By Ben Everett | Sports Editor
Baylor men’s basketball fell to No. 16-ranked Kansas State 66-60 Saturday night in Manhattan, Kan. to fall two games back of the Big 12 lead.
The Bears (19-10, 10-6) committed 19 turnovers and shot 12-for-20 from the free throw line in the six-point loss.
Kansas State senior forward Dean Wade dominated on the offensive end, scoring 20 points on 9-for-15 shooting.
Sophomore forward Mario Kegler led the way for Baylor, notching 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the field, but fouled out with five minutes left in the game.
The Bears took an early 7-4 lead thanks to Kegler making plays on offense and defense.
The lead would not last long as Kansas State embarked on a 17-0 scoring run, suffocating the Baylor offense and getting senior forward Dean Wade the ball in the middle of the Bears’ zone.
After a seven minute scoring drought, the Bears’ offense finally got Kegler to the rim and the Bears converted on 3-pointers, cutting the lead to 24-18 with five minutes to play in the first half.
Freshman guard Jared Butler drained a pull-up 3-pointer at the end of the first half as the Bears trailed the Wildcats 32-30 at the break.
The Bears came out firing in the second half with senior guards Makai Mason and King McClure leading the way. The two combined for seven straight points to put Baylor ahead 37-36 five minutes into the half.
K-State responded, as a 3-pointer from junior forward Xavier Sneed put the Wildcats up 46-40 in front of a raucous crowd.
The Bears stuck around late in the game. Junior forward Freddie Gillespie cut the lead to seven with under four minutes remaining.
Baylor made it a three-point game in the final minute, but K-State iced the game at the free throw line.
The Bears will return home to face Oklahoma State at 8 p.m. Wednesday for senior night.
