Bears maintain winning streak to stay atop Big 12 standings

No. 2 Baylor (19–1, 8–0 conference) rallied in the fourth quarter to pick up its 17th-straight win in a 79-73 battle against No. 24 West Virginia on Saturday. The Bears entered the fourth quarter under pressure for the first time since losing to Connecticut in mid-November. West Virginia trailed by a mere four points heading into the final frame. But the Bears pulled out their 53rd consecutive home game victory after senior forward Nina Davis and junior guard Kristy Wallace sank six-straight free throws late in the game.

The Bears’ narrow margin of victory signals they’re ready to compete come March, but they must replicate their success on the road against Kansas State on Wednesday in order to protect their lead in the Big 12 rankings.

Texas finds consistency out west

Texas (14–4, 8–0 conference) defeated Texas Tech, 77-57, Saturday to boost head coach Karen Aston past Gail Goestenkors for second place on Texas’ all-time wins list with 103 victories. The No. 12 Longhorns picked up their 12th-straight victory while handing the Red Raiders their first home loss of the season in Lubbock.

Freshman forward Joyner Holmes led the Longhorns to success by notching her fourth double-double of the season. Aston’s team secured the win by holding Texas Tech to 35 percent shooting and matching its season low with nine turnovers in the game.

The Longhorns aim to keep their winning streak alive and stay perfect in conference play as they head to Fort Worth to battle TCU on Wednesday.

Oklahoma rallies past Cowgirls during in-state rivalry

No. 20 Oklahoma (15–5, 6–2 conference) defended its home court, 68-62, against Oklahoma State after rallying from a 12-point deficit in the middle of the third quarter. The result marked Oklahoma’s third-biggest comeback win for a Big 12 game in program history.

Free throws played a big role in the Sooners’ success over the Cowgirls. They knocked down 20 shots for their second-best free throw performance in conference play this season. 

The Sooners look to build off their big win against Iowa State on Wednesday before hitting the road to face conference-leading Baylor in Waco on Jan. 29.

Jayhawks can’t break losing streak in Fort Worth

The Jayhawks (6–13, 0–8 conference) entered Fort Worth on Sunday with hopes of finding an end to their seven-game winless drought. But the squad ran into trouble during the second half of the game, which led to defeat against TCU, 83-68.

Kansas tallied the first points of the game to spark a strong start to the first half, but the team’s miscues allowed the Horned Frogs to gain a 62-49 lead by the end of the third quarter. The Jayhawks couldn’t find the net enough to get on track and extended their losing streak to eight games.

The Jayhawks hope to find their first conference win as they face Oklahoma State on Wednesday in Stillwater, Oklahoma.