WACO, Texas — Without their inside presence, the Bears have reinvented themselves and shown they can compete in the Big 12.
Baylor upset No. 8 Texas Tech 73-62 inside the Ferrell Center on Saturday, for its second win over a ranked team, both during conference play.
Baylor coach Scott Drew had to use a timeout early, after Tech jumped out to an 11-4 lead quickly, using a full-court press.
Late in the first half, Mark Vital tied the game at 29 with the assist from freshman Jared Butler, forcing Red Raider coach Chris Beard to call a timeout.
However, Butler gave the Bears the lead on their next possession finishing a drive off the glass. It was a lead they'd never relinquish.
Butler finished tied for a game high with 19 points and five assists.
Makai Mason was also huge for the Bears, finishing with 16 points and a pair of assists, with Mason scoring in clutch moments during the first half to never let the game out of reach.
Baylor (11-6 overall, 3-2 Big 12) now finds itself a half-game out of a four-way tie for first place in the conference, heading to Morgantown, West Virginia, Monday to face the Mountaineers, whose first conference win came Saturday, 65-64 over No. 7 Kansas. That tip is set for 8 p.m.
Tech (15-3, 4-2) is in that four-way tie with Kansas, Iowa State (W 72-59 vs. OK State), and Kansas State (W 65-55 vs. TCU). The Red Raiders head to Manhattan to face Kansas State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on a two-game skid.
Big 12 men's basketball standings (Jan. 19, 2019):
- No. 7 Kansas - 4-2
- No. 8 Texas Tech - 4-2
- Iowa State - 4-2
- Kansas State - 4-2
- Baylor - 3-2
- Texas - 3-3
- TCU - 2-3
- No. 20 Oklahoma - 2-4
- Oklahoma State - 2-4
- West Virginia - 1-5