The Baylor men’s tennis team, ranked 13th in the nation, starts the Big 12 Championship Saturday as the top seed. The Bears (19-4) will play the winner of TCU and Texas.

The team began the season with a rough start in a loss at Tulsa, but then went on an eight-match win streak. The team then lost three in a row to top-five teams, including top-ranked Virginia. However, the Bears found themselves in every third set against the Cavaliers, making for a close match.

They won their last nine matches, including a perfect conference record to win the regular season championship.

The top-ranked singles player on the team, junior Patrick Pradella at 30th, has thrived playing in the No. 1 spot this season. He boasts a 10-2 record in that spot and will look to continue his consistent play into the postseason.

Q: How has this team grown since the start of the season?

A: I feel like we’re getting better every day. We are like a big family. Everyone likes each other and everything we do is helping us to keep getting better and to grow as a team. It’s always good when you have success. That helps a lot. I think we are on a good streak right now, so that helps us a lot. So even on not-that-good days, we can still win.

Q: Was there a turning point where you realized the team could win the Big 12?

A: I think we knew from the beginning of the season that we are a good team. We saw in the match against Virginia that we can beat everybody in the country, even if it was 6-1, but we were close in every match. We started winning matches at home then, against Cal, and those gave us a lot of confidence. I think right now with the win against Oklahoma, that was just amazing. So that really helps.

Q: Are you preparing any differently for postseason play?

A: No, not at all.

Q: Do you think this team has all the pieces to win the national championship?

A: We need to keep getting better, I think. Because everyone is not at his limit, and we are playing together and cheering for each other. When everyone keeps fighting for every point, then we can be a really, really good team in the end. You never know if you win, but I think we have a chance.

Q: Do you feel ready to take on the top players in the No. 1 spot and do you feel comfortable there?

A: Yeah, for sure. I like the challenge and I hope I can help the program, but I think all the other spots are probably more difficult because everyone expects them to win in the lower spots. I feel like it’s an easy position for me.

Senior first baseman Steve DalPorto looks to catch the throw to first to record an out Sunday against the Texas Longhorns. Baylor went on to sweep Texas in the three-game series. (Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor)

At one point this season, the Baylor baseball team was struggling with an 11-15 overall record and a 1-3 record in the Big 12. The outlook for the remainder of the season certainly did not seem optimistic, but a Baylor team with a history of success showed resiliency and is now in the hunt to defend its Big 12 Championship.

Since being 11-15, the Bears have been on a tear by winning 14 of their last 19 games to improve to a 25-20 record on the year.

In sports, winning is a contagious attitude, and last year the Bears experienced unprecedented success with a 49-17 season. It solidified the winning culture of Baylor baseball and put the attitude to win into the Baylor DNA.

When this season got off to a slow start, there was no sense of panic at all around Baylor baseball.

Veteran players and key seniors kept the clubhouse held together and positive. Seniors like right fielder Nathan Orf, third baseman Cal Towey, shortstop Jake Miller, first baseman Steve DalPorto, right-handed pitcher Crayton Bare and right-handed pitcher Max Garner have been the steady producers that have sparked Baylor’s recent run of success this season and their current five-game winning streak.

Whether the Bears are struggling or winning, the message and the mindset for the team remain the same.

“We try to win each pitch really,” Orf said. “In trying to do that and the trials that you’re going to go through, you just have to learn as much as you can, especially early on. I think if we win each pitch and have that mentality to compete each pitch and do learn each game by game for the year, then we are going to be quite a tough team to play against.”

Veteran players like Orf and Towey have certainly carried their fair share of the load the season.

Orf is batting a team-high .389 with 26 RBI, 29 runs, a slugging percentage of .463 and an on-base percentage of .481.

Towey has been the Bears’ best run producer this season with a team-high 42 RBIs and a .307 batting average. Orf and Towey are the only Baylor players with an above .300 batting average.

Orf and Towey have been the main carriers of the offense this season, but other players have definitely stepped up to help the Bears win this season.

“That’s what you hope to build as the season goes on,” associate head coach Steve Johnigan said. “You want one through nine to contribute because it’s hard for just two, three, four guys to do it. It’s very encouraging for those guys to come off this weekend and then swing it well going into Lawrence this weekend with a positive feeling. It’s nothing but good for our team.”

