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Baylor announced Tuesday that Quincy Miller, the 2012 Big 12 Co-Freshman of the Year, will return to school for his sophomore season.

Miller averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds in 37 games, with 35 starts.

The announcement comes one day after teammate Perry Jones III declared that he is leaving Baylor to enter the NBA draft.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Brady Heslip was stocky, not exactly someone who looked like he was going to be an impact player when he arrived at Boston College in the middle of the season two years ago.

And his impact was minimal, since he had been stashed at New Hampton Prep (N.H.) for the fall semester before he joined the Eagles in December. Then the staff was fired. New Boston College coach Steve Donahue didn’t see Heslip’s potential, for whatever reason. Heslip said the two met, he wasn’t in the plans and so he was out.

Former BC associate head coach Pat Duquette, who now has the same title at Northeastern, said he recruited Heslip out of Burlington, Ontario. Duquette said Heslip was “absolutely fearless, but physically more than you see. He had very long arms, which equaled a high release. And he had unusually big hands for a guard his size.’’

Former BC head coach Al Skinner said by phone Saturday night that he liked Heslip’s tough-minded approach.

“The thing about him was that he didn’t hunt shots; he let the game come to him,’’ Skinner said. “He executed well and was patient on the offensive end. He rarely takes a bad shot, and he had tremendous range.’’

There was an AAU connection with his coach to the Baylor staff. He went on a visit to Waco, Texas, and was sold. Baylor coach Scott Drew said Heslip dropped 24 pounds. He was a gym rat. His teammates loved him. But little did they know what they were getting in return.

“I know how hard he’s worked,’’ Baylor’s Quincy Acy said. “When he came in, we knew how good a shooter he was. Every time I went to the gym at night, I would see him in there sometimes twice a day. He works for it. I know whenever he gets hot, he can outshoot anybody.’’

Heslip’s impact Saturday night was epic for a Baylor program that is breaking barriers.

Heslip hit nine 3s for a career-high 27 points in Baylor’s 80-63 victory over Colorado at the Pit, to propel the Bears to their second Sweet 16 appearance in three seasons. The two Sweet 16s are the only ones in the school’s history. Drew is now 5-2 in the NCAA tournament, and the win Saturday gave the Bears a school-record 29 victories.

Heslip’s nine 3s set a single-game NCAA tournament record for the Bears. How much of an impact is Heslip having on a team known for its up-tempo style, tremendous length, and headliners Acy, Perry Jones III and Pierre Jackson?

“Heslip was the difference,’’ Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. “He was unconscious tonight.’’

Heslip made six of his 3s in the first half, but the Bears were up only two. His three 3s in the second half helped open up the game. Sure, there were times when Acy and Quincy Miller as well as Anthony Jones were extremely difficult to stop inside. The 17 offensive rebounds kept possessions alive. The 24 defensive rebounds ended plenty of the Buffs’ attempts.

But Heslip busted the game open.

“I’m just feeling great right now, first of all, because we won,’’ Heslip said. “I’m just happy for my seniors.

“As for the shooting, Pierre does a great job of finding me when I’m open and finding me in transition. Acy sets great screens, and it was just one of those nights.’’

Heslip was getting the ball in motion and was stroking it without any hesitation.

“If I’m in rhythm and feeling good shooting, it just makes it even easier,’’ Heslip said.

Baylor was a major disappointment last season, following an Elite Eight appearance and the departure of point guard Tweety Carter with a flameout in the Big 12 tournament. Jones’ ineligibility days before the tourney led to the Bears' missing the rest of the postseason.

The arrival of Jackson from junior college and Heslip’s eligibility changed the backcourt for the Bears and the potential for this squad.

If you followed Baylor early in the season, you saw wins at BYU and Northwestern and over Mississippi State, Saint Mary’s and West Virginia -- the latter three all on neutral courts. The Bears couldn’t beat Missouri or Kansas in the regular season but knocked off the Jayhawks in the Big 12 tournament.

Now Baylor is the first Big 12 team in the Sweet 16. And if Purdue were to upset Kansas on Sunday, the Bears could be the only one. Even if the Jayhawks join them, the Bears are peaking at the right time.

