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Big 12 Tournament: Hot first half propels Baylor past Oklahoma

austin

For the second consecutive night the Baylor Bears got off to a good start at the Big 12 tournament, and they earned a spot in Friday’s Big 12 semifinals as a result. Baylor shot 54.8% from the field and 6-for-10 from beyond the arc in the first half, scoring 47 points on their way to a 78-73 win over two-seed Oklahoma.

Scott Drew’s Bears scored 18 of its 47 points in the paint, and they also converted six Oklahoma turnovers into 12 points. All five starters finished the game in double figures with Isaiah Austin scoring 18 points to lead the way. Cory Jefferson added a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double and Kenny Chery finished the game with 14 points and seven assists.

In some regards the victory was a mirror image of Baylor’s 76-68 win over TCU on Wednesday, with the Bears taking advantage of their ability to score in the paint to establish a solid working margin. Against TCU the Bears scored 18 of their 39 first-half points in the paint, leading by 12 at the intermission as a result.

On Thursday the Bears would lead by as much as 21 early in the second half before the Sooners mounted a rally, cutting the deficit to five points with 2:34 remaining. Baylor would shoot 9-for-12 from the foul line over the final 2:07 to hold on for the win, and they’ll play either West Virginia or Texas on Friday.

It wasn’t long ago that many questioned whether or not Baylor would reach the NCAA tournament. But this is a talented group that’s playing well at the right time. And that could that make the Bears a dangerous draw when the brackets are announced on Sunday.

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