Big 12 Basketball Midweek Rundown: BYU Makes Statement on the Road
The last week of the regular season is here in the Big 12.
Here is a look at the results of the games in the conference from Monday-Wednesday including some very consequential results for the NCAA Tournament seeding of some teams.
Big 12 Men’s Basketball Monday Results:
No. 3 Houston 65, Kansas 59
No. 3 Houston continued its dominance Monday night, grinding out a 65-59 win over Kansas to extend its winning streak to nine games. L.J. Cryer led the way with 22 points as the Cougars built a narrow lead at the break. Despite shooting just 35% from the field, Houston’s defense and composure at the line proved decisive.
Kansas saw solid performances from Hunter Dickinson, who notched 17 points and 12 rebounds, and KJ Adams Jr., who added 15 points, but the Jayhawks couldn’t generate enough offense late. With the win, Houston, already the outright Big 12 champion, further cemented itself as one of the top teams in the country.
Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tuesday Results:
Baylor 61, TCU 58
Baylor held off a late TCU surge to secure a 61-58 road victory Tuesday night, bolstering its NCAA Tournament hopes. Norchad Omier led the way with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Robert Wright III delivered the game-winning free throws with two seconds left after drawing a foul on Vasean Allette, and TCU’s last-ditch inbound attempt resulted in a turnover.
The Horned Frogs put up a fight, rallying from a double-digit deficit behind Noah Reynolds’ 16 points, but fell just short. Baylor controlled much of the first half before TCU briefly took the lead late, only for the teams to enter halftime tied at 35. Despite the Bears’ struggles to close, their early cushion and clutch free-throw shooting proved enough to extend their winning streak at TCU to five straight years.
No. 23 BYU 88, No. 10 Iowa State 85
No. 23 BYU survived a furious comeback by No. 10 Iowa State, pulling out an 88-85 double-overtime thriller Tuesday night for its seventh straight win. Richie Saunders led the Cougars with 23 points, while Dallin Hall provided a huge spark off the bench with 22.
BYU looked in control after building a 21-point lead in the second half, but Iowa State stormed back behind Joshua Jefferson’s 19 points. The Cyclones forced extra time with relentless defensive pressure, as Keshon Gilbert tallied eight steals, but ultimately fell short. Despite the near-collapse, BYU regrouped in the second overtime, showing resilience in a statement win over a top-10 opponent.
No. 24 Arizona 113, Arizona State 100
No. 24 Arizona outlasted rival Arizona State in a high-scoring battle, pulling away late for a 113-100 victory Tuesday night. Henri Veesaar led the Wildcats with 22 points, while Caleb Love and KJ Lewis each added 21 as Arizona used its size and efficiency to wear down the shorthanded Sun Devils.
Despite missing key players, Arizona State fought hard behind Alston Mason’s explosive 33-point performance. The Sun Devils stayed within striking distance until late foul trouble left them with just four scholarship players, allowing Arizona to take control.
West Virginia 71, Utah 69
West Virginia edged Utah 71-69 in a dramatic finish Tuesday night, spoiling former coach Josh Eilert’s homecoming. Javon Small led the Mountaineers with 18 points, including a clutch three-pointer that helped spark a late surge to put West Virginia ahead 70-64 with 12 seconds remaining. Utah nearly pulled off a last-second comeback as Gabe Madsen, who finished with 23 points, but Joseph Yesufu blocked Madsen’s final three-point attempt to seal the win.
West Virginia overcame a sluggish start, closing the first half with a small lead and rallying late after Utah built an eight-point advantage early in the second half. Eilert, now Utah’s interim head coach, spent 17 seasons at West Virginia before moving on, but his old team denied him a victory in a tense battle.
Big 12 Men’s Basketball Wednesday Results:
No. 9 Texas Tech 91, Colorado 75
No. 9 Texas Tech dominated from start to finish Wednesday night, cruising past Colorado 91-75 behind a monster performance from JT Toppin. The sophomore transfer posted 30 points and 14 rebounds, leading five Red Raiders in double figures.
Texas Tech wasted no time asserting control, jumping out to a 12-2 lead and closing the first half on an 18-7 run to put the game out of reach. With the win, Texas Tech secured a double-bye in next week’s Big 12 Tournament, closing out its home slate in emphatic fashion.
UCF 83, Oklahoma State 70
Darius Johnson put on a show in his final home game, dropping a career-high 36 points to lead UCF to an 83-70 comeback victory over Oklahoma State on Wednesday night. The senior guard was nearly unstoppable, drilling seven three-pointers and going a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line as the Knights erased a 10-point second-half deficit with a dominant 32-9 run.
Keyshawn Hall played a key role in the surge, scoring 18 points while adding nine rebounds and five assists. Despite committing 19 turnovers, UCF’s efficiency at the free-throw line and dominance on the boards proved too much for the Cowboys, who have now lost four of their last five.
Kansas State 54, Cincinnati 49
Kansas State relied on tough defense and a second-half surge to grind out a 54-49 road win over Cincinnati on Wednesday night, snapping a three-game road losing streak and sweeping the season series. Senior David N’Guessan delivered a dominant all-around performance, posting 18 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists.
Cincinnati was led by Day Day Thomas with 12 points but struggled offensively, shooting just 2-of-18 from three-point range. K-State’s late defensive stands and clutch baskets from N’Guessan helped seal the win, keeping them in the mix for a strong finish in Big 12 play.
