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No. 9 Baylor beats Iowa State 79-64

Sports

February 14th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

WACO, Texas (AP) — Perry Jones III and Baylor never lost confidence, even while losing consecutive games for the second time in a month. They got back on track in a hurry. Jones rediscovered his shooting touch with 18 points and the ninth-ranked Bears rebounded from two big losses with a 79-64 victory over Iowa State on Monday night, two days after losing at Missouri by the same margin. Jones already had 10 points by halftime, one more than he had combined last week when Baylor (22-4, 9-4 Big 12) lost to No. 4 Kansas and No. 3 Missouri in consecutive games for the second time this season. The Bears are undefeated against the rest of the Big 12 and everybody else they have played, and clearly proven themselves as the league’s third-best team for now. Iowa State (18-8, 8-5) had won four of its previous five games to tie them for third place. Miller, who matched Jones with 8-of-13 shooting, added 16 points for the Bears. Anthony Jones had 12 points and Quincy Acy 11. Melvin Ejim had 17 points to lead the Cyclones. Royce White added 14 points with seven turnovers after scoring a career-high 25 points in a 69-46 win over Texas A&M.

Baylor shot 60 percent (33 of 55) in the game, with 24 assists and only eight turnovers. Even when the Cyclones shot 55 percent (16 of 29) in the second half, Baylor made 72 percent (21 of 29) in that same span — many on dunks while scoring 32 points in the paint Baylor never trailed. The Cyclones have lost six consecutive games in Waco, where they last won in 2000. The teams play again in the regular season finale March 3 at Iowa State.