Elohem Leads Red Raiders To 53-46 Win

Chattanooga's most heated rivalry adds another classic as Baylor takes down McCallie in a defensive slugfest, 53-46.

The victory continues a period of dominance for Baylor, which has now won nine of its last 11 meetings against McCallie dating back to February 2021.

Taheim Elohem paced the Red Raiders with 14 points, while Jake Neal chipped in 12. However, the story of the night was a defensive unit that held the Blue Torches to one of their lowest point totals of the season.

Things started off hot for McCallie as Ernas Valauskas scored 11 points in the first quarter. Nine of those points came from three-point range.

The Red Raiders trailed 21-20 at halftime, a period characterized by what Baylor head coach Quinn McDowell described as a lack of discipline.

"The message at halftime was really trying to get back to our identity—play Baylor basketball," McDowell said. "That's tough, competitive, and connected. I didn't feel like we did that in the first half. I challenged the guys at halftime to get back to who we were and to try to win one possession at a time."

The response was immediate. Baylor smothered McCallie in the third quarter, outscoring them 15-4. By limiting second-chance opportunities and forcing difficult shots, the Red Raiders were able to build a cushion despite their offensive struggles.

"I don't think we played well offensively all night," McDowell admitted. "But that third-quarter stretch, our ability to get stops really allowed us to separate a little bit. This team, in a lot of ways, has found ways to win some ugly games. I was proud that they found another way to win again tonight just because of a defensive effort."

The Blue Tornado refused to go away quietly on their home floor. McCallie sparked a 6-0 run in early in the fourth quarter to cut into the lead.

McDowell noted that his team's ball security "wasn't very good" during the final frame, describing the passing as "casual" against McCallie's heavy ball pressure. Yet, in clutch time, Baylor's senior leadership took over. Seniors Ezra Sixto and William Barker stabilized the floor. Sixto, in particular, was a force on the glass.

"Ezra is a senior who has progressively gotten better over the course of his career," McDowell said. "He's a guy we really rely on to be able to grab rebounds and score in the paint. Our seniors tonight played like seniors. You rely on your senior leadership to be able to make plays when it counts most."

McDowell is keeping the win in perspective, viewing the rivalry clash as a teaching moment for a team he hopes will peak in the postseason.

"Our program is based on being process-oriented," McDowell said. "The teams that keep getting better each and every day are the ones that hopefully play their best in January, February, and March. This is just another step in our journey as we're writing the chapter of this team's season."

Baylor (53) – Taheim Elohem 14, Jake Neal 12, Anuskevicus 7, Paldauskas 7, Barker 7, Sixto 6

McCallie (46) – Ernas Valauskas 11, Trell Knight 11, Ryan Wingard, White 8, Walker 4, Suleiman

3-point goals: Baylor 4 (Elohem 2, Neal 1, Anuskevicus 1, Barker 1 ); McCallie 6 (Valauskas 3, White 2, Knight 1)

Free throws: Baylor 4 of 6; McCallie 4 of 5.

Records: Baylor 13-5; McCallie 14-6.

(Contact Jake Moore at jakemooremedia12@gmail.com)

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