OKLAHOMA CITY — LaceDarius Dunn hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:12 remaining and Baylor ended a 24-game losing streak against Texas, advancing to the Big 12 championship game for the first time with a 76-70 victory Friday night.
Kevin Rogers scored 20 points and Henry Dugat added 17 as the ninth-seeded Bears (20-13) kept their desperate NCAA Tournament hopes alive with their third upset in as many days. The only team to advance to the Big 12 title game with a lower seed was 10th-seeded Missouri, which did it in the tournament’s inaugural year in 1997.
No team seeded lower than third has won the tournament.
“We came into it the underdog, and we took that as a chip on our shoulder,” Dugat said. “We came in, we knew what we had to do and . . . it’s not over yet. We’ve still got one more step to do, and we’re ready and willing to do it.”
A.J. Abrams scored 20 points to lead Texas (22-11), which had reached the finals the past three years. Damion James added 11 points and Gary Johnson 10.
Baylor had not beaten its instate rival since 1998.
After backup guard Varez Ward scored four straight points to put Texas up 65-61 with 2:39 left, the Bears reeled off eight straight points to take a surprising lead.
Dunn had his first 3-point try swatted out of bounds by James at the left wing, but he came right back moments later and connected from the opposite side to put Baylor up 67-65. Abrams missed a 3-pointer at the other end before Curtis Jerrells hit two foul shots to stretch the Bears’ lead to four.
A deep 3-pointer by Abrams got Texas back within 72-70, but Dunn then sealed it with four more free throws. Baylor’s bench emptied onto the court as players celebrated a long-sought win.
Dunn finished with 16 points and Jerrells added 13. The Bears outrebounded Texas 35-27.
