No. 10 Bears take lone position of third place in Big 12

By Stephen Hawkins
Associated Press Basketball Writer

WACO — Perry Jones III rediscovered his shooting touch with 18 points and No. 9 Baylor rebounded from consecutive losses with a 79-64 victory over Iowa State on Monday night.

Jones already had 10 points by halftime, one more than he had combined last week when Baylor (22-4, 9-4 Big 12) lost to No. 4 Kansas and No. 3 Missouri for the second time in four weeks. The Bears are undefeated against the rest of the Big 12 and everybody else they have played.

Freshman Quincy Miller, who matched Jones with 8-of-13 shooting, added 16 points for the Bears. Anthony Jones had 12 points and Quincy Acy 11.

Melvin Ejim had 17 points to lead Iowa State (18-8, 8-5), which had won four of its previous five games to tie Baylor for third place in the league behind Kansas and Missouri. Royce White added 14 points.

Jones, the preseason Big 12 player of the year, was a combined 3 for 20 last week.

In Baylor’s previous home game last Wednesday, Jones dunked an alley-oop pass to start the game but missed his next seven shots after that while scoring only five points in the 68-54 loss. Jones was only 2-of-12 shooting Saturday in a 72-57 loss at Missouri.

Baylor never trailed Iowa State. Brady Heslip opened the game with a 3-pointer before Jones had two free throws and then made a 13-foot jumper for a 7-0 lead.

The Cyclones were within 48-42 when Tyrus McGee hit a 3-pointer from the left side with 12:42 left.

After a timeout, Jones scored on thunderous dunk off an alley-oop pass from Miller, who then responded with a one-handed slam after White had gone around him on the other end for a dunk.

Baylor stretched the lead to 58-46 when Jones drove hard for a layup. Another dunk off an alley-oop by Jones, this one from Acy, made it 72-57 with just under 3 minutes left.

The Cyclones have lost six consecutive games in Waco, where they last won in 2000. The teams play again in the regular season finale March 3 at Iowa State.

White’s jumper about 8 minutes into the game had gotten Iowa State within 13-9.

But Anthony Booker was called for a technical foul after the made basket, with officials reviewing the replay that showed him tied up with Acy.

Pierre Jackson made both free throws on the technical. Baylor retained possession and Gary Franklin hit a 3-pointer for an 18-9 lead.