(9) Baylor 76, (5) Texas 70
No. 9 Baylor is closing in on a remarkable run through the Big 12 Conference Tournament after beating No. 5 Texas 76-70 in the semifinals. A ranked team to start the season, the Bears struggled in conference play and finished with a 5-11 record. Down 12 as halftime approached, Baylor appeared to be in trouble. However, the Bears ended the half on an 8-2 run and carried that momentum into the second half, quickly erasing the deficit and taking a three-point lead on senior forward Kevin Rogers’ jumper with 15 minutes to go. The teams tied the score six times after that, and sophomore guard LaceDarius Dunn hit a three-pointer with about a minute remaining to give Baylor the lead for good. Rogers finished with a team-high 20 points. Baylor can complete the Cinderella story with a win against No. 3 Missouri in the Big 12 championship.
(3) Missouri 67, (7) Oklahoma State 59
No. 3 Missouri has become the de facto favorite to win the Big 12 after No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Oklahoma lost in the quarterfinals. The Tigers are making a claim for a high seed in the NCAA Tournament by beating teams away from home, taking out No. 7 Oklahoma State 67-59 in the latest win. Missouri’s defense held the Cowboys to 36 percent shooting and forced 16 turnovers. Junior guard Zaire Taylor led the Tigers with 19 points.