On Tuesday night, the back end of the Baylor lineup played a decisive role in leading the Bears to a 6-4 victory over UT Arlington. Baylor’s sixth through ninth hitters in the lineup combined to go 8-12 at the plate.

Sophomore center fielder Adam Toth had a monumental day with a career-high three hits. Toth also drove in a run and scored two runs himself.

“I think guys without much experience realize that they can play at this level and it’s not much different than any other level,” Orf said. “It’s just the same game of baseball, so guys realize they can do it and results show that.”

Sophomore designated hitter Duncan Wendel drove in two runs, and senior first baseman Steve DalPorto racked up three hits, a run and an RBI. Junior catcher Brett Doe was 2-4 with a run scored.

“It’s a very different team,” Wendel said. “It’s really just sticking with everybody’s approach of single, get a hit here and get a hit here. Instead of get the big hit here that’s the double or whatever. We’re just trying to be who we are. We have confidence in every single hitter, which is definitely nice. Whoever’s up at the plate is going to do their best job to get the run in and it’s been working so far.”

With the Baylor lineup seeing production from top to bottom, Baylor baseball is trending in the right direction with a five-game winning streak.

The Bears are also in the hunt for the Big 12 title. Oklahoma is currently in first place with a .667 winning percentage reflected in a 10-5 league record.

Baylor is just barely behind Oklahoma with a .647 winning percentage and 11-6 Big 12 Conference record.

With six regular-season Big 12 games remaining on the last seven games of the schedule, there are still plenty of opportunities for the Bears to take care of business and win a second-straight Big 12 Championship.

First the Bears travel to Kansas this weekend for a three-game series.

Then the Bears get an extended break in the schedule due to final exams.

The Bears host UTSA on May 14 in their last nonconference game of the season.

Baylor wraps up Big 12 play and the regular season with a road trip to Lubbock for a three-game series against Texas Tech.

The team kisses their new Big 12 Champion trophy on Mon., Mar. 11, 2013, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Baylor defeated Iowa State 75-47 to become the Big 12 Tournament Champions.
Meagan Downing | Round Up Photo Editor

The No. 1 Lady Bears put on a show on March 9-11, at the Big 12 Tournament as they became the only team in the Big 12 to win the championship for three consecutive years.

The Lady Bears displayed why they are the No. 1 team in the nation, whether it was by blowing a team out, making shots in the clutch or responding every time an opponent tried to come back into the game.

Three Baylor players were named to the Big 12 All-Tournament team: senior post Brittney Griner, senior forward Destiny Williams and junior guard Odyssey Sims. Griner was also named most outstanding player in the tournament.

Baylor defeated Kansas State in an 80-47 blowout in the quarterfinals. Baylor played Kansas State six days prior that match and it was a close game with Kansas State hitting 15 3-point jumpers to keep the game within reach. However, Baylor pulled away in the second half after making defensive adjustments.

The Lady Bears had that game in the back of their minds and it showed. Baylor jumped out to a 31-6 lead as it dominated both ends of the floor. Baylor put pressure on Kansas State by disrupting its offense and forcing it to hold on to the ball. Baylor’s defense disrupted Kansas State’s 3-point shooting by not allowing the Wildcats to setup any screens. Kansas State didn’t reach a double-digit score until the 5:37 mark as Baylor prevented the Wildcats from spreading the floor.

Kansas State did make halftime adjustments to get its offense going, such as taking higher percentage shots, but the gap was too much to overcome. Baylor continued to score because the Kansas State defense didn’t have any answers for the Lady Bears offense.

“I’m proud of how we competed in the second half,” Kansas State head coach Deb Patterson said. “I thought we continued to fight hard, just didn’t have enough play-making today to be able to get the job done.”

Kansas State guard Brittany Chambers was the only Kansas State player to score in double figures with 21, but there was a drop-off with the remaining players. Kansas State was held to 29.1 percent shooting.

“I thought we played with a lot of energy,” Williams said. “I thought we knocked down the shots that were given to us. I thought we played smart on offense and defense, looked for the open person.”

The semifinals were much more dramatic as Oklahoma State was looking to upset Baylor for a chance for the title. However, Baylor defeated Oklahoma State 77-69 after senior guard Jordan Madden hit a clutch 3-point shot after Oklahoma State cut Baylor’s lead to three.

