Baylor Basketball
Baylor defeats Texas 75-64 to claim No. 3 seed in Big 12 tournament
With third place in the Big 12 tournament on the line following West Virginia's win Friday night, Baylor closed out its season with a 75-64 win over Texas on Saturday, completing the season sweep in grand fashion.
In the last meeting, Johnathan Motley was put in charge, grabbing 20 rebounds with 32 points, effectively moving him into Player of the Year status. Without Manu Lecomte (injury) and Terry Maston on Saturday, it wasn’t Motley that took complete control but King McClure and Wendell Mitchell that owned shares of the game. Though, his 17 points and 17 rebounds more than contributed to the win.
Baylor started out trading possessions and subsequent lead changes with Texas in the opening minutes of the game, having a hard time controlling Shaquille Cleare who reached his average totals within the first seven minutes. Texas held a 14-13 lead following a Cleare layup but it was Baylor’s show from that point on, holding the lead the rest of the game.
After Motley put through one free throw to tie up the game at 14-14, Mitchell pulled up for a three-pointer from Ish Wainwright to go up 17-14. The following possession, Mitchell hit the same shot with an assist from Al Freeman, quickly hiking up the Bears’ lead.
Mitchell finished the day with nine points shooting 3-of-3 in the first half, far and away his performance in a Big 12 game filling in for Lecomte around the perimeter. Though, he couldn’t completely moonlight as Lecomte, finishing without an assist and had two turnovers.
Also getting in on more time without Lecomte was Jake Lindsey who pulled up for his own trey to hike up Baylor’s lead even more after Mitchell’s streak.
Lindsey put up 16 of his own points and added even more with four assists working as the replacement point guard.
McClure soon got in on the action as well, pushing Baylor’s lead to double digits by driving the lane with back to back layups, showing he’s more than a perimeter shooter. The sophomore guard finished with 12 points with just one shot from beyond the arc.
But the game wasn’t without its lumps. Holding a 40-29 lead after halftime, the Longhorns cut that lead to five points within a few minutes following a series of Baylor’s repeated missed shots despite five offensive rebounds in two possessions. Baylor was held without a field goal for five minutes, helping Texas mount a temporary comeback matched by Baylor’s own run to retake a double-digit lead midway through the halfway.
At 7:24, the game took another turn after Motley was sent to the bench with a fourth foul in hand after assisting Jo Lual-Acuil on a trey (he fouled out soon after that, though). Even with Motley on the verge of a fifth foul, Baylor pushed its lead to 17 points but led by Clear and Andrew Jones, Texas pulled within seven points while holding with over a minute remaining. But a pair of Al Freeman free throws and a layup helped put the game away, clinching Baylor’s 11-point win.
Baylor will now face Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament on Thursday at 8 p.m.
In the last meeting, Johnathan Motley was put in charge, grabbing 20 rebounds with 32 points, effectively moving him into Player of the Year status. Without Manu Lecomte (injury) and Terry Maston on Saturday, it wasn’t Motley that took complete control but King McClure and Wendell Mitchell that owned shares of the game. Though, his 17 points and 17 rebounds more than contributed to the win.
Baylor started out trading possessions and subsequent lead changes with Texas in the opening minutes of the game, having a hard time controlling Shaquille Cleare who reached his average totals within the first seven minutes. Texas held a 14-13 lead following a Cleare layup but it was Baylor’s show from that point on, holding the lead the rest of the game.
After Motley put through one free throw to tie up the game at 14-14, Mitchell pulled up for a three-pointer from Ish Wainwright to go up 17-14. The following possession, Mitchell hit the same shot with an assist from Al Freeman, quickly hiking up the Bears’ lead.
Mitchell finished the day with nine points shooting 3-of-3 in the first half, far and away his performance in a Big 12 game filling in for Lecomte around the perimeter. Though, he couldn’t completely moonlight as Lecomte, finishing without an assist and had two turnovers.
Also getting in on more time without Lecomte was Jake Lindsey who pulled up for his own trey to hike up Baylor’s lead even more after Mitchell’s streak.
Lindsey put up 16 of his own points and added even more with four assists working as the replacement point guard.
McClure soon got in on the action as well, pushing Baylor’s lead to double digits by driving the lane with back to back layups, showing he’s more than a perimeter shooter. The sophomore guard finished with 12 points with just one shot from beyond the arc.
But the game wasn’t without its lumps. Holding a 40-29 lead after halftime, the Longhorns cut that lead to five points within a few minutes following a series of Baylor’s repeated missed shots despite five offensive rebounds in two possessions. Baylor was held without a field goal for five minutes, helping Texas mount a temporary comeback matched by Baylor’s own run to retake a double-digit lead midway through the halfway.
At 7:24, the game took another turn after Motley was sent to the bench with a fourth foul in hand after assisting Jo Lual-Acuil on a trey (he fouled out soon after that, though). Even with Motley on the verge of a fifth foul, Baylor pushed its lead to 17 points but led by Clear and Andrew Jones, Texas pulled within seven points while holding with over a minute remaining. But a pair of Al Freeman free throws and a layup helped put the game away, clinching Baylor’s 11-point win.
Baylor will now face Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament on Thursday at 8 p.m.
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