And so is Heslip, an option that makes the Bears that much more formidable in a possible showdown with Kentucky in the South Region at Atlanta with a right to go to the Final Four.

“Brady will be the first to tell you that his teammates really got him open and got him the ball,’’ Drew said. “That humility is what makes our team successful.’’

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One day after debuting highlighter-yellow jerseys, the Baylor basketball team trotted onto the court for Friday’s Big 12 tournament semifinal against Kansas decked out in camouflage.

“A new look,” Perry Jones III said, and even though the forward was referring to the Bears’ apparel, he could’ve been talking about the entire program.

From the uniforms to the attitudes to the on-court play, everything about Baylor appears to have changed. On Friday, coach Scott Drew’s squad catapulted into the Big 12 tournament title game with an 81-72 semifinal victory over third-ranked Kansas -- the same team it lost to twice this season by an average of 16 points.

“This,” forward Quincy Miller said, “is how we should’ve been playing all along.”

Baylor, 27-6, was ranked as high as No. 3 after opening the year with 17 consecutive victories. But the Bears ended the regular season with an 0-4 mark against conference bluebloods Kansas and Missouri.

Baylor could beat the good teams, sure. But what about the great ones?

After whipping Kansas in what was basically a road environment at the Sprint Center on Friday, it became clear that Baylor could now be mentioned in the same breath as its conference rivals. No one ever doubted the Bears had Final Four-caliber talent. But now, for the first time all season, they look like a Final Four-caliber team.

“Make no mistake about it,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “They beat us tonight. They were better than us, no question. That’s a good basketball team. They’re very talented.”

The victory propels Baylor into Saturday’s Big 12 tournament championship against Missouri. No team from Texas has ever won the conference’s postseason title. The Bears are currently projected as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. But there’s a chance they could move up to a No. 2 seed with a win against the Tigers.

Kansas, meanwhile, may have cost itself a No. 1 seed by losing to the Bears.

“Everyone, from a psychological (standpoint), wants to be on the highest seed line they can possibly be,” Self said. “But I think it’s more about matchups than a seed line.”

Kansas also might have squandered its chance to play in the Midwest Regional, which is just four hours away in St. Louis.

“To play in St. Louis means we would’ve had to have won two games,” Self said. “If we win two games, I could care less where we play. But we hurt ourselves tonight if we want to be No. 1 seed. I guess it could still happen, but some other teams would probably have to lose.”

An even bigger story line Friday involved a game that will never even be played. Fans from both Kansas and Missouri were hoping to see the teams meet one last time -- in Saturday’s championship -- before Missouri bolts for the SEC. The Jayhawks and Tigers split the regular-season series, but there will be no rubber match in the Sprint Center.

“I’ve never said I was all right with the rivalry ending,” Self said. “I never said that. I’d like for it to go on. It’s just not going to.

“So we had two epic games with them this year. Two epic games. It’s unfortunate it’s going to end.”

And so, instead of Kansas, Baylor will be the team charged with trying to prevent the Tigers from walking away with the tournament trophy in their final Big 12 season. If the Bears continue to perform like they have in Kansas City, a victory would hardly come as as a shock.

Baylor has made a handful of adjustments in the last few weeks, and each of them is proving beneficial.

After playing a zone defense for most of the season, the Bears played primarily man-to-man defense against Kansas State and Kansas, which shot just 42.6 percent Friday.

“I was surprised they played man,” Self said. “That was a good move.”

Baylor has also started using a three-guard lineup with cat-quick point guard Pierre Jackson, 3-point specialist Brady Heslip and defensive standout A.J. Walton. All three are solid ball-handlers -- Baylor committed just nine turnovers against Kansas -- who are good at maintaining their poise. And their presence has given more room and freedom for versatile forwards such as Jones and Miller, who combined for 31 points Friday.

Baylor led by as many as 14 points early in the second half before an 18-3 run by Kansas put the Jayhawks up 58-56.

The game turned, though, when a loose ball was batted toward Heslip, who was wide open on the left wing. The sophomore swished a 3-pointer that put Baylor ahead 59-58. The Bears never trailed again.

