KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham and Baylor’s Jared Butler split the Big 12 men’s basketball player of the year awards. Cunningham’s team is moving on in the Big 12 tournament.
The No. 5 seed Cowboys pulled off the stunner, 83-74, over second-ranked and top-seeded Baylor, and Cunningham was a major factor down the stretch. Oklahoma State scored 11 straight points to overcome a two-point deficit with 2:47 remaining with Cunningham making five free throws, and his pass to Rondel Walker turned into a three-point play.
Oklahoma State (20-7) will meet third-seeded Texas for the Big 12 championship at 5 p.m. Saturday in T-Mobile Center. The Longhorns advanced when semifinal opponent Kansas dropped out of the tournament because of a positive COVID-19 case.
Cunningham finished with 25 points, and his final field goal was a 3-pointer from the wing to give the Cowboys a 66-65 lead with 4:24 remaining.
Baylor (22-2) suffered its second defeat, also falling to Kansas late in the regular season. The Bears still figure to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament when the bracket is announced on Sunday.
Butler was voted the league’s player of the year by The Associated Press, and Cunningham won the award voted on by the Big 12 coaches.
Cunningham entered Friday’s game as the Big 12’s scoring leader at 19.6 points, Butler third at 17.2. Butler led the league in 3-point percentage (44.3) and steals (2.1) and was second in assists (4.9).
The Cowboys were among the nation’s hottest teams down the stretch. They won seven of their previous eight with the latest two coming against a West Virginia team that’s ranked in the top 10.
Oklahoma State also swept ranked Oklahoma and beat Texas Tech during the stretch. The only loss came to Baylor in Waco, Texas, and the Bears swept the regular-season series, winning both games by double digits.
Oklahoma State led 35-30 at halftime with Avery Anderson doing much of the damage. He had 13 at the break, often beating Baylor defenders to the basket on run outs. The Pokes outscored Baylor 15-2 on fast-break points in the first half.
Texas is in the championship game for the seventh time in the tournament’s 25-year history and seeking its first trophy.
