WACO, Texas (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant opening act, the Baylor Bears used a first-half offensive clinic to build an insurmountable lead and cruise to an 86-67 victory over the Colorado Buffaloes in a Big 12 Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at the Ferrell Center.

The contest was effectively decided before halftime, as Baylor erupted for 45 points on a blistering 60% shooting from the field, including 7 of 13 from three-point range. Colorado, meanwhile, struggled to find any offensive rhythm, managing just 21 points on 30% shooting in the period. The 24-point halftime deficit proved too deep a hole for the Buffaloes to climb out of, despite a more competitive second half.

Baylor’s offensive efficiency was the story, finishing the game with an offensive rating of 124.9, scoring 86 points on just 69 possessions. Colorado’s offense, while improved after the break, could not keep pace, posting a rating of 100.1. The Bears shot 52.8% overall for the game and were a sharp 10 of 24 from beyond the arc. They also capitalized at the free-throw line, making 20 of 25 attempts.

The Bears were led by a spectacular performance from sophomore guard Tounde Yessoufou, who scored a game-high 27 points on 10-of-17 shooting, adding three assists and two blocks. His backcourt mates provided ample support, with Obi Agbim of Aurora, Colorado, contributing 19 points and six assists, and Cameron Carr adding 19 points, six assists and two blocks. The trio combined for 65 of Baylor’s 86 points, orchestrating an offense that committed only nine turnovers.

Colorado, which fell to 13-10 overall, showed flashes in the second half, scoring 46 points, but could never string together enough stops to seriously threaten. The Buffaloes were led by 12 points from Jalin Holland and 11 from Barrington Hargress. Ian Inman provided a spark off the bench with 10 points in just 11 minutes. Isaiah Johnson finished with 10 points and four assists. Colorado shot 40% for the game and was hampered by 16 missed free throws, going 16 of 23 from the line.

The most important stretch of the game was a decisive 18-2 run by Baylor midway through the first half that transformed a narrow 11-7 lead into a commanding 29-9 advantage. The surge was fueled by a combination of stifling defense and efficient offense. It began with a Caden Powell jump shot off an offensive rebound and was punctuated by three-pointers from Agbim and Yessoufou, along with a transition alley-oop from Carr to Yessoufou. During this span, Colorado went scoreless for over four minutes, missing five consecutive shots and committing two turnovers, which Baylor converted into five points. This run established the tone and the margin that would define the entire evening.

Baylor improved to 13-9 with the win and will travel to face Iowa State on Saturday. Colorado, which had won its previous game against TCU, returns home to host Arizona State on Saturday.

The game drew an attendance of 7,012 to the Ferrell Center. Baylor entered the game as a 6.5-point favorite, according to sportsbooks, and covered the spread with ease. The total points scored, 153, fell under the pregame over/under line of 160.