Heslip came up huge again in the game’s final two minutes when he made a 3-pointer that extended Baylor’s 67-64 lead to 70-64. Kansas’ Tyshawn Taylor countered with a layup on the other end, but Heslip responded with another 3-pointer to make it 73-66 with 1:17 remaining.

Ballgame.

“You knew (Kansas) was going to make a run,” Drew said. “When they took the lead, I was really pleased with the poise our guys had and the togetherness, the character. For three first-year college guys and one second-year, I think they grew up a little bit tonight.

“That’s the great thing about playing in the Big 12. If you don’t have those (tests) in the regular season, you’re not seasoned and ready when the postseason comes.”

The Bears certainly look seasoned and ready now. Instead of grouping them in with the “best of the rest,” it’s time to include Baylor among the country’s elite. Even with those new uniforms.

“Hey,” Drew said, “they work for me.”

WACO, Texas -- Here are a few thoughts after a 68-54 victory by No. 10 Kansas at sixth-ranked Baylor ...

Overview: Baylor desperately wants to be considered a top-10 team. It has the players and the voter-supported ranking. What it doesn't have is the monumental victories it takes to legitimize the program. And that didn't change Wednesday night.

Tenth-ranked Kansas (19-5, 9-2 Big 12) came into the Ferrell Center and easily dispatched the No. 6 Bears. That's 17 consecutive home losses to top-10 teams over the past nine seasons for the Bears (21-3, 8-3). The last top-10 team the Bears beat at home? Yep, Kansas way back in 2001.

A repeat became out of the question quickly in the second half. After being down as many as 10 in the first, the Jayhawks went on a 21-4 run to start the second half. Baylor, plagued by a porous zone defense and a shoot-first, pass-second offense, never crawled within single digits. The Jayhawks dropped a heartbreaker at rival Missouri on Saturday, but have not had back-to-back losses since January 2006. They still don't.

Turning point: It went from bad to worse, quickly, for Baylor in the second half. After getting down eight points (40-32), Baylor coach Scott Drew called a timeout to try and turn things around. It didn't work. Baylor turned the ball over on the inbounds play, allowing Thomas Robinson to score as he was being fouled; he would make the free throw to put Kansas up 43-32. On the play, Baylor's Quincy Miller was called for a technical foul for throwing an elbow. Kansas hit one of two, got the ball back, knocked down a 3 and was up 47-32 with 16:10 left in the second half.

Star of the game: KU center Jeff Withey exceeded his career high in points (15) with 17 just in the first half. He finished with 25 points, five rebounds and three blocks. The 7-foot center was allowed to ram through the lane and receive passes from a cutting Tyshawn Taylor. Very few of the shots were contested, and on those that were, Withey still went strong to the rim and found himself at the foul line.

What the win means for Kansas: The Jayhawks have had a stranglehold on the Big 12 for most of the past decade. It doesn't appear as if they are ready to loosen their grip. The win over the Bears put Kansas back into a tie for first with Missouri. The victory also means that KU's chances at grabbing a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament are still alive.

What the loss means for Baylor: The Bears' run in the top 10 might be coming to an end. The No. 6 team still only has three losses, but two of the three have been by double-digits to Kansas, a team currently ranked four spots below the Bears. The loss also almost certainly knocks BU out of contention for the top seed in the Big 12 tournament. Kansas and Missouri will vie for that spot.

Up next: Baylor visits No. 4 Missouri (22-2, 9-2) on Saturday afternoon. The Bears dropped a one-point game to the Tigers at the Ferrell Center in January. Kansas has a slightly easier task as it hosts Oklahoma State (12-12, 5-6) on Saturday.

Editor’s Note: Click here for Jason King’s prediction on tonight’s Kansas-Baylor matchup, as well as several other top Wednesday games.

To beat Kansas Wednesday night, Baylor forward Quincy Acy knows Baylor must play better than it did in last month’s 18-point loss to the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse.

And to Acy, playing better means playing tougher.

Especially down low.

Acy was asked Tuesday evening if he thought the Bears were “pushed around” in the paint during their first meeting with Kansas.

“I do, I honestly do,” Acy told ESPN.com. “We stopped going inside. They got a couple of blocked shots early and we started settling for jumpers. That’s not like us. I can’t really tell you why we did it, but it happened and that’s uncharacteristic for us.”

