Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Dominique Sutton had a double-double and a key offense rebound that led to Jacob Pullen's 3-pointer with 2:02 left, helping No. 9 Kansas State survive for an 82-75 win over No. 21 Baylor on Friday night in the Big 12 tournament semifinals.
Sutton provided the early spark for listless Kansas State (26-6) early and finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds to send the second-seeded Wildcats into their first Big 12 championship game against rival Kansas. Pullen had 26 points and Denis Clemente added 24 to give Kansas State a school single-season record for wins.
Baylor (25-7), the third seed, shot 54 percent and got 26 points from LaceDarius Dunn, but gave up 17 offensive rebounds, including the late grab by Sutton. Ekpe Udoh added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Bears.
After dismantling Oklahoma State in the quarterfinals, Kansas State found itself in a steel-cage match against a Baylor team with similar traits: long, athletic, aggressive.
The Bears had the edge early, the Wildcats responded and the two latched on like rottweilers the rest of the way, neither willing to back down.
Kansas State grinded out a win, but it doesn't get any easier from here.
Next up for the Wildcats is a shot at Kansas on Saturday. The top-ranked Jayhawks swept the season series.
Baylor made an improbable run in last year's tournament, winning three straight games to reach the title game as the No. 9 seed. The Bears had a better season that led to a better seed this year, and had won five straight after beating Texas for the third time this season in Thursday's quarterfinals.
The Bears are done in the Big 12 tournament, but are sure to get a good seed in the NCAA tournament after their tense battle with K-State.
Baylor had no trouble with Kansas State's overplaying man defense early, hitting eight of its first nine shots.
Of course, the offense was pretty simple: get the ball to Dunn.
The Big 12's second-leading scorer hit a postup and a 3-pointer in the first 60 seconds, and had 10 points in five minutes -- even with Pullen waving a hand in his face like a windshield wiper.
Sutton put an end to Dunn's run, hounding him all over the court for a scoreless final 15 minutes. But like any good shooter, he kept firing, finishing 9 of 17 from the floor.
Kansas State needed a little time to figure out Baylor's 1-3-1 zone, keeping it close with nine offensive rebounds -- four by Sutton -- in the first 9 1/2 minutes. Pullen and Clemente then solved the Bears' zone; Pullen by shooting over it (four 3-pointers) and Clemente with his barely-in-control sprints through it.
They combined for 27 of Kansas State's 36 points, leaving the Wildcats just one behind at halftime, and kept firing in the second half.
Women
No. 12 Oklahoma 59, No. 16 Baylor 54: KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Danielle Robinson scored 26 points, and Nyeshia Stevenson had 10 of her 12 points in the last five minutes as No. 12 Oklahoma spoiled Brittney Griner's return from suspension.
Stevenson hit a 3-pointer with 4:16 left to put the Sooners up 50-49, and she hit another 3 and made a layup to keep her team ahead in the final minutes.
Griner, suspended two games for punching a Texas Tech player March 3, had 13 points and set a tournament record with 10 blocks.
*
Oklahoma St. 62, No. 14 Iowa St.: KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Andrea Riley scored 43 points to set the Big 12 tournament record for the second straight game.
Riley made 6 of her first 7 shots, then missed 17 in a row before warming up again late in the game to carry the Cowgirls.
Riley also became the Big 12's career leading scorer and set the conference's single-season mark.
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No. 3 Nebraska 63, Kansas St. 46: KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Kelsey Griffin scored 16 of her 24 points in the first nine minutes of the second half to help lift unbeaten and third-ranked Nebraska.
Cory Montgomery scored 13 points and Dominique Kelley added 11 for Nebraska.
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