Quincy Acy’s thunderous dunks highlight Baylor’s win
Baylor's Quincy Acy has a reputation as one of college basketball's most powerful dunkers, so it was no surprise to see the senior forward deliver several of the tournament's best slams during Friday night's 75-70 win over Xavier.
First came a one-handed throwdown in the lane off a slick pass from point guard Pierre Jackson late in the first half. Then Acy one-upped himself early in the second half with a one-handed alley-oop tip slam over 7-footer Kenny Frease off a baseline inbound pass.
"He's probably one of the best dunkers in the nation," Jackson said. "Y'all probably seen the bench. We all get excited. On the defensive end, it just makes us want to get another one for him. Try to get another stop and get another one for Acy."
Acy's dunks were the highlight of a spectacular 20-point, 15-rebound performance from the Baylor senior. He helped the third-seeded Bears build an 18-point first-half lead and withstand several flurries from 10th-seeded Xavier, setting up an Elite Eight matchup on Sunday between Baylor and Kentucky.
[ Related: Baylor gets tough in face of Xavier rally ]
Often overshadowed by future lottery pick Perry Jones III or by talented freshman Quincy Miller, Acy remains the most dependable, hard-working interior threat the Bears have in their formidable frontcourt. He even set himself firmly in the lane and took a key charge on Xavier guard Mark Lyons with 3:45 left, helping Baylor preserve a semi-comfortable 10-point lead and advance to its second Elite Eight in three years.
Whereas Acy has averaged 11.5 points this season almost exclusively on dunks and put-backs, he even mixed in a few mid-range jumpers Friday night, much to the chagrin of Xavier coach Chris Mack.
"I can take some of the offensive rebound put‑backs, but when he starts facing up and hitting jump shots, it's not what the doctor ordered," Mack quipped. "It's not fair."
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