No. 10 Okla. State Defeats Baylor, 81-63

WACO, Texas (AP) -- John Lucas III scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half to celebrate his final visit to the place where he started his college career, helping No. 10 Oklahoma State to a big early lead in an 81-63 win at Baylor on Saturday night.<br> <br> Lucas hit a 3-pointer on the game&#39;s opening shot. He didn&#39;t score again until he had eight points in a span of 1:41 late in the first half to give the Cowboys (17-3, 7-2 Big 12) a 47-24 lead just before halftime.<br> <br> The Cowboys shot 74 percent (17-of-23) in the first half, including 9-of-12 on 3-pointers. Even after missing their first nine shots after halftime, they had a 20-point lead and still went on to shoot 57 percent overall (28-of-49) and from 3-point range (12-of-21).<br> <br> Baylor (9-10, 1-7) has lost five straight, a stretch that started with an 82-53 loss at Oklahoma State three weeks ago. The Bears have lost 15 of the last 16 in the series. <br> <br> Lucas was one of five Cowboys in double figures. Ivan McFarlin had 18 points, while Jameson Curry had 14 with four 3-pointers. Stephen Graham had 13 points and Joey Graham added 12.<br> <br> Aaron Bruce, a freshman point guard from Australia, had a season-high 33 points for Baylor. He made 11 of 18 shots, including five 3-pointers.<br> <br> Lucas&#39; only basket in the second half was a 3-pointer with 6:33 left. That gave the Cowboys, who led by as many as 31 points, a 68-40 lead.<br> <br> Lucas began his career at Baylor, along with Lawrence Roberts (Mississippi State) and Kenny Taylor (Texas). The trio left under relaxed transfer rules before last season after a scandal under former coach Dave Bliss that was exposed after the shooting death of a player.<br> <br> While Lucas played just 58 games in two seasons for Baylor, he is seventh on the school&#39;s career list with 106 3-pointers and ninth with 242 assists.<br> <br> Baylor led 9-5 after Bruce drove through a crowded lane for a layup and then made a free throw. But the Bears then went 10 minutes without a field goal - missing 10 straight - until Bruce&#39;s 3-pointer with 6:21 left.<br> <br> After Patrick Fields made two free throws to give Baylor a 11-7 lead, the Cowboys turned the game around with a 23-3 run. They led 30-14 when Daniel Bobik hit a 3-pointer.<br> <br> It was win No. 772 for coach Eddie Sutton, whose team has all of its wins this season by double figures. The Cowboys are shooting better than 50 percent from the field this season.

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