Baylor is Starting to Play its Best Basketball as Big 12 Tournament Time Approaches

Scott Drew credited his team as the Bears landed a big road win against UCF.

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It's been like the same old movie all year for Baylor. The Bears look great in the first half, compete to start the second half, and then the opposing team gains the lead later on and holds on for a win — that move appeared to be in motion on Saturday.

Baylor got out to a 56-42 lead at halftime, but UCF battled and made the Bears work for it. Obi Agbim hit a game-winning free throw with a second left on the clock to give Baylor a 87-86 win over the Knights. UCF is toward the top of the Big 12 standings, and this was a win Baylor could hang its hat on.

"I'm proud as a coach because on the road it's hard, but when you have a lead and then lose it, a lot of teams would crack and these guys showed great resilience, fought back," said Drew. "[We] got a lead again and then UCF, a team that's having a great year and they answered again and just proud Obi was able to execute at the end and then us get a win. Whenever you get a road win in the Big 12, you're doing something really well."

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It was Agbim's game to step up

It appeared like Cameron Carr was going to go off for a career game after scoring 20 points in the first half. But UCF played better defense in the final 20 minutes and Carr scored just six points in the second half. With Carr getting locked down, and Tounde Yessoufou having an off game — Baylor needed someone to step up.

Obi Agbim had 12 points in the game, fourth-highest on the team, but he came through when it mattered. He found his teammates, dishing out seven assists, but he was also fouled with just over one second on the clock. Agbim stepped up to the line with the game tied at 86 and nailed a crucial free throw.

"Well, God's blessed us with some really talented players and we've seen different guys at different times," said Drew. "Sometimes it's Obi, sometimes it's Cam [Carr], sometimes it's Tounde [Yessoufou], sometimes Dan [Skillings], Mikey [Rataj], whoever.

"He was going. These guys did a great job finding him and allowing him to stay hot. Then second half, obviously, their intensity took us out of things. We had some looks. Didn't make them. Didn't get any rebounds. They had all the momentum and then these guys settled down and really clawed back, which was proud of them."

Baylor is playing its best basketball at the right time

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With just two regular season games left, Baylor is obviously on the wrong side of making the NCAA Tournament, but the Bears appear to be playing their best ball of the season. One game above .500, Baylor has won two of its last three games — while almost beating Arizona.

The Bears are going to need a strong finish with wins over Houston and Utah, plus a super long run in the Big 12 Tournament, if not winning it, in order to go dancing.

"Well, we've had a short rotation most of the year," Drew said. "We've been at six, so we're lucky we're at seven and James [Naji] was able to play if we needed him in eight and that allows us to be aggressive. But at the same time, that's why you've got to have depth because you never know when somebody's going to be hot."

Baylor's next game will come against Houston on Wednesday.