Johnnies lose back-to-back
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) Brady Heslip had a career-high 29 points on eight 3-pointers, Isaiah Austin and Cory Jefferson had double-doubles and No. 16 Baylor bounced back from its first loss to beat St. John's 97-78 and take third place at the Charleston Classic on Sunday.
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Heslip's seventh 3-pointer put Baylor up for good at 69-66 with 9:36 to play. The Red Storm (2-2) closed to 73-72 on Phil Greene's basket with 6:40 remaining, but Jefferson hit two foul shots and Baylor star Pierre Jackson scored five straight points.
Greene had 24 points and D'Angelo Harrison 20 for St. John's.
Jefferson finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Austin got 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Pierre Jackson was the fourth Bears player in double figures with 19 points. Jackson's backcourt partner had the job of guarding Harrison and made it difficult for the Red Storm to find their leading scorer.
Harrison had six 3-pointers, but took only seven shots in the first 35 minutes. He did not start the game after he was late for a team bus this weekend.
A.J. Walton finished with a game-high 10 assists.
Still, this was a five-point game when Harrison's sixth 3-pointer cut Baylor's lead to 82-77. Walton, though, followed with a three-point play and Baylor closed things out.
Baylor and St. John's both came off disappointing losses that kept them from the championship game.
The Bears, matched up against a Colorado team they ousted from last year's NCAA tournament, fell behind right before the break and could never catch up in a 60-58 loss.
The Red Storm led Murray State by seven points midway through the second half, then watched the Racers take off on a 12-0 run to move in front and hold on for 72-67 victory.
In a matchup with so many young players - 18 of the 29 players on the Bears and Red Storm rosters were underclassmen - any experience matters.
And the Bears called on that immediately. Jackson, a senior, opened with a 3-pointer while 6-foot-9 junior forward Jefferson took control of the middle.
Jefferson had nine of his team's first 16 points, all down low and several off Bears misses.
Newcomer Marco Bourgault got the start in place of Harrison. Once Harrison entered, though, he instantly perked up the Red Storm offense. Harrison hit three straight 3s as St. John's went on a 19-6 run to move in front 28-19 with eight minutes left in the period.
That's when Baylor got things going again with a 15-0 spurt. Heslip had seven points, including a four-point play, and Austin had six points in the charge.
Harrison ended the streak with his fourth 3-pointer of the half and the Red Storm tied the game at 42 on Amir Garrett's foul shots in the final minute. But Heslip broke through for a final 3 to put the Bears ahead 45-42 at the break.