Jared Butler led all scorers with nineteen points, and Baylor's defense held every Iowa State player to single digits, but Davion Mitchell put the dagger in Iowa State.
The first half was tight. With Baylor returning from last week's road trip, and the emotional high of beating Texas Tech and Kansas, they may have been a little flat. Shots weren't falling. It looked like ISU would go into halftime down by just two, 27-25. Davion Mitchell threw up a three point attempt with time running out. The shot missed, but Mitchell was fouled by Tre Jackson. He sank all three free throws, taking Baylor's lead to 30-25 at the end of the half.
Both Iowa State coach Steve Prohm and Scott Drew agreed it was an important point in the game. Iowa State played a physical first half, and expended a lot of energy. After the foul, they were never the same. Baylor opened up the second half with a ten point run, including two three pointers by Mitchell, and Iowa State was playing catch up the rest of the way. . Mark Vital and Freddie Gillespie owned the boards. The Bears out rebounded the Cyclones 45-33.
Although Baylor was cold in the first half, the defense was stifling. Iowa State's Tyrese Haliburton played all forty minutes, and the Bears held him to six points, ten below his season average of sixteen. He averages 52% on two point shots. Baylor held him to 16%.
Baylor is now the only team undefeated in Big 12 conference play at 4-0. West Virginia, Kansas and TCU are tied for second at 3-1.
Baylor's experiencing playing with a conference lead. Not much of anyone but Kansas has had that experience in recent memory. This is the kind of game that could have slipped away, or been much closer, but the Bears didn't let that happen.
Next, the Bears travel to Oklahoma State on 1/18, then return home to play Oklahoma on 1/20.
The first half was tight. With Baylor returning from last week's road trip, and the emotional high of beating Texas Tech and Kansas, they may have been a little flat. Shots weren't falling. It looked like ISU would go into halftime down by just two, 27-25. Davion Mitchell threw up a three point attempt with time running out. The shot missed, but Mitchell was fouled by Tre Jackson. He sank all three free throws, taking Baylor's lead to 30-25 at the end of the half.
Both Iowa State coach Steve Prohm and Scott Drew agreed it was an important point in the game. Iowa State played a physical first half, and expended a lot of energy. After the foul, they were never the same. Baylor opened up the second half with a ten point run, including two three pointers by Mitchell, and Iowa State was playing catch up the rest of the way. . Mark Vital and Freddie Gillespie owned the boards. The Bears out rebounded the Cyclones 45-33.
Although Baylor was cold in the first half, the defense was stifling. Iowa State's Tyrese Haliburton played all forty minutes, and the Bears held him to six points, ten below his season average of sixteen. He averages 52% on two point shots. Baylor held him to 16%.
Baylor is now the only team undefeated in Big 12 conference play at 4-0. West Virginia, Kansas and TCU are tied for second at 3-1.
Baylor's experiencing playing with a conference lead. Not much of anyone but Kansas has had that experience in recent memory. This is the kind of game that could have slipped away, or been much closer, but the Bears didn't let that happen.
Next, the Bears travel to Oklahoma State on 1/18, then return home to play Oklahoma on 1/20.
