NO. 6 BAYLOR 72, OKLAHOMA STATE 69
STILLWATER, Okla. -- Johnathan Motley scored 24 points to help No. 6 Baylor hold off Oklahoma State 72-69 on Wednesday night.
The Bears led by 13 points with 4:13 to play, but Oklahoma State's pressure defense made it a game. The Cowboys could have taken the lead in the final minute, but Baylor's Jo Lual-Acuil blocked Jawun Evans' layup. After Baylor's Manu Lecomte made two free throws with 14 seconds to play, Evans and Phil Forte missed three-point attempts that could have tied the game for Oklahoma State.
The Bears (21-3, 8-3 Big 12), who had lost their previous two games, trail conference leader Kansas by one game. Baylor also defeated the Cowboys 61-57 in Waco on Jan. 7.
Jeffrey Carroll scored 20 points and Evans added 16 for the Cowboys (15-9, 4-7). Oklahoma State had won five consecutive and were coming off an 82-75 victory at then-No. 7 West Virginia.
Back-to-back victories over Top 10 teams would have been a great feat for first-year Coach Brad Underwood, but the Cowboys couldn't quite pull it off. The Cowboys still have the potential for an at-large NCAA berth, but their conference record leaves them with little margin for error.
The Bears can not afford too many more slip-ups if they are to be in position for a possible No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They barely hung on for a quality victory that likely will help them in the eyes of the selection committee.
In other games involving Top 25 men’s teams Wednesday, Kyle Washington scored 14 points and No. 11 Cincinnati extended its winning streak to 15 games with a 60-50 victory over Central Florida. Washington also finished with 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season for Cincinnati (22-2, 11-0 AAC). Tacko Fall scored 14 points on five dunks and two tip-ins and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Central Florida (15-9, 6-6). … Freshman guard James Bolden scored a career-high 17 points in 10 minutes and No. 13 West Virginia survived an off-shooting night to beat Oklahoma 61-50. West Virginia (19-5, 7-4 Big 12) won for the first time ever at Oklahoma (8-15, 2-9) in five attempts. … Jonathan Isaac scored 21 points and No. 14 Florida State defeated North Carolina State 95-71. Isaac, who had only two points in last Sunday’s 48-point victory over Clemson, scored the first seven points as the Seminoles (21-4, 9-3 Atlantic Coast) led throughout. It is the 6-foot-10 freshman forward’s third game of 20 points or more this season. Dwayne Bacon added 19 points and Michael Ojo had 11 for FSU, which has won 18 consecutive at home and at one point led by as many as 26 points in the second half. Terry Henderson led N.C. State (14-11, 3-9) with 17 points while Maverick Rowan and Abdul-Malik Abu added 16 apiece. North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr., who is fifth in the conference in scoring (19.2 points per game), was held scoreless in the first half for the first time this season and matched a season-low with eight points. … Trevon Bluiett scored 20 points, and No. 24 Xavier overcame sloppy passing and pulled away to its fourth consecutive victory, 72-61 over DePaul. The Musketeers (18-6, 8-3 Big East) kept it close with 19 turnovers, a symptom of their lack of depth at point guard. RaShid Gaston dominated the closing minutes of the first half as Xavier finally gained control. Gaston tied his season high with 14 points overall. De-Paul (8-16, 1-10) trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half as it lost its seventh consecutive. Freshman Brandon Cyrus led the Blue Demons with a career-high 18 points. Xavier got the early lead by making threes — 5 of 7 to open the game — and then went inside for dunks in the final three minutes of the first half. Gaston had nine points during a closing 12-5 spurt that put the Musketeers in control 41-34 at the break.
SEC
Pair lead A&M
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Robert Williams scored 18 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, Admon Gilder scored 22 points and Texas A&M defeated Missouri 76-73 on Wednesday night.
The game was tied 65-65 with five minutes remaining when D.J. Hogg banked a shot high off the glass from about four feet, giving the Aggies a 67-65 lead. J.C. Hampton then stole the ball on the other end of the floor following an errant inbound pass and threw a perfect pass to a cutting Williams for the dunk and a 69-65 A&M lead with 4:19 remaining.
Minutes later Hogg, who’s struggled of late offensively, drilled a three-pointer from the left corner to give A&M a 72-67 advantage with 3:10 remaining. Williams then added to his impressive night with a slam dunk in between defenders to make it 74-67 with 2:34 left.
Tonny Trocha-Morelos added 16 points for A&M (13-10, 5-6 SEC).
Jordan Barnett led Missouri (6-17, 1-10) with a game-high 23 points.
Following a 1-5 start in SEC play, A&M has won four of its last five games to add to the jumble that is the middle of the SEC standings. At this point, A&M Coach Billy Kennedy will take it considering the Aggies’ poor start.
In another game involving SEC men’s teams Wednesday, Grant Williams and Robert Hubbs III each scored 18 points as Tennessee surged in the closing minutes to defeat Mississippi 75-66. Following an Ole Miss turnover, Hubbs’ driving layup put the Volunteers (14-10, 6-5) ahead for good with 2:08 remaining. Ole Miss’ final basket of the night came from Breein Tyree with 3:56 left as the Rebels (14-10, 5-6) crumbled down the stretch.
Sports on 02/09/2017