National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Baylor 89, Arizona St. 86
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, March 22, 2013
Where: The Ferrell Center, Waco, Texas
Officials: # Sean Casady, # Derrick Dixon, # Wilson Holland
Attendance: 4562

Baylor 89, Arizona State 86:
Pierre Jackson registered 26 points, a career-high 16 assists and four steals as the host Bears staved off the Sun Devils to advance to the NIT quarterfinals.

Cory Jefferson added 21 points and six rebounds for Baylor (20-14), which advances to host Providence or Robert Morris. Brady Heslip and Isaiah Austin added 14 and 13 points, respectively, for the Bears, who scored eight straight points with 5:36 left to pull away.

Carrick Felix tied a career high with 23 points and had eight rebounds for Arizona State (22-13). Freshman Jahii Carson added 20 points, six rebounds and five assists before fouling out while Chris Colvin pitched in 15 points and eight rebounds.

The Sun Devils led 31-29 at halftime and neither team was able to pull ahead by more than six points until Austin made two baskets and Jefferson hit a jumper to put the Bears in front 70-63 with 4:33 to go. Deuce Bello's dunk completed the 8-0 jaunt 31 seconds later, but Evan Gordon and Colvin hit layups to cut Baylor’s lead to 82-78 with 45 seconds left.

Carson made a 3-pointer to pull the Sun Devils within 85-83 with 27 seconds left, but committed a turnover with 19.2 seconds to go. After Arizona State’s Bo Barnes hit the first of two free throws to make it 89-86 with one second left, he airballed the second foul shot while trying to intentionally miss.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Jackson shot 17-for-21 at the foul line while his teammates were 8-for-15. … The Bears, the only Division I program from Texas still alive in an NCAA-sanctioned postseason tournament, improved to 14-5 at home. … Baylor lost in the NIT championship game to Penn State in 2009.
Top Game Performances
 
Arizona St.   Baylor
Carrick Felix 23 Scoring Pierre Jackson 26
Jahii Carson 5 Assists Pierre Jackson 16
Chris Colvin 8 Rebounds Isaiah Austin 6
Jahii Carson 9 Free Throws Made Pierre Jackson 17
Jahii Carson 2 Steals Pierre Jackson 4
Carrick Felix 3 Blocks Isaiah Austin 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Arizona St. 86 44.6 11-24 25-31 18 32 4 6 16
Baylor 89 49.2 6-20 25-36 22 31 6 8 12