Baylor’s frontcourt talent has never been questioned. The Bears have a pair of future first-round NBA draft picks in Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller. And Acy, a senior, has been an mainstay in the rotation since his freshman season. Baylor’s toughness and aggression, however, have been an area of concern all season.

Schools such as BYU and West Virginia controlled the glass against Baylor early in the season before Kansas out-rebounded the Bears 36-21 in Lawrence Jan. 16. All-American Thomas Robinson snared 14 of those boards and also muscled past defenders on his way to 27 points.

Acy -- the one Baylor player who has never been criticized for shying away from physicality -- said he’s done everything he can to make sure he and his teammates are better prepared for tonight’s rematch.

“Me being a senior leader, I can’t let that happen,” Acy said. “If I see someone backing down, I’ve got to do a better job of getting in their face and letting them know that they’re getting outworked. When people say our frontcourt is soft ... I take that to heart, like I’m not doing enough.”

Acy said hearing criticisms about their passive play has helped inspire frontcourt teammates, which also include reserves Cory Jefferson and Anthony Jones.

“The guys have responded well,” he said. “But remember, we’ve got a lot of guys who are pretty much threes (small forwards) trying to play the four and the five. Quincy Miller is a three, Perry is a three-four. But because they’re tall, they have to play down low for us.

“That’s still no excuse. You’ve got to go out there and compete. I make sure I go at them hard every day in practice and raise my level of physicality up.”

Even the most physical player would have a hard time stopping Robinson, who many believe is the frontrunner for the Wooden Award. A 6-foot-9 junior, Robinson averages 18 points and ranks second in the nation in rebounds with 12 per game. As much as they want to beat Robinson, Acy said he and his teammates can’t help but respect him.

“He plays with an aggression, like he has something to prove,” Acy said. “The tragic story about his family plays a part in it. He’s on a mission. He has to provide for his family. I admire that about him. He’s a great dude. I like the passion he plays with.”

Tonight's game is huge for both teams. At 8-2, sixth-ranked Baylor and No. 10 Kansas are a half-game back of Missouri (9-2) in the Big 12 title race. The Jayhawks should be full of motivation following Saturday’s 74-71 loss to Missouri in Columbia.

Kansas -- which is vying for its eighth straight conference championship -- hasn’t lost consecutive games since the 2006 season.

“We always come back with a good attitude and learn from our mistakes,” point guard Tyshawn Taylor said.

Added Robinson: “You still have the bad taste in your mouth from the last game. Going into the (next) game, you want to get that taste out of your mouth.”

That’s probably how Baylor feels about its 92-74 loss to Kansas on Jan. 16.

Baylor played well early but went into a funk after Jones -- Baylor’s leading scorer -- tweaked an ankle injury late in the first half. Jones had been aggressive early but, much like the rest of his teammates, he began settling for jumpers the rest of the way.

Now healthy, Jones has averaged 17.8 points in Baylor’s past four games, all of which were victories.

“This is definitely the most consistent stretch that he’s had,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “If you just go back and look at that Kansas game, once he tweaked the ankle, we were up three or five ... the momentum and everything changed at that point. And as a coach, I probably should have gotten him out, because laterally he couldn’t move nearly as effective on the defensive end, and that affects you in a lot of different areas.”

Tonight’s game is the first of two for Baylor against top-10 opponents, as the Bears travel to Columbia Saturday to take on Missouri. The Tigers defeated Baylor 89-88 on Jan. 21 in Waco. Victories in each of these contests would put the Bears in a great position to win their first conference title since 1945.

“When I came here, I just wanted a chance to help turn this program around and help put us on the map,” Acy said. “Our guys in the past have helped put us on the map, now it’s our job to help keep us there by bringing a Big 12 championship to Waco. That’s on our mind and on our agenda every time we step on the court.”

WACO, Texas -- Here are some quick thoughts from Missouri’s 89-88 victory over Baylor Saturday at the Ferrell Center.

