Baylor extends win streak after thrilling double-overtime win over Texas

Against Kansas, Baylor had to aim for a 10 point lead to come out alive. That same target couldn’t be reached against Texas on Monday night as the Longhorns took the Bears to double overtime. In Baylor’s first 2OT in two years, the Bears walk away with a 74-73 win. 

It’s Baylor fourth straight win and creates a clear path to the NCAA tournament but is also a reminder that there’s still work to be done.

Get to the foul line - Period.

Baylor went essentially 30 minutes without stepping up to the line all the while Texas had a steady diet of free shots. It was really the inverse of the last meeting these two had, giving Baylor the advantage at home. Take that as home court advantage or not, it certainly played a factor.

Baylor was shooting well enough that it wasn’t an issue for the majority of the game, though. Before Manu Lecomte took Baylor’s first shots at the foul line with under eight minutes remaining in regulation, Baylor held an eight-point lead. 

The Bears walked away shooting 8-of-11 from the line and are now 3-3 when attempting 12 or fewer free throws. Interestingly enough, they are 4-1 when making eight or fewer of those shots. There are two ways to look at it. Had Lecomte made one more of those shots in the closing minute of the game, overtime would have been averted. But it would have also been avoided if Baylor had a few more attempts. It’s a tricky situation, but getting calls has been a great help to Baylor when everything else is lacking. The Bears are 8-3 when taking 20 or more FTs.

Terry Maston and Manu Lecomte's automatic shots

Though Lecomte missed a crucial free throw and shot just 5-of-15, he had one of his most clutch performances of the season. It wasn’t by way of his range. He made just three shots beyond the arc. And as said before, the free throw game was lacking all around. 

Lecomte’s greatest contribution came by his perfect sync with the shot clock. In overtime, he buried two mid-range fadeaway shots as the shot clock expired. The first gave a four-point lead while the ultimate shot put Baylor back in the driver’s seat. His box score looks a bit empty without them at only 12 points with three shots from the floor. But the point guard took charge when it mattered most.

He wasn't alone, though.

Terry Maston had a career-night with 26 points, shooting 12-of-17 from the floor. Again, he wasn’t without his faults. He had what was nearly a deathly technical foul after showing frustration following a block, but aside from that gaffe, he was as automatic as they come.

He had a slow start as did the whole offense, scoring just 25 points in the first half (and he led the team with four turnovers.) But when the game came down to the wire, Maston was there with his mid-range jumper to bury the game. 

Defense shines again

After holding Kansas to 20 points in the first half, Baylor came out to play again in the first 20 minutes, giving up just 22 points. At the end of regulation, that jumped to 56 but would have been the second-fewest points allowed all season.

Just like Baylor did against the Jayhawks, it was about stopping the three-point shots. Texas exited the game shooting just 16 percent from the perimeter and was just 36 percent successful in all. Considering the high percentage Baylor was shooting, it really did come down to the extra free throws Texas was afforded.

But with Baylor winning the rebound battle 46-34 thanks to an incredible 31 defensive boards, the game really evened out. Between Jo Lual-Acuil, the ever-scrappy Mark Vital, and Maston, they had 16 defensive rebounds to pace the Horns. While on the rebound topic, Big Jo’s put-back dunk off Lecomte’s missed layup was the final nail in the coffin, saving Baylor from a long bus ride home thinking all that was between a loss and a win was one less free throw.

Of course, that’d be nearsighted to think free throws were the only downfall. Texas also won the turnover battle 5-13, stealing from Baylor eight times and blocking another six shots. Baylor has turned the ball over 14 times or more in each of the last four games, so despite the win streak, there’s one clear area of improvement to fix while it’s still February.