Kansas Upset By Baylor, 71-64, in Men's Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinals
March 12, 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Despite erasing a 17-point first half deficit, the top-seeded University of Kansas men’s basketball team fell 71-64 to ninth-seeded Baylor in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament, Thursday, at the Ford Center.
The loss dropped Kansas to 25-7 and improved Baylor to 19-13. It marked the first time since the inception of the Big 12 that Kansas lost its first game in the tournament, and snapped an overall nine-game winning streak in the league championship.
Kansas struggled out of the gate with turnovers and poor shooting, while seemingly everything the Bears put up went in early. Baylor was able to extend its lead to as many as 17 in the first half when it led 30-13 with 7:08 remaining in the period.
From there, Kansas went on a 20-7 run capped by a 3-pointer from the corner from Tyshawn Taylor who led the first half Jayhawk attack with 10 points. After the run, the Jayhawks closed the gap to just four at intermission as the teams entered the lockerroom with Baylor leading 37-33.
Marcus Morris added nine points to KU’s first-half effort. Cole Aldrich grabbed eight rebounds to go with six points. Lacedarius Dunn and Curtis Jerrells scored 11 and 10 points for the Bears, respectively.
Kansas shot 45.5 percent (14-of-31) from the field in the first half while Baylor was 54.4 percent (13-of-24) from the field and hit five 3-pointers. KU outrebounded BU 19-12.
Just two minutes into the second half Kansas completed the comeback when Brady Morningstar stole the ball and pitched ahead to Collins, who raced the length of the court for a reverse layup that tied the score at 37.
At the 9:41 mark, KU finally reclaimed the lead when a slashing Collins found Tyrell Reed spotting up in the corner. Reed drained the three and Kansas led 54-51, its first lead since it led 1-0.
Despite the comeback, KU was unable to hold the lead as Baylor pulled off the upset 71-64.
Collins led Kansas in scoring with 16 points. Morris and Taylor each finished with 12 points. Aldrich, who took just five shots, finished with eight points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Dunn led Baylor with 24 points as hit six 3-pointers. Kevin Rogers added 14 points and Jerrells finished with 10.
Kansas shot only 40.9 percent (25-of-62) from the field while Baylor shot 45.0 percent (27-of-60). KU outrebounded Baylor 41-34.
Kansas will learn its NCAA Tournament fate Sunday when the NCAA Selection Show airs at 5 p.m. on CBS.
