Box Score
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer
WACO, Texas (AP) - Texas Tech finally just took the game from Baylor.
After blowing a 10-point lead in the second half and withstanding a three-minute stretch in which the lead changed eight times, Ronald Ross converted a pair of late steals into breakaway dunks and the No. 22 Red Raiders won 75-66 Saturday night for their 10th straight victory.
Ross tied his season high with 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting, and his two defensive gems came in the game-ending 21-11 run by the Red Raiders (14-2, 2-0 Big 12).
"Baylor just wouldn't go away. They stuck in there," Ross said. "Defensively, we didn't get lazy. We stayed focused and knew where the ball was, and came up with it."
Texas Tech matched its longest winning streak in three seasons under coach Bob Knight.
Baylor (5-10, 0-2) missed its last chance to take the lead when Tommy Swanson's layup rolled around the rim and then fell out of the basket with less than six minutes to play. Swanson was called for traveling while fighting a teammate for the rebound.
Andre Emmett then followed a missed 3-pointer at the other end with an easy layup to put Tech ahead 58-55 lead with 5:10 left.
The Bears got back to within one, but Jarrius Jackson's inside bucket started a streak of eight straight points by Tech. Ross' first steal and dunk made it 64-57, and Emmett then tipped in his own miss.
Ross' other steal and easy dunk made it 70-60 with 1:50 left.
"Two big defensive plays put us in position," Knight said. "There was a point where either team had a chance to win."
Emmett, the Big 12 player of the week the past three weeks, scored 22 points for the Red Raiders. Robert Tomaszek scored 12 points, and Jackson had 11.
Terrance Thomas, who had missed three games after being declared academically ineligible, led Baylor with 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting over 25 minutes. He and R.T. Guinn were reinstated by the NCAA on Friday.
The school sought to have their eligibility restored. Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said the NCAA considered the entire circumstances of the players' situation.
Baylor's team has been rocked by scandal since last summer with reported NCAA violations, a self-imposed two year probation, the slaying of former player Patrick Dennehy and the murder charge against former teammate Carlton Dotson and the resignation of coach Dave Bliss.
Knight wasn't happy about the return of Thomas and Guinn.
"I think eligibility standards should be followed and followed no matter what," he said. "It's a bad message to send out. If kids can't do the work in the classroom that's required by the NCAA and this league, then I think it's a bad precedent to set, regardless of the circumstances."
But for the Baylor senior co-captains, it was an unexpected second chance. And it's a big boost for new Baylor coach Scott Drew, who had just five scholarship players before their reinstatements.
Thomas made 3-pointers on his first two shots, the second tying the game at 18 with 11:33 left in the first half. After a Tech turnover, Carl Marshall made a layup to give Baylor a 20-18 lead.
Emmett's bucket to start the second half put Tech up 40-30. Baylor responded with a 18-7 run, taking a 48-47 lead when Guinn grabbed a rebound and then made a short hook with 9:47 left. That started the stretch of lead changes, two of which came after scores by Thomas, who was in the gym shooting until midnight the night before.
"It gets you focused," Thomas said. "I'm thankful for the second opportunity. Not many people get them. I'm the first one in class, and the last one to leave."
Harvey Thomas added 15 points for Baylor, which has lost four straight games.
After Emmett's rebound and slam dunk tied the game at 20, he made a 3-pointer to put Tech ahead until Guinn's shot in the second half. Ross and Jackson had 3-pointers in an 8-0 run that helped push the Red Raiders to a 38-30 halftime lead.
