Big 12 Wednesday Hoops Roundup

Associated Press

Oklahoma State 91, Texas Tech 67

Markel Brown has a theory about why he plays so well at Texas Tech.

“They switched the ball up last year and I like the feel of the ball,” he said.

Brown scored 25 points and matched a career high with seven 3-pointers — all in the first half — to lead No. 17 Oklahoma State over Texas Tech 91-67 on Wednesday night.

Phil Forte added 14 points for the Cowboys (18-5, 8-3 Big 12), who have won six straight.

Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford said he expects good things from Brown, who had 30 points last season during a win in Lubbock.

“It was good to see him get going,” Ford said. “When he’s open he has a chance to make them. He got some good open shots off some assists. Early in the game I think most of our shots came off of assists.”

Once Oklahoma State got a lead, it just did what good teams do.

“We kept extending the lead because we shared the ball,” Ford said.

Brown was 8 for 11 from the field, including 7 of 8 from beyond the arc. He was held scoreless in 7 minutes of playing time after halftime.

Brown’s first five shots were from beyond the arc and he hit each one, matching the number of 3s he had in the first half of the Cowboys’ win at Kansas this month.

Other than liking the ball the Red Raiders use, Brown said his teammates need to get some credit.

“Just finding me in open spots and running the floor, in transition, guys looking up finding me, and me just shooting it with confidence,” he said.

Marcus Smart, who finished with 10 points, said Brown’s accuracy helped his teammates, too.

“It just opens the lane for our other guys,” Smart said.

Oklahoma State jumped out to a 24-6 lead and never trailed, though Texas Tech pulled to 26-18 midway through the first half thanks to a 10-0 run.

Texas 89, Iowa St. 86

Sheldon McClellan scored all 10 of Texas’ points in the second overtime and the Longhorns welcomed back point guard Myck Kabongo from a 23-game suspension with an 89-86 win over Iowa State on Wednesday night.

McClellan also had a key steal which led to his two free throws in the final seconds for Texas (11-13, 3-8 Big 12). Iowa State had a chance to tie but Chris Babb’s 3-pointer with 5 seconds left missed and Texas’ Connor Lammert took the ball from Babb in a scramble for the long rebound.

McClellan scored 18 points. Kabongo had 13 points, five assists and seven rebounds in his first game of the season, but fouled out in the first overtime.

Melvin Ejim had 20 points and 16 rebounds for Iowa State (16-8, 6-5).

Baylor 80, West Virginia 60

Brady Heslip scored 20 points with six 3-pointers while freshman Rico Gathers had a season-high 22 points and Baylor beat West Virginia 80-60 on Wednesday night, ending the Mountaineers’ three-game winning streak.

Heslip had two 3-pointers in a half-minute stretch in the second half when the Bears (16-8, 7-4 Big 12) had a quick eight-point spurt aided by two West Virginia turnovers for a 46-34 lead. Pierre Jackson had a steal for a breakaway lay-up between Heslip’s long-range shots, the second after a turnover.

Jackson finished with 15 points and nine assists.

Eron Harris had 19 points to lead West Virginia (12-12, 5-6) while Deniz Kilicli had 13 points.

Baylor never trailed after scoring the game’s first seven points while West Virginia had three turnovers in the first 2 minutes.

The Mountaineers finished with 18 turnovers, leading to 23 Baylor points.