Baylor Bears Outscored by Iowa State Cyclones in Big 12 Semifinal Showdown

The Baylor Bears, ranked 14th, faced a challenging contest against the 7th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones, culminating in a score of 76-62. The Bears' season record now stands at an impressive 27-2, while the Cyclones improved to 35-1.

In the first half of the game at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, Baylor managed to put up a fight with 27 points against Iowa State's strong start of 35 points. Despite their efforts and leading into halftime with momentum on their side, the second half saw Baylor adding another solid performance with an additional 35 points but it wasn't enough to surpass Iowa State's consistent play which added another commanding set of points totaling to 41.

The Bears showcased resilience on defense with three blocks matching that of the Cyclones and outrebounding them significantly with a total rebound count of 42 compared to Iowa State's lower tally at just under three-quarters that amount. However, this defensive effort was somewhat overshadowed by Baylor's lower field goal percentage at only thirty-nine percent compared to their opponents' more efficient forty-five percent shooting from the field.

Offensively for Baylor, they were able to capitalize inside scoring thirty-four points in paint but struggled beyond the arc hitting only twenty-one percent from three-point range. Their free throw accuracy stood at sixty-five percent which paled when juxtaposed against Iowa State’s near-perfect ninety-two percent from the line.

A notable aspect for Baylor was their ability to generate fourteen second-chance points thanks largely due to thirteen offensive rebounds. Yet turnovers proved costly for them as they gave up thirteen possessions throughout the game which translated into five points off turnovers for Iowa State who demonstrated better ball control committing fewer turnovers and stealing possession nine times.

Despite these challenges faced by Baylor during this semifinal match-up in front of an attendance reaching over nineteen thousand fans cheering loudly within T-Mobile Center’s walls; there were bright spots including fourteen assists showcasing team collaboration on court despite falling short overall.

As fans look forward toward future contests after this semifinal round exit for The Bears; they can catch upcoming games broadcasted live as per schedule ensuring not a moment is missed from what promises be another exciting chapter in college basketball.