“There are no moral victories,” head coach Kim Mulkey said. “You either won or you lost. We could have very easily lost today. Compliment Oklahoma State, but they still lost. Jim Littell is not going to come in here and be all excited. Those kids played hard for him today. They could have very easily won and we could have very easily lost.”
Baylor had a season-high 24 turnovers, including 18 in the second half. Oklahoma State not only managed a high number of steals, but it forced Baylor into some uncharacteristic passes.

Baylor played well during the first half as it continued to switch players around to confuse the Cowgirls leading to a shot clock violation. Griner followed with back-to-back blocks.

Baylor also went on two runs, responding each time Oklahoma State scored. However, during the second half, Oklahoma State let Baylor feel its presence. The Oklahoma State defense began to play in a two-three zone, giving Baylor trouble. The Cowgirls took Griner out of the game and the lack of ball movement by Baylor allowed Oklahoma State to cut into the lead. The Cowgirls took advantage of Baylor’s lack of defense and began clicking on offense. Three players finished in double figures because of this.

Oklahoma State outscored Baylor in fast break points and it also outscored Baylor in the second half, being the second team this season to do so. After Baylor committed four straight turnovers, Oklahoma State cut the lead to three, but Griner got a key steal that allowed Madden to make the clutch 3-point shot with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

The shot showed Baylor’s mental toughness as they pulled away with a win in the closing minutes of the game.

“I think it was good for us to a certain extent,” senior forward Brooklyn Pope said. “I don’t like close games. I like when we win by a large margin. I’m just happy we won. We’re going to work on some things. I just hope this helps us.”

After an uncharacteristic defensive performance, Baylor played with a chip on its shoulder, defeating No. 23 Iowa State 75-47 in the Big 12 Championship Game.

“Baylor played up to their No. 1 ranking,” Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly said. “When Odyssey Sims and Brittney Griner go 21-26, I don’t think the Mavs could have won tonight.”

Baylor tightened up its defense, forcing Iowa State to commit 20 turnovers as Baylor crowded the passing lanes and protected the paint. Similar to the game against Kansas State, Baylor got off to an early lead. Baylor went on an 18-0 run, sparked by back-to-back field goals from Griner, after Iowa State scored the first three points of the game.

Iowa State was left without a field goal for about eight minutes, until it responded with a layup from Iowa State guard Nikki Moody. Moody hit a 3-point jumper shortly after, but Baylor answered with a 17-2 run in the final nine minutes of the half.

“Today we worked on moving the ball, penetrating, opening up the zone so BG could get more shots,” Sims said.

Iowa State made adjustments at the half as it began to attack the paint and take better shots.

This freed up the middle, allowing the Cyclones to score more points, but Baylor kept responding on offense and defense, making the gap too much for the Cyclones to overcome.

Coach Kim Mulkey and No. 5 guard Melissa Jones stand up to cheer during the NCAA selection show watch party in the Stone Room of the Ferrell Center Monday, Mar 14, 2011.
Nick Berryman | Lariat Photographer

By Will Parchman
Waco Tribune-Herald via Associated Press

While the rest of the country stresses its NCAA tournament plans on Selection Monday, the Lady Bears plan to sit back and enjoy themselves.

Sure, there are a few teams in the field that have a good idea where they’ll go. Notre Dame, UConn and Stanford can reasonably expect No. 1 seeds and subregional tournaments closer to home. Dozens more teams know they’ll be in the field, awaiting seeds and confirmation they beat the bubble.

Baylor, on the other hand, is a lock for the No. 1 overall seed. The Lady Bears have been the nation’s top-ranked team for 10 consecutive weeks, which will win them a relatively easy geographic path to the Final Four. It likely means hosting two rounds in Waco and two more in Oklahoma City before a possible trip to New Orleans.

The Lady Bears host a Selection Monday watch party beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Ferrell Center’s Stone Room on Monday. The selection show begins at 6 on ESPN and will unveil the entire 64-team bracket. That includes the Nos. 8, 9 and 16 seeds that join Baylor in Waco.

Like most of Baylor’s games this season, the event will likely have an anticlimactic air. And that’s just fine with the Lady Bears.

“I think it probably lets us really observe more of the crowd and enjoy and laugh and have a good time,” Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. “This whole year has kind of been like that. If we don’t win it, it won’t be because we’re stressed. It won’t be because we feel pressure. The pressure was last year. This is nothing more than icing on the cake. Because if somebody beats us, it’s going to be someone that deserves it.”

