Kansas snaps Baylor's Big 12-record win streak
WACO, Texas -- Udoka Azubuike had 23 points and a career-high 19 rebounds and No. 3 Kansas held on to beat No. 1 Baylor 64-61 on Saturday, snapping the Bears' Big 12-record 23-game winning streak and likely ending their five-week hold on the No. 1 spot in the AP poll.
The Bears are the sixth No. 1 team to lose this season. Their streak ends with one more win than Kansas -- which won 22 straight in 1996-97, the Big 12's inaugural season.
The Jayhawks (24-3, 13-1 Big 12) have won 12 in a row since their first-ever home loss to Baylor on Jan. 11. Saturday, they had a 10-point lead with 6 ½ minutes left but had to hold off Baylor's late charge.
Isaiah Moss, who had 11 points, made two free throws for Kansas with 7.9 seconds left before a timeout. The Bears (24-2, 13-1) had one more shot, but guard Jared Butler's 3-pointer from beyond the top of the key ricocheted off the front of the iron as time expired.
If both teams finish 17-1 in the conference, a random draw will determine who the No. 1 seed is in the Big 12 tournament.
Butler and MaCio Teague had hit consecutive 3-pointers in the final half-minute to get Baylor within 62-61.
Devon Dotson added 13 points for the Jayhawks, who shot 51% (27 of 53) against a tenacious Baylor defense that held them to 55 points in a 12-point loss last month.
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Butler had 19 points to lead the Bears, while Freddie Gillespie and Matthew Mayer each had 10.
The sellout crowd of 10,627 at the Ferrell Center, already in a frenzy after ESPN's College GameDay broadcast on the court leading up to the late-morning tip, was roaring after Teague returned to the lineup by swishing a 3-pointer on the game's first shot and Gillespie made it 5-0.
Marcus Garrett then had seven points in a 14-2 spurt for Kansas, which never trailed again. Baylor hadn't been behind by more than two points in any of its previous 12 home games. The Bears trailed 14-7 before Butler hit a 3-pointer and then made a long pass ahead to Mayer, the lanky, high-energy sophomore, for a layup.
Mayer then had a three-point play after going inside and drawing a goaltending call from Azubuike while being fouled, and Mayer's 3-pointer with 9:21 left tied the game at 18. Kansas regained the lead with six points in a row, including a layup and another putback by Azubuike, who later in the half had back-to-back impressive dunks for nine-point leads.
Azubuike bowed back his shoulders and let out a shout after his powerful slam over the 6-foot-9 Gillespie. The Jayhawks' next basket was also a powerful dunk by Azubuike that made it 32-23.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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