Kansas beats Baylor, now in Big 12 driver’s seat
No. 3 Kansas never seems to be too far behind to rally for victories.
After another comeback win against a fellow Top 10 team, the Jayhawks are probably too far ahead in the standings for anyone to keep them from claiming their 13th consecutive Big 12 title.
Landen Lucas made two free throws with 11 seconds left, and Kansas (24-3, 12-2) didn’t allow No. 4 Baylor (22-5, 9-5) to get the ball to Johnathan Motley on the last possession, as the Jayhawks grabbed a stranglehold on the Big 12 race with a 67-65 victory Saturday.
“As far as a mental toughness team, I would take this team and go to the house and let it ride however it goes,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.
Five days after overcoming a 14-point deficit in the final 2:43 of regulation and then winning in overtime at home against No. 9 West Virginia, the Jayhawks only had to come back from six points down in the final 3 minutes this time.
The Jayhawks have a three-game lead over Baylor and West Virginia in the Big 12 standings with four games to play. With one more win, Kansas will match the UCLA teams of the 1960s and ’70s by winning 13 consecutive conference championships.
No. 16 PURDUE 80, MICHIGAN ST. 63: Caleb Swanigan had 24 points and 15 rebounds, and Isaac Haas scored 18 points, leading Purdue (22-5, 11-3 Big Ten) over Michigan State (16-11, 8-6).
NORTHWESTERN 69, RUTGERS 65: Bryant McIntosh scored 18 points and hit a go-ahead 3 with under a minute remaining as Northwestern (20-7, 9-5 Big Ten) held off lastplace Rutgers (13-15, 2-13) to keep its hopes alive for its first NCAA Tournament appearance.
ILLINOIS 70, IOWA 66: Malcom Hill scored 21 points and hauled down eight rebounds and Illinois (15-12, 5-9 Big Ten) held on to beat Iowa (14-13, 6-8).
No. 1 GONZAGA 82, PACIFIC 61: Nigel Williams-Goss had 18 points and seven assists as No. 1 Gonzaga (28-0, 16-0 West Coast) beat Pacific (10-19, 4-12) to remain the only undefeated team in Division I.
No. 2 VILLANOVA 92, SETON HALL 70: Jalen Brunson had 22 points and a career-high 10 assists and Villanova (26-2, 13-2) beat Seton Hall (16-10, 6-8) to clinch a tie for an unprecedented fourth straight Big East Conference regular-season title.
No. 8 LOUISVILLE 94, VIRGINIA TECH 90: Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points to lead Louisville (22-5, 10-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) to a wild victory over Virginia Tech (18-8, 7-7).
No. 9 WEST VIRGINIA 83, TEXAS TECH 74, 2 OT: Jevon Carter scored a season-high 24 points to lead West Virginia (21-6, 9-5 Big 12) to a victory in double overtime over Texas Tech (17-10, 5-9).
No. 10 NORTH CAROLINA 65, No. 14 VIRGINIA 41: Justin Jackson scored 20 points to help North Carolina (23-5, 11-3) beat Virginia (18-8, 8-6), keeping the Tar Heels alone in first in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
No. 12 DUKE 99, WAKE FOREST 94: Luke Kennard scored 23 points, Jayson Tatum added 19 and Duke (22-5, 10-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) held on to beat Wake Forest (15-12, 6-9).
No. 13 KENTUCKY 82, GEORGIA 77: De’Aaron Fox scored 16 points, including six free throws in the final 45 seconds, and Kentucky (22-5, 12-2 SEC) overcame J.J. Frazier’s 36 points to beat Georgia (15-12, 6-8).