And as far as travel is concerned, Baylor’s road couldn’t be much better. Baylor drew an average of 7,734 fans at the American Airlines Center during the Big 12 tournament, and Oklahoma City isn’t much further up I-35. In addition, Baylor is far closer to New Orleans than any team in the top five.

“I hope what we saw in Dallas with the Baylor fans, I hope they’ll drive another couple hours to Oklahoma City,” Mulkey said. “It was impressive for Baylor people to be there in that big a number.”

In November, Baylor lost to Stanford in Hawaii, 71-69, for the Lady Bears’ first loss in 42 games. At that point, Baylor’s reign atop the women’s college basketball world looked very much in doubt. In response, Baylor rattled off 30 straight wins, only two of which were decided by fewer than 10 points. Within that run, the Lady Bears collected two more Big 12 title trophies, bringing that total to six over the past three seasons.

The Lady Bears’ No. 1 RPI was boosted by wins over four teams that finished the regular season ranked in the top 10, and a further three wins over Iowa State, which is ranked No. 23.

So while dozens of Division I programs bite through their nails Monday, Baylor will enjoy itself.

“It’s good bonding for us,” Baylor senior guard Jordan Madden said. “Just to sit there and be with the coaches. We get to be with them but not as long. So we can sit there and have a conversation and see the other teams and where they go. Just be out there and have fun.”

Oklahoma State guard Markel Brown (22) helps up Baylor guard Pierre Jackson (55) following an NCAA college basketball game in the Big 12 tournament, Thursday, March 14, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. Jackson had just missed a last-second basket. Oklahoma State won 74-72. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

By Stephen Hawkins
AP Basketball Writer

Texas has no teams in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1977.

When the 68-team field was announced Sunday, the Lone Star State was completely shut out. There were no Longhorns, Baylor Bears, Texas A&M Aggies, Red Raiders or Owls.

And not even any Lumberjacks. Southland Conference regular-season champion Stephen F. Austin (27-4) lost its league tournament championship game and didn’t get an at-large NCAA berth, and instead had to settle for a first-round NIT game at Stanford on Tuesday night.

Baylor (18-14), the NIT runner-up four years ago before two NCAA regional finals the previous three seasons, also made the 32-team NIT field. The Bears host a first-round game against Long Beach State (19-13) on Wednesday night.

Prairie View (Southwestern Athletic Conference) and Texas-Arlington (WAC) also made it to their conference tournament championship games, but both also lost Saturday with automatic NCAA berths on the line.

Only three years ago, Texas matched an NCAA record by sending seven teams to the tournament, and had sent at least three teams each of the last six years. Texas also holds the record for most schools that have appeared in the tournament (23).

This March, the only NCAA men’s tournament action in Texas will be games played in the state.

Second- and third-round games will be played this week on the University of Texas campus in Austin. The South Regional final will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Texas.

Texas (16-17) had been one of only six schools to play in the NCAA tournament each of the previous 14 years, and needed the Big 12′s automatic berth to keep their streak alive. But the Longhorns lost 66-49 to 11th-ranked Kansas State in their first conference tourney game.

The Longhorns went to the Final Four in 2003, and made it to regional finals in 2006 and 2008.

Baylor had boosted its status for a potential at-large berth with an 81-58 victory over Big 12 champion Kansas in the regular-season finale and went to the Big 12 tourney as the No. 3 seed.

But the Bears fell behind by 20 in their opener against Oklahoma State before tying the game in the final minute.  The Cowboys then made two go-ahead free throws before Pierre Jackson’s attempted 3-pointer at the buzzer hit off the back of the rim.

Stephen F. Austin lost 68-66 to Northwestern State in the Southland Conference tournament final Saturday, the second time this season the team from Louisiana beat the Lumberjacks, who led the nation allowing only 50 points a game.

Prairie View (15-19) scored the last six points in the SWAC tournament final, but lost 45-44 to Southern University. Texas-Arlington (19-13) lost 64-55 to New Mexico State in the WAC championship game.

Texas A&M (18-15) completed its first SEC season by shooting a season-low 24 percent in a 62-50 SEC tourney loss to former Big 12 rival Missouri.

SMU (15-17) finished its first season with Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown and last in Conference USA by losing 16 of its last 23 games.

