Texas Tech uses a big second half to upset No. 4 Baylor 84-78 in Lubbock.
LUBBOCK — Keenan Evans and Texas Tech didn’t have to wait long for another chance against a top-five team at home.
This time, the Red Raiders came out on top with a late rally after blowing a big early lead.
Evans scored 23 points, Niem Stevenson had 21, and Texas Tech toppled fourthranked Baylor 84-78 on Monday night, two days after a one-point loss at home to Big 12-leading and thirdranked Kansas.
“We’ve known the whole time that we can beat these teams,” Evans said. “Especially Kansas, we let that one slip away. But, we knew coming in it was going to be a battle. We knew that we could come out with a win.”
Tech (17-9, 5-8 Big 12) rallied in the second half after squandering an early 12-point lead. The Red Raiders opened the game with an 11-0 run and used an identical spurt late in the game to go ahead to stay.
“People look at a number and they see (No. 4) and they see non-ranked and they think there’s a big dif- ference,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “Coaches know there’s not a big difference. These are one-possession games. A one-possession league.”
Justin Gray added 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Zach Smith scored 11 for the Red Raiders, who before their 80-79 home loss to Kansas on Saturday had a one-point loss at TCU last Wednesday.
Terry Maston led Baylor (22-4, 9-4) with a career-high 22 points. Manu Lecomte, who fouled out after a technical in the second half, finished with 16.
Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. and Johnathan Motley had 11 points apiece for the Bears. Motley, who entered the game leading Baylor and ranked fourth in the Big 12 with an average of 16.9 points per game, didn’t score until after halftime.
“They doubled him really hard, so it opened up lanes for me and spacing was pretty good,” Maston said.
Devon Thomas converted a tying three-point play with 7:09 left, his only points of the game coming after he was originally whistled for charging while making a layup. Officials reviewed the play and determined Jake Lindsey was in the restricted area when he drew contact, and he instead was given the foul.
Aaron Ross then hit a 3-pointer, and his layup with five minutes left put Tech up 69-61. Ross, a reserve forward, scored eight points after being held to two in each of Tech’s previous two games.
Ross hit both free throws after Lecomte was called for a technical, which immediately followed his fourth personal foul with 8:28 left. Maston then hit a jumper before the Red Raiders went on their decisive 11-0 run.