KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Baylor Bears failed to notch a win in the Big 12 Tournament for the third straight season.
No. 4 seed Baylor fell to No. 5 seed Iowa State 83-66 in the quarterfinals Thursday afternoon at the Sprint Center.
Baylor swept Iowa State during the regular season, but the Cyclones put on a show in the third meeting to eliminate the Bears from the conference tournament.
This wasn't much of a neutral site for Baylor. Iowa State fans packed the Sprint Center, outnumbering Bears fans by about 85 percent.
Iowa State hit a couple of threes early in the first half to take a quick lead. Makai Mason responded with two big threes of his own. He scored all of Baylor's points in the first 4 minutes and 19 seconds of the ballgame. Mason's third three of the day gave Baylor its first lead at 14-13 with 13:13 remaining in the first half.
Baylor got into a bit of a hole midway through the first, because of a a string of bad possessions. Iowa State fans made their presence known when Talen Horton-Tucker laid it in to give ISU a 24-22 lead with less than 8 minutes to play in the first half.
When the game was tied at 26, a questionable foul call on Jared Butler put Lindell Wigginton on the line to shoot three free throws. He sunk all three to give ISU the 29-26 lead with less than five minutes left in the first half. That sparked an Iowa State run.
Mario Kegler hit a three to cut into Iowa State's nine-point lead, but ISU responded with a three of its own to extend the lead back to nine with under a minute to play in the first.
Iowa State took that 38-29 lead into the half. The Bears went scoreless in the final 2:18 of the first half.
Iowa State hit back-to-back threes to start the second half. The Cyclones went on a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 48-34 lead, with 16 minutes 45 seconds left. Iowa State kept building that lead to 57-44 with 11 minutes 45 seconds to play.
Freddie Gillespie blocked a shot that led Devonte Bandoo layup, making it 62-49 Iowa State with 9 minutes 9 seconds to play. A three by Marial Shayok quieted Baylor's momentum as the Cyclones went back up by 17 with 7 minutes 48 seconds left.
Baylor was able to string together a couple of plays late, but Iowa State responded every time. The Cyclones led 76-59 with 3 minutes 36 seconds left and never relented, pulling their starters up 20 with 2 minutes 17 seconds left.
Baylor also pulled all but one starter in the final minute.
The Bears will now await their NCAA Tournament fate. The NCAA Selection Show is Sunday.