TCU (11-21) made its Big 12 debut with new coach Trent Johnson, and its only conference wins were against Kansas and Oklahoma. Texas Tech (11-20) played this season under interim coach Chris Walker, who got that role in October, shortly before the start of the season, when Billy Gillispie abruptly resigned.

Baylor’s Isaiah Austin, right, and Cory Jefferson yell during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas, Saturday, March 9, 2013, in Waco, Texas. Baylor won 81-58. (AP Photo/Waco Tribune Herald, Rod Aydelotte)

By Dave Skretta
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas State and Kansas tied for the regular-season Big 12 title.

That doesn’t mean they feel very good about themselves entering the league tournament.

The Wildcats lost a road game against Oklahoma State on Saturday, while the Jayhawks were routed by Baylor a few hours later in a game that would have given them the outright title.

Consider it proof that the Big 12 tournament, which starts Wednesday night at Sprint Center, promises to be among the most intriguing and unpredictable in conference history.

“I’ve never seen the league better, with more teams that can win your league tournament, than we have now,” said the Jayhawks’ Bill Self, whose team has won five of the last seven editions.

“Not very often you go in and say, ‘Well, I think that team can positively win three games in a row,’” Self said, “and there are six teams that can win three games in a row.”

Maybe more. Maybe even some that can win four in a row.

Seventh-seeded Texas, which is 0-6 in Big 12 tournament title games, faces league newcomer TCU on the opening night. The Longhorns have won three of their last four after a disastrous start to the season, their improved play coinciding with the return of star guard Myck Kabongo.

“I think this tournament may be the most competitive we’ve ever had, because there’s a lot of team that go into it thinking, ‘We have to do some work,’” Texas coach Rick Barnes said. “We know what’s there. We need to win, it’s plain and simple, and not just one game.  For us to do what we set out the year to do, we have to win the tournament.”

That’s the same situation that Texas Tech and league newcomer West Virginia are in as they prepare to play the other Wednesday night game. The winner advances to play top-seeded Kansas, while the Texas-TCU winner gets No. 2 seed Kansas State in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

The other quarterfinals are already set.

Third-seeded Oklahoma State faces sixth-seeded Baylor, which is coming off that eye-opening victory over the Jayhawks. But at 18-13 overall, the Bears are still desperately chasing marquee wins if they want to reach the NCAA tournament for the third time in four years.

“All season long, I’ve said there is parity in college basketball,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “Our team can beat anybody in the nation, and as everybody has shown in college basketball, anybody can lose to anybody. We just need to keep the execution going.”

No. 4 seed Oklahoma and fifth-seeded Iowa State are sitting more comfortably than Baylor on the NCAA tournament bubble, but nevertheless, a win in their Thursday matchup would take much of the pressure off them come Selection Sunday.

“I like the rhythm we’re playing with right now,” said Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg, whose team has gone eight years without winning a game at the Big 12 tournament.

“We’re going to go down there and approach it like it’s a very important game, which it is,” Hoiberg said. “We’re going to go down there with the right mindset.”

The mindsets of Kansas State and Kansas should provide quite the story line.

The Jayhawks won both of their regular-season meetings, including a lopsided verdict at Allen Fieldhouse. But the Wildcats fared better against the rest of the league, so the teams were tied in the standings as they entered their road finales last Saturday.

The Wildcats played well against the Cowboys, building a nine-point lead in the second half, only to wither down the stretch and lose 76-70. Their coach, Bruce Weber, and most of their players were so dejected after the defeat that they didn’t even bother to watch Kansas play Baylor on television a few hours later, even though it would determine whether they shared the title.

The Jayhawks struggled early on, managed to close the gap to six points in the second half, and then watched the Bears go on a late run in an 81-58 upset victory.

The result: Kansas State and Kansas were co-champions of the regular season.

“A lot of people, instead of saying we won the Big 12, they want to focus more on, ‘Oh, Kansas should have won it because they beat you guys twice,’ or whatever,” said the Wildcats’ Angel Rodriguez. “We got the same record, and that’s all that matters. They should’ve took care of business, too, just like we should have took care of business against them.”

With the teams on opposite sides of the bracket in Kansas City, they’ll each have to win two games to get another shot at each other. But if they manage to do that, the feeling on both sides of the rivalry is that the game would serve as an unofficial tiebreaker.

“This year the tournament means a lot because we tied for the regular season,” Kansas guard Travis Releford said. “If we make it that far, I hope to win it outright.”

Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey left, hands Brittney Griner, right, a trophy basketball during a pregame ceremony before an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Waco, Texas. Griner was honored before the game for becoming the eighth Division I woman with 3,000 career points in Monday’s win at No. 3 Connecticut. She moved up to No. 5 on the career list, passing Cindy Blodgett (Maine), Cheryl Miller (Southern California) and Chamique Holdsclaw (Tennessee). She’s six points behind UConn’s Maya Moore. Baylor defeated Texas 67-47. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Cinderella is glossing up her glass slipper. The Big 12 women’s tournament is here.

The conference’s annual postseason tournament kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday and dead ends into the conference championship game at 7 p.m. Monday. All nine tourney games over three days take place in the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

That’s a departure from years past, when the Big 12 twined the men’s and women’s tournaments together over the same long weekend in Kansas City. But attendance at the women’s games lagged behind the men’s enough that the conference opted to split the tournaments to optimize women’s attendance in a stand-alone event.

The conference will get a glimpse at how effective that measure is this weekend.

As it has been in recent years, the event is little more than a speed bump for top-ranked Baylor, easily the No. 1 seed with nothing more to prove before the NCAA tournament. But for a significant chunk of the tournament field, this weekend represents a vital postseason lifeline.

With all the upsets, unlikely stumbles and surprising final scores in the Big 12 during the regular season, the problem could be picking a dark horse. Especially judging by what the Lady Bears have seen in some hardscrabble first halves.

“I’ve thought everybody we played of late, especially after we won the Big 12, I think everybody’s playing well,” Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. “I think they’re trying to knock of the No. 1 team in the country. I think they’re motivated to play us and I think we’ve taken everybody’s best shot.”

The toughest task could be merely picking winners behind the Lady Bears, who are easy money to win this tournament for a third consecutive year. Baylor kicks off its tournament Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against the winner of the Texas-Kansas State game at 6 p.m. Friday.

Aside from Baylor, which went 18-0 in conference for a second consecutive year, everybody in the Big 12 has at least six losses. That’s only the second time that’s happened in the last decade.

Runner-up Cyclones

Iowa State captured the No. 2 seed by finishing 12-6 in conference, a win better than Oklahoma and Texas Tech, but its perch as the conference’s second-best team is a precarious one. Headed into the final weekend, the Cyclones had everything to play for, and yet they dropped an inexplicable 61-58 loss to TCU in Fort Worth.

The Horned Frogs finished the regular season comfortably in the Big 12 cellar at 2-16. What does it mean that the conference’s supposed second-best team lost to its supposed worst team just a week ago? That’s to be determined this weekend.

TCU faces No. 7 seed Kansas in the play-in round Friday at 8:30 p.m., and the winner faces Iowa State in the quarterfinals. That could well be the Horned Frogs’ second crack at an upset of the Cyclones in as many weeks.

“I didn’t know this until yesterday that we don’t have another Big 12 team in the top 25,” Mulkey said. “If there are that many teams better than the Big 12 this year, it’s going to be an exciting NCAA tournament.”

Elsewhere, in the meaty center of the conference, there are two prime matchups out of the box. In the two quarterfinals already set that bookend Saturday’s action, No. 4 seed Texas Tech squares off against No. 5 Oklahoma State at 11 a.m., and No. 3 Oklahoma faces No. 6 West Virginia at 8:30 p.m.

Both games are near impossible to predict. Oklahoma and West Virginia split the regular-season set, and while Tech swept the Cowgirls, both games were decided by single digits.

While every Big 12 team aside from Baylor is angling to improve its NCAA tournament seed, Kansas perhaps has the most to prove. In ESPN analyst Charlie Creme’s most recent bracket, the Jayhawks were on the wrong side of the bubble. Kansas State, TCU and Texas likely need to win the conference tournament to gain entry.

The Baylor Track and Field Team practices at the Hart-Patterson Track and Field Complex on Wednesday, February 6, 2013.
Travis Taylor | Lariat Photographer

Baylor track and field is sending 10 athletes and one relay alternate to the 2013 NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., this weekend.

Altogether, the team is scheduled for six events, including three individual women’s events, two individual men’s events and one men’s relay.

On Feb. 23 and 24 at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, 28 members of Baylor track and field earned 39 All-Big 12 honors.

