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Big 12 Basketball: Baylor takes control late to beat West Virginia

By Brock Zimmermann

Feb 11, 2017; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears forward Johnathan Motley (5) and teammates react on the bench during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 11, 2017; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears forward Johnathan Motley (5) and teammates react on the bench during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Baylor overcame a sloppy offensive game by dominating the glass and took care of business against Big 12 basketball opponent, West Virginia.

In the first meeting between these two Big 12 rivals, West Virginia pounded Baylor to knock off the then-number one team in the country.

Related Story: Kansas secures 13th straight conference regular season title

It was different this time around, though.

Both the Baylor Bears and the West Virginia Mountaineers traded leads throughout the game but the Bears took a lead with 5:30 to play and were able to pull away. While the Bears trailed for most of the second half, the team’s shooting down the stretch helped them stay close. They were able to capitalize on West Virginia’s poor shooting performance.

Baylor came into the game struggling, having lost three of their last four games. Even though they turned the ball over 18 times (10 more than the Mountaineers), they dominated the glass. They recorded 43 rebounds compared to West Virginia’s 23 total boards.

West Virginia was playing well, winning five of their last six games. The lone loss came on the road against Kansas, losing 84-80 in a tightly played game. They went cold from the field and were unable to capitalize on Baylor’s turnovers.

Johnathan Motley led the game in scoring, putting up 23 points for Baylor. He also shot perfect from the line. He added seven rebounds and went 11-of-11 from the free throw line. The team shot a total of 34 attempts and converted on 26 of those attempts, putting the game away late.

Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Bears, which resulted in his second double-double this year. Jevon Carter led the Mountaineers in scoring with 18 points. He added nine rebounds but couldn’t do enough offensively to propel West Virginia to a win.

Next: Five things we learned from the weekend

Going forward, both teams are in pretty good shape for the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament. Both teams have a realistic shot at a No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and could make the Big 12 title game. The conference is one of the most competitive in the country and a signature wins could improve both team’s postseason resumes.

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