No. 6 WVU loses
No. 3 Baylor forces OT with layup, takes control vs. No. 6 West Virginia
No. 3 Baylor outlasts Mountaineers in overtime, 94-89.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Coach Scott Drew jumped on Mark Vital’s back after Baylor clinched the Big 12 championship, pointed a finger to the sky, then raced off the court ahead of his players to prepare for an even more raucous celebration.
“I was able to beat them into the locker room, get the water ready and get them,” Drew said. “And I got the COLD water ready for them, too.”
Jared Butler scored 25 points before fouling out, Davion Mitchell hit the go -ahead basket in overtime and the third-ranked Bears beat No. 6 West Virginia 9489 Tuesday for the Bears’ first Big 12 regular-season title.
Baylor (19-1, 11-1 Big 12) bounced back in a big way from its only loss of the season at No. 13 Kansas on Saturday. The Bears struggled in their two previous games coming off a threeweek layoff because of COVID-19 issues in the program.
After managing just 58 points against the Jayhawks, Baylor maintained its energy and scoring touch until the very end against the Mountaineers (17-7, 10-5).
“Probably the number one moment ever at Baylor,” said Butler, who had fouled out in overtime only to run back onto the court after it was over to hug every teammate in sight.
Drew, whose 18 seasons at Baylor have been spent watching other teams, mostly Kansas, take home the title, joked that he jumped on fifth-year senior Vital’s back because “Mark’s the only one that’s been at Baylor longer than me.”
Butler finished with 25 points. Mitchell scored four of Baylor’s 13 points in overtime and finished with 20. Matthew Mayer had a season-high 18 points for the Bears.
Taz Sherman came off the bench to score a career-high 26 points for the Mountaineers. Miles McBride added 19 points and Sean McNeil scored 18, including 15 after halftime.
West Virginia managed just one field goal in overtime.
“They just did more of the little stuff at the end to win the game,” West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. “When you’re playing top teams in the nation, every little thing is going to matter.”
Butler’s layup with 2.7 seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime tied at 81. But he fouled out with 1:15 remaining in overtime. “It was extremely difficult,” Butler said. “I just couldn’t watch the game.”