This included two All-Big 12 honors earned by 15 of the competitors for the women’s team, and 19 All-Big 12 accolades earned by 13 of the men.

After a fourth-place finish at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, with a record-setting six event titles for Baylor, the Bears have been buckling down for one of the biggest meets of the season.

“You always want to try to place as high as you can,” head coach Todd Harbour said. “We’ve had a lot of success indoors over the years, a lot of top four finishes. We’re ranked 25th and 27th, so it’s always nice to try to exceed those expectations and exceed your rankings.”

If these athletes perform to the caliber that they have in past NCAA Indoor Championships, it should be a successful meet for Baylor.

Six returning competitors have earned All-America honors previously for this meet, including Justin Allen, Blake Heriot, Drew Seale, Erin Atkinson, Tiffani McReynolds, and Skylar White.

Of those athletes, Atkinson, Seale and McReynolds have made All-American status within the last two seasons.

“I feel good,” Harbour said. “We’ve got a good group, you know, veterans. Skylar [White] has been there before and done it, Erin [Atkinson] was there; they were both All-Americans last year. Blake [Heriot] knows what it’s all about, so we’ve got a good group going. We’ve got some young ones too; this will be Felix [Obi]’s first time.”
After returning from an injury last year, junior hurdler Tiffani McReynolds has had a successful season thus far.

She has the second-best mark in the NCAA for the 60-meter hurdles this season with a time of 8.02. Two weekends ago, she won her third straight Big 12 title and has yet to lose a 60-meter hurdle event this season.

Additionally, McReynolds holds all top ten records for Baylor in this event.

“I feel a lot better practice-wise than I did last week and the week before conference,” McReynolds said.

During her freshman year, McReynolds placed second at the NCAA Indoor Championships. This year, she is going into the event as No. 2 in the nation.

“I’m really excited,” McReynolds said. “Hopefully I can go ahead and take the title this year.”

One of the athletes to earn a title at the past Big 12 Championship was junior sprinter Blake Heriot, who has big hopes for this meet.

He won the 200-meters with career-best time of 20.77, the ninth-fastest mark in school history and the fifth-best in the NCAA this season.

His title earned Baylor its sixth Big 12 Indoor title in the 200-meters and Baylor’s first title in this event since 2009.

“I’ve been so excited this week,” Heriot said. “Hopefully I can get the win and score more points for the team. Those are the things I want to accomplish.”

Additionally, Baylor’s throwers, Atkinson and White, will join the team for this meet with a combined five wins for the season so far. The men’s 4×400-meter relay team also joins the ranks.

Unfortunately, the team will have to compete without senior sprinter Everett Walker due to an injury.

Obi, a triple jumper, is Baylor’s highest-ranking male entering the NCAA Championships.

Baylor women’s basketball beat Kansas State 90-68 on Senior Night at the Ferrell Center on Monday, March 4, 2013.
Travis Taylor | Lariat Photographer

By Parmida Schahhosseini
Sports Writer

Monday was an emotional night for the No. 1 Lady Bears as the seniors were honored at the end of their last regular season game with a tribute video on senior night. Many fans wore yellow shirts in support of the winningest seniors in school history.

“It was great playing in front of a lot fans that have been there for me since freshman year,” senior guard Kimetria Hayden said. “It was just a great night.”

Senior center Brittney Griner had a night to remember, scoring a career-high 50 points, surpassing the Big 12 record for the most points scored in a single game.

She also recorded two critical blocks for a total of 721 career blocks.

It was also fitting for Griner to record her 14th career dunk after being asked numerous times by fans and media to dunk at home.

Senior Class Achievements

“It means everything to just go out with a bang like that,” Griner said. “Got a dunk finally at home, scored 50. I mean there’s not a better way to go out.”

The seniors who were honored were Hayden, guard Jordan Madden, forward Destiny Williams, forward Brooklyn Pope and Griner.

Student assistant Shanay Washington and student managers Emma Jacks and Jordin Westbrook were also honored in the ceremony.

Head coach Kim Mulkey supported senior night by starting Williams so that only seniors would start. It was the first time this lineup was used this season.

“It’s one that as seniors, we will remember,” Williams said. “I don’t think it’s about the score. I think that playing with each other for the very first time since we’ve been here, all five of us play together, I think that will carry more weight.”

