Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Late layup allows Sooners to escape
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Skylar Vann scored 21 points, including the game-winning layup with 2.2 seconds left and 14thranked Oklahoma avoided possibly the biggest upset in Big 12 Tournament history with a 77-76 win over TCU in the quarterfinals on Friday night.
The Horned Frogs appeared poised to be the first 10th-seed to ever beat a twoseed when Lucy Ibeh scored inside with 4.8 seconds to play. But after a timeout, Taylor Robertson threw a deep inbounds pass to Vann, who was set up on the right side of the lane, and she spun to her right and went across the lane for the basket.
Robertson made 5- of- 6 three-pointers and scored 17 points for the Sooners ( 255). Aubrey Joens came off the bench to score 15 points, going 3 of 5 behind the arc. Madi Williams, who injured a knee in the regular-season finale, scored six points while wearing a brace.
Ibeh was 10-of-13 shooting and had 24 points for the Horned Frogs ( 8-23), who went 1-17 in league playing and losing to Oklahoma 93-66 and 101-78. Tara Manumaleuga had 15 points and seven assists and Tomi Taiwo added 11 points.
The game was also the last for TCU Coach Reagan Pebley, who announced last week she was stepping down after nine seasons.
Ibeh was amazing down the stretch, scoring the last 11 TCU points over 31/ minutes. 2 The Horned Frogs were 8 of 9 in the final five minutes.
NO. 15 TEXAS 60, KANSAS STATE 42
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — DeYona Gaston scored 12 points and 15th-ranked Texas came to life in the second half to defeat Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament.
After a miserable first half that saw the top-seeded Longhorns shoot 17% (5 of 30) and barely eke out an 18-all tie at halftime, they outscored the ninth-seeded Wildcats 21-4 in the third quarter and coasted to a semifinal date with fourth-seeded Oklahoma State today.
Midway through the second quarter Texas (24-8) was down 16-7 but a 32-6 run made it 39-22 entering the fourth.
Kansas State scored 20 points in the fourth to avoid its worst output of the season.