Texas squanders big lead in Waco, falls to No. 11 Baylor 93-85

Associated Press
·4 min read
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WACO, Texas (AP) — Jalen Bridges scored a career-high 32 points and 11th-ranked Baylor overcame a double-digit deficit in the final 13 minutes to beat Texas 93-85 on Monday night in the last scheduled game between the longtime rival schools separated by only about 100 miles.

Ja’Kobe Walter and RayJ Dennis each had seven points in a 21-2 run for the Bears (22-8, 11-6 Big 12) during a stretch when Texas missed 11 consecutive shots. The Longhorns also lost big man Dylan Disu to a left knee sprain after he went down with just over 11 minutes left.

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Bridges, one of five Baylor veterans recognized before the game on Senior Night, was 8-of-11 shooting, including 6 for 7 from 3-point range. He also had nine rebounds. Dennis, another senior, had 16 points and eight assists, while Walter, a freshman, finished with 15 points.

Max Abmas, the NCAA men’s active career scoring leader, had a season-high 33 points to lead Texas (19-11, 8-9). Kadin Shedrick scored 14 and Tyrese Hunter 10.

  • Baylor’s RayJ Dennis (10) collects a rebound against Texas’s Chendall Weaver, left, Brock Cunningham (30) and Dylan Disu (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
    Baylor’s RayJ Dennis (10) collects a rebound against Texas’s Chendall Weaver, left, Brock Cunningham (30) and Dylan Disu (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
  • Texas’s Dylan Disu (1) reacts after being called for a technical foul after scoring a three-point basket against Baylor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
    Texas’s Dylan Disu (1) reacts after being called for a technical foul after scoring a three-point basket against Baylor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
  • Texas’s Max Abmas reacts after scoring a basket against Baylor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
    Texas’s Max Abmas reacts after scoring a basket against Baylor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
  • Baylor’s Jalen Bridges shoots a basket against Texas during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
    Baylor’s Jalen Bridges shoots a basket against Texas during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
  • Baylor head coach Scott Drew talks to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
    Baylor head coach Scott Drew talks to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
  • Baylor’s Jalen Bridges (11) goes up for a basket against Texas’s Chendall Weaver (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
    Baylor’s Jalen Bridges (11) goes up for a basket against Texas’s Chendall Weaver (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
  • Texas guard Max Abmas scores between Baylor guard Jayden Nunn, left, and guard Ja’Kobe Walter, right, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)
    Texas guard Max Abmas scores between Baylor guard Jayden Nunn, left, and guard Ja’Kobe Walter, right, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)
  • Texas guard Max Abmas, left, scores over Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)
    Texas guard Max Abmas, left, scores over Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)
  • Baylor forward Jalen Bridges reacts to his three-point play against Texas in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)
    Baylor forward Jalen Bridges reacts to his three-point play against Texas in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)
  • Texas head coach Rodney Terry talks to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
    Texas head coach Rodney Terry talks to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor, Monday, March 4, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

The Longhorns led 68-57 when Abmas made a jumper with 13:15 left. They didn’t make another shot until his jumper with 3:35 to go when they had already fallen behind for good.

It was the biggest comeback win of the season by the Bears, who trailed by 14 in the first half.

With Texas moving this summer to the Southeastern Conference, the 263rd meeting in a series that started in 1906 is, for now, the last scheduled game between the teams. Before 28 seasons in the Big 12, they were in the Southwest Conference together for eight decades.

Texas Longhorns inch closer to getting back in AP men’s top 25 rankings

The Longhorns hold a 165-98 series advantage, but have lost 24 of the last 34. They did win 75-73 at home Jan. 20 on a buzzer-beating layup by Hunter, and could meet again in the Big 12 Tournament next week in Kansas City, Missouri.

Abmas, the graduate transfer from Oral Roberts with 3,073 career points, already had 17 points by halftime. That included back-to-back 3-pointers in 24 seconds. He made the first long-range shot, then got a steal and made another 3. That gave the Longhorns their biggest lead before halftime, 30-16 with 11:39 left.

Hunter made 3s on the Longhorns’ first two shots and they hit their first six shots to go up 15-5 less than four minutes into the game.

UP NEXT

Texas closes out the regular season Saturday at home against Oklahoma, which is SEC-bound just like the Longhorns.

Baylor is at Texas Tech on Saturday night to wrap up the regular season.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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