West Virginia Falls to No. 5 Baylor 77-68

West Virginia drops consecutive games for the first time this season.

The West Virginia Mountaineers (13-4, 2-3) fell short to the No. 5 Baylor Bears (16-2, 4-2) Tuesday afternoon, 77-66. Baylor guard LJ Cryer led all scorers with 25 points and his counterpart, guard Mathew Mayer was close behind with 20 points, going 5-8 from three-point range. 

Baylor Bears guard Mathew Mayer couldn't miss to start the game, going for 11 first half points on 3-4 fro behind the arc as the Bears strung together a 13-2 run and a 10-0 run to take a 30-14 lead at the 8:48 mark of the first half. however, the Mountaineers battle back with Malik Curry driving to the basket for four points and behind the play of guard Sean McNeil's seven points fo a 14-0 run, bringing West Virginia back within two, with four minutes remaining in the half. 

Guard CJ Cryer ended the run with a corner three to push the Bears lead back up to five and was able to hang onto a two-possession lead at the break, 37-33. 

Baylor Bears forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (23) celebrates with teammates after a play during the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum / Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

The battle ensued in the second half and became a slobber knocker with both teams trading blows. 

Sherman struck first with a midrange jumper but Cryer answered with a three, then West Virginia forward Jalen Bridges buried the triple to cut the deficit right back to two. 

West Virginia was able to reclaim the lead early in the second after another three from McNeil followed by a baby hook from Bridges underneath, giving the Mountaineers a one-point advantage.

Following Baylor guard, Adam Flagler going 1-2 from the line to tie the game, McNeil, again, hit a three to put the Mountaineers up three. However, the duo of Cryer and Mayer proved to be too much, sparking an 8-0 run behind a pair of threes. 

The Mountaineers did come back to take a one-point lead but big shots reigned for the Bears, building a double-digit lead and taking the 77-68 victory. 

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