Overview: Marcus Denmon’s free throw with four seconds remaining proved to be the difference in No. 5 Missouri’s victory over third-ranked Baylor. Denmon’s foul shot gave the Tigers an 89-85 lead. A 3-pointer by Baylor’s Brady Heslip at the buzzer didn’t matter. Ricardo Ratliffe scored 27 points for Missouri, which led by as many as 12 points late in the second half before Baylor made a run late in the game. Missouri shot 54 percent from the field, forced 19 Baylor turnovers and outrebounded the bigger, longer Bears 27-24.

The Tigers are now 18-1. Baylor dropped its second straight and fell to 17-2.

Turning point: Missouri used an 11-2 run to stretch a 60-58 lead to a 71-60 cushion midway through the second half. Ratliffe scored eight points during the march.

Star of the game: Ratliffe’s 27 points came on 11-of-14 shooting. Point guard Phil Pressey played one of his best games as a collegian with 18 points, seven assists and six steals. Freshman Quincy Miller scored a career-high 29 points for Baylor. Pierre Jackson had 15 assists.

What the win means for Missouri: This was one of the most impressive road wins by any college basketball team this season. Missouri had an excellent game plan that led to loads of open looks for the Tigers. Frank Haith’s squad has done a tremendous job of bouncing back from a Jan. 7 loss at Kansas State. Missouri is a legitimate top-5 team and is good enough to win a national championship.

What the loss means for Baylor: The Bears’ chances of their first conference title took a major hit. Baylor’s inability to rebound against an undersized Missouri squad was alarming. This team needs to get tougher -- fast. Scott Drew also needs to think about tightening his rotation.

Up next: Baylor travels to Norman to take on Oklahoma Tuesday. Missouri plays Oklahoma State Wednesday in Stillwater.

For full coverage of all the top matchups, check out Weekend Watch.

Saturday's game
No. 5 Missouri at No. 3 Baylor (1 p.m. CT, ESPN):

Missouri: The Tigers might have the quickest lineup in college basketball. Frank Haith's guards have been very efficient, and have made much better decisions on offense and defense this season. Missouri can still fall into some "chuck and duck" habits, which worked well under Mike Anderson but does not fit with the style favored by Haith.

The Tigers run a set-play, quick-hitting offense that features four guards around undersized big man Ricardo Ratliffe. Point guard Phil Pressey is almost impossible to stay in front of, and he is an elite passer who willingly gives up the ball. Pressey has a near 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and leads the team in steals with 37. The wings are among the best in the nation, with All-America candidate Marcus Denmon and the ridiculously efficient Kim English. English's transformation has been remarkable. Last season, his confidence was waning. This season, he seemingly cannot miss. His decisions have improved, and he is hitting more than 50 percent of his 3-point shots. Ratliffe is benefiting from single coverage in the post and the drop-offs from his teammates to shoot better than 77 percent from the field. The single-season record is 74 percent by Oregon State's Steve Johnson back when Ralph Miller was the Beavers' coach.

Baylor: The Bears are big, long, athletic and deep along the front line, and have one of the most talented frontcourts in the country. Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy, Quincy Miller, Anthony Jones and Cory Jefferson provide the bodies and length to overwhelm a smaller team on the glass and the defensive end.

Before the season, I was one who questioned the Baylor guards and whether the Bears would be able to improve ball security. Last season, Baylor turned the ball over at a very high rate. Turnovers are still an issue, but this team is much better with the ball. Guards Brady Heslip, A.J. Walton and Pierre Jackson are far better than I anticipated, and Jackson is a game-changing talent. He has the ability to guard the ball, see the floor with terrific vision and play with a fearlessness that allows his teammates to do their jobs without worrying about his.

Key players: Denmon and Jackson. Denmon scratches in just about every category for the Tigers and is an attack guard. Denmon excels in transition, and Baylor can afford to put Walton, Jackson or a defender with more size on him. Denmon is a very good defender but might have some issues matching up with bigger Baylor players. Jackson is incredibly strong and athletic, and has the ability to guard Pressey and Denmon. If he can stay out of foul difficulty, Jackson has the ability to change the game with his pressure and steals. On the offensive end, Jackson is a potent scorer, but he is also a fabulous passer. He will get a lob dunk from deep for a teammate; you can bank on it. However, he also has 64 turnovers to go with his 98 assists.

