No. 19 Baker Opens Up 2024-25 Season with 89-79 Victory at Ottawa

OTTAWA, Kan. - Coming off the program's first NAIA postseason win last year, No. 19 Baker kicked off the 2024-25 season with an 89-79 win on the road at Ottawa on Monday night for BU's fourth straight season-opening victory.

The Wildcats dropped nearly 50 points in the first half, taking an 18-point lead at halftime, before holding off the Braves in the second half to come away with their first win against OU since 2017.

Returning 80 percent of its scoring from last year's roster, Baker was led by a double-double effort from Noah Rigatuso (28 points, 15 rebounds) and another 20-point night from Ahmed Mahgoub (20 points). Quentin Harvey added 11 points and eight rebounds, while the lone newcomer Kaimen Lennox scored seven points in his first game as a Wildcat.

Rigatuso drilled his only three of the game in the first minutes of play, tacking on an old-fashioned three-point play a little bit later to make it an early 16-13 lead for BU.

Baker started to stretch its lead with a 12-5 run with a three from Lennox jumpstarting the spurt. After scoring the second points of the game for BU, Mahgoub closed out the half by scoring the last 12 points before halftime with a couple of treys bookending his hot stretch, including one in the final seconds to give the Wildcats a 49-31 lead at the break.

In the second half, Mahgoub splashed in another three to push Baker out to its largest lead of the game at 21 points before the Braves started to climb back.

Ottawa trimmed its deficit down to single digits with the Wildcats' lead shrinking down to 69-60 with less than 10 minutes left to play. Mahgoub's final three of the game helped to slow the rally, while Ty Henry and Keynan Russell chipped in buckets to keep BU's lead at double digits.

The Braves got within six with less than three minutes remaining, but Harvey was able to knock down a pair of free throws and come through with a fastbreak basket before Baker finished off the non-conference win from the free throw line.

With the victory, the Wildcats begin the season 1-0 for the fourth straight year with wins in their four previous season openers. It also marked BU's first win in the series with OU since a 79-72 victory to start the 2017-18 season.

Baker will make its Collins Center debut next week with a matchup at home against Saint Mary on Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.

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