Iowa State knocks off No. 9 Baylor 80-72

AMES, Iowa (AP)

Baylor heads to Kansas City for next week's Big 12 tournament with 25 wins and a star-studded lineup that should be able to match up against any team.

But Saturday night's loss at Iowa State was yet another challenge the No. 9 Bears couldn't overcome.

Scott Christopherson had 23 points in his final home game and Iowa State rallied to beat Baylor 80-72 for its second win over a top-10 opponent this season.

Melvin Ejim added 15 points for the Cyclones (22-9, 12-6 Big 12), who also secured the No. 3 seed for next week's conference tournament.

Baylor led by 37-30 at halftime, but the Bears went nearly 5 minutes without a point down the stretch. Baylor pulled to 66-64, but Tyrus McGee drilled a 3 with 1:24 left and the Bears followed with a crushing offensive foul.

Pierre Jackson had a career night with 35 points for the Bears (25-6, 12-6), who fell to the fourth seed for the Big 12 tournament after allowing 50 points in the second half.

''I know defensively, we've got to guard a lot better if we're going to be successful in the postseason,'' Baylor coach Scott Drew said. ''That's what we'll focus on.''

Jackson's typically the one dishing the ball, ranking third in the Big 12 in assists. Against Iowa State, he simply kept it for himself. That strategy worked for a while, but when Jackson's stroke went cold the Bears didn't have anyone else to pick him up.

Jackson had 18 points by halftime, and matched his previous career high of 25 with 15:31 left on a confident 18-footer that put the Bears ahead 51-43. The Cyclones wouldn't go away, as Chris Babb's heads-up bucket off an errant White pass brought Iowa State within 53-52, but Jackson quickly answered with his fourth 3 of the night.

Christopherson gave the Cyclones their first lead of the second half, following a floater with a deep 3 to make it 62-60 with 7:02 left.

Royce White had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Cyclones, who scored 50 points in the second half and improved to 10-0 against Baylor at home.

Perry Jones III had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Bears, who shot just 6 of 24 from 3-point range and were outrebounded 38-35.

''We had some looks, didn't make baskets. The thing that's disappointing to me is we didn't do as good a job on the glass as we've done in games past,'' Drew said.

The one question that's dogged Baylor all season is how it's performed against the league's best teams.

Four of the Bears' five losses came against Big 12 heavyweights Kansas and Missouri, and only the one-point loss to the Tigers in Waco last month was even close.

The Bears took it to the Cyclones early, using their superior size and length to control the boards and keep Iowa State - one of the better teams in the country from the perimeter - from getting comfortable looks. But the Cyclones managed to tie the game 27-all late in the first half, despite hitting just two of their first 13 tries from 3-point range.

Baylor missed their first seven 3-point attempts, but Jackson broke that streak in putting the Bears ahead 30-27. Jackson buried another one, this time after McGee blew a dunk, and Baylor opened a 37-28 lead.

But Jackson could've used more help. Quincy Acy had just five points and Brady Heslip and Quincy Miller each shot 3 of 9 from the floor en route to six points.

''When he gets going, he's tough. I should have gotten him more rest in the second half,'' Drew said of Jackson. ''He really competed and had a great game.''

The Bears had taken control in the second half, but they let Iowa State hang around just long enough to catch up - then overtake them. Baylor finished just 1-5 against the top three seeds in the Big 12 tournament: Kansas, Missouri and Iowa State.

''It's a new start,'' Jones said. ''We're 0-0, starting all over. Just play hard, play defense.''

Baylor joined the league champion Jayhawks as top-10 teams to lose at Hilton Coliseum this season. The Cyclones finished 8-1 at home in the Big 12 this season and, by beating the Bears, appear to have their first NCAA tournament bid in seven years locked up.