College Basketball

Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter scored 28 points vs. Auburn, the 4th-most points in a Big 12 debut

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James Foglio
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Updated08 Nov 2023

Baylors JaKobe Walter scored 28 points against Auburn, the 4th-most points in a collegiate debut in Big 12 history

In No. 20 Baylor’s 88-82 win over Auburn on Tuesday night, guard Ja’Kobe Walter scored 28 points in 34 minutes of action, the fourth-most points in a collegiate debut in Big 12 history.

Only Michael Beasley (32) at Kansas State, James Anderson (29) at Oklahoma State, and J.R. Raymond (29) at Oklahoma recorded more points in their debut.

According to multiple college basketball betting sites, Baylor holds 20th-ranked odds to win the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for Arizona, Creighton, Houston, and Arkansas.


It was also the most points scored by a Baylor freshman in a college debut. Walter, 19, also grabbed 16 rebounds, while shooting 7-of-13 (53.8%) from the floor, 4-of-7 (57.1%) beyond the arc and made all 10 free throws.

The 6-foot-5 guard scored 15 of his 28 points in the second half en route to the Bears rallying to an impressive victory at the Sanford Pentagon. Baylor went on a 22-10 run in the final eight minutes to overcome an eight-point deficit.

Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter scored the fourth-most points in an NCAA debut in Big 12 history

“In the second half, our defense was much better,” said Baylor coach Scott Drew. “We shot the open threes, drove the closeouts and then we got stops so we could get in transition.”

Over the final three minutes, Baylor guard RayJ Dennis scored seven of his 15 points, including a 3-pointer to tie the game at 77-77. The Bears outscored Auburn 54-39 in the second half.

The Tigers entered this matchup on a 12-game win streak in season openers since 2011 (9-0 in openers under Bruce Pearl in that span). As for the Bears, they improved to 19-2 in season openers under Drew.


“They are who I thought they were,” Drew said about his own team. “But it’s a race to the end of the season. It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.”

Baylor begins a three-game home stand starting Thursday when they host John Brown. The Bears also host Gardner-Webb on Sunday and Kansas City next Tuesday.