Key shooters: Heslip and English. Heslip transferred from Boston College and has a really quick release. He has hit 51 3s, by far the most on the Baylor roster, and is shooting 47 percent from 3. English is shooting better than 50 percent from deep, and his stroke is pure. He has hit 45 3s in only 88 attempts.

Key bigs: Ratliffe and Perry Jones III. Ratliffe plays off his guards very well but must avoid fouls to be able to stay in the game. Without Ratliffe, Missouri can get overwhelmed on the glass. Jones is a special talent. He needs to be assertive and dominate his matchup. No player on the Missouri roster can guard him.

Key stat: Turnovers and rebounding. Baylor should own the backboards but also has to get to long rebounds, which will be an issue in this game. Baylor turned the ball over against the pressure of Kansas and needs to take care of the ball against the pressure brought by Missouri. Pressey's initial ball pressure will be key.

Who wins: Baylor is coming off a loss and playing at home. How the Bears guard the 3-point line will go a long way in determining this one. Expect Baylor to play some man-to-man in addition to some zone. If the Bears take good shots and limit Missouri in transition, I like the Bears to win. Baylor 74-70.

No. 7 Kansas at Texas (3 p.m. Saturday): Kansas is playing at such a high level that the Jayhawks would have to come down a few notches if they’re going to lose at erratic Texas. The Longhorns don’t have the strength to deal with Thomas Robinson. I’d be surprised if Kansas loses this game.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Here are some quick thoughts from Kansas' 92-74 victory over previously unbeaten Baylor at Allen Fieldhouse.

Overview: Tyshawn Taylor scored 28 points and Thomas Robinson added 27 (and 14 rebounds) to spark Kansas to a 92-74 victory over third-ranked Baylor on Monday. The victory gives the Jayhawks sole possession of first place in the race for the Big 12 title. At 15-3 overall and 5-0 in league play, the Jayhawks are the league's only team without a conference loss. Kansas has now won 85 of its past 86 games at Allen Fieldhouse. Baylor, which got 18 points from Perry Jones III and 17 from Quincy Miller, dropped to 17-1 and 4-1. The Bears were outrebounded 39-24 and their starters were outscored 87-58 by KU's starters.

Turning point: Trailing 29-26, Kansas closed the opening half on a 13-0 scoring run that gave the Jayhawks a 39-29 cushion at intermission. Taylor scored 11 points during the march, including a 3-pointer with 5 seconds remaining. Baylor pulled within six, 43-37, on a 3-pointer by Brady Heslip early in the second half. But Kansas responded with a 16-5 scoring run that put the game out of reach midway through the second half.

Star of the game: Taylor, KU's fourth-year starter at point guard, turned in the best performance of his career on Monday. Two days after scoring a career-high 28 points in a win over Iowa State, Taylor was magnificent against one of the most talented team Kansas will face all season. Along with his 28 points, he had six assists and a steal. Taylor made 10 of his 14 field goal attempts for a KU team that shot 57 percent from the field.

What the win means for Kansas: The Jayhawks have won seven straight Big 12 titles. After Monday, there's no reason to believe they won't win No. 8. Baylor is bigger, stronger, faster and deeper than Kansas. The Bears entered the game with six victories against top 50 RPI teams, mostly on the road. But at times they looked incompetent against Kansas, especially on defense, when the Jayhawks whipped the ball around until they got an open look. Bill Self deserves to be in the national coach of the year conversation after Monday.

What the loss means to Baylor: Not too much. The Bears did what 84 of the previous 85 teams to visit Allen Fieldhouse have done: they lost. It may have been in more convincing fashion than most people expected, but things snow-balled on the Bears, who crumbled under pressure for the first time all season. Baylor looked good early, but when KU made its first run, the Bears began to panic. They took ill-advised shots early in the shot clock and tried to force things that simply weren't there. They gambled way too much on defense and Kansas made them pay each and every time. Baylor's talent wasn't enough in this one, but they still appear to be Kansas' top competition for the Big 12 title.

Up next: Baylor hosts fifth-ranked Missouri on Saturday in Waco. Kansas travels to Austin to play Texas.

MANHATTAN, Kan. — For years he has been hailed as