit a 3-pointer and scored on a fast break layup off a dish from Mitchell, capping a 12-2 run that turned a two-point deficit into an eight-point lead, 16-8. And then in the final two minutes before intermission, Cryer, Mayer and Flagler nailed treys in a closing 9-0 that left the Bears more comfortably ahead, 38-22.
"Separation on a quality team like SFA, that's huge," Drew said. "The last time we played them here (59-58 loss two years ago), we weren't able to. We would get it up to like six or eight, and then they would come right back. Once we were able to get it close to 20, that was big."
SFA hit just 1-of-9 from 3-point range and had to make some free throws down the stretch just to finish over 50 percent from the line (15-of-27). The Lumberjacks had three double-figure scorers, led by Cameron Johnson with 11 points.
With SFA turning it over three times on its first four possessions, Baylor's lead quickly ballooned to 46-25 before Keller called a timeout just over four minutes into the second half. On one of the turnovers, Mitchell took a charge from Johnson.
"I know when they're running full speed and they hit my chest, the ref is always going to call it," Mitchell said, "because they're out of control. So, I just fall and yell."
Baylor led by as many as 37 before Drew started emptying the bench with about 3 ½ minutes left. Freshmen Jordan Turner and Zach Loveday made their home debuts, and then walk-ons Jackson Moffat and Mark Paterson were greeted by a loud ovation from the fans when they entered the game at the 1:21 mark.
On a hot shooting night, the Bears connected on 45 percent from outside the arc, knocked down 24-of-27 from the line and were better than 50 percent overall from the floor before missing their last five.
"When our guys have a good look, we feel like it's going down more times than not," Drew said. "We have good shooters that work hard on their craft. At the same time, the big thing is quality looks. When we don't turn the ball over and we got good looks, hence why we were so successful at knocking down shots."
Junior guard Jared Butler had a solid all-around game with 12 points and seven assists, with MaCio Teague scoring all nine of his points in the second half and Cryer adding six points, three assists, two rebounds and a steal.
Baylor opens Big 12 play hosting No. 12/13 Texas (4-1) at 2 p.m. Sunday and will play Tarleton State (2-2) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in another makeup game.