While it hasn’t finished its business yet, this class has cemented its legacy in Baylor history by winning four Big 12 titles, earning four trips to the NCAA Tournament, appearing in two Final Fours and winning a National Championship. Another feat accomplished by the senior class was leading the team to two consecutive undefeated league records. Baylor is the first team in Big 12 history to do so.

Hayden, Madden and Griner formed an explosive group as they went 130-14 overall and 60-8 in the Big 12 during their careers. At the Ferrell Center, the trio is 69-2 with their two losses coming in their freshman year. They have now won 55 straight home games.

Madden is having one of her best season’s offensively as she gains more confidence in her shooting, allowing her to be a dual threat player. Throughout her career, she had to defend the best players on the opposing team and is a key component in keeping teams from shooting over 50 percent from the field.

Hayden has contributed significantly with her 1,061 career points, moving her up to 26th place on Baylor’s career scoring list. She is also second in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.20.

Throughout the game the crowd chanted, “Thank you, seniors,” as the seniors continued to make play after play.

It was a memorable night not just for the seniors, but for the fans as well.

Baylor women’s basketball beat Kansas State 90-68 on Senior Night at the Ferrell Center on Monday, March 4, 2013.
Travis Taylor | Lariat Photographer

It was a bittersweet moment for Baylor fans as they watched the winningest senior class defeat Kansas State 90-68 in its last regular season game in front of a crowd of 10,600 Monday at the Ferrell Center.

It was only fitting that senior center Brittney Griner scored a career-high 50 points, which also happened to be a new Big 12 record for the most points scored in a game as the crowd cheered her name.

“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Griner said. “I’m glad I got to do it right here in front of our fans.”

In light of senior night, head coach Kim Mulkey changed her usual line up by starting senior forward Destiny Williams in lieu of junior guard Odyssey Sims to comprise the lineup of all seniors.

Baylor didn’t start the game it wanted as the Lady Bears were down by five after scoring the first four points in the game.

Turnovers allowed Kansas State to have more possessions, but Baylor responded with an 8-0 run sparked by a 3-point jumper from senior guard Kimetria Hayden.

Shortly after, senior guard Jordan Madden disrupted Kansas State’s passing lane by catching the ball for a steal and making the basket, causing the crowd to roar.

Kansas State’s 3-point shooting kept the Wildcats in the game early as they made eight shots in the first half to keep the score within 11 at the end of the half.

After a couple of free throws from Sims, Baylor turned up the pressure on both sides of the floor.

Williams got the offensive rebound and laid it in, getting the crowd back into it.

A layup from Kansas State quieted the crowd a little until Baylor forced a turnover when they clogged the passing lane. Baylor went on a 19-6 run widening the gap.

Kansas State continued to do what they do best: shoot 3-point jumpers to keep the game close. However, in the closing seconds of the half, Kansas State had possession with the shot clock winding down. Griner smacked the shot attempt down for her first block of the night, preventing any momentum for Kansas State as the crowd got wild.

Kansas State started the second half by shooting three 3-point jumpers to try and cut the lead down, but Griner responded by recording her 14th career dunk as the crowd jumped to its feet to cheer. Kansas State responded with another 3-point jumper, cutting the lead to four.
After an exchange of points, Baylor made adjustments to begin another run.

“They are a shooting team so we expected that,” Hayden said. “At least we had our hands up in their face. It was a contested shot.”

Both teams began exchanging points as Kansas State continued spreading the floor to create more open shots for its players. This left the Baylor defense off balance by wearing them out. However, Baylor continued to attack the paint with Griner being physical inside for easy layups.

With the score within five, Baylor went on an 11-2 run as the defense caused Kansas State to commit back-to-back turnovers leading to points for Baylor. With the energy high, freshman guard Niya Johnson drove inside the paint and got fouled.

Johnson made the first free throw but missed the second.

Williams got the rebound and laid it in for a quick score.

Kansas State tried to respond but Griner answered with a hard block.

Baylor began to open the game up as they only allowed Kansas State to score eight points in the last 10 minutes, leading to a 22-8 run to finish the game.

“I thought that we actually communicated more on the defensive end,” Williams said. “We gave up some threes through bad communication, and I thought that as seniors we had to step it up in situations like that.”

This game concludes Baylor’s regular season.

The Lady Bears will be the top-seeded team in this weekend’s Big 12 Tournament after posting a perfect 18-0 conference record and a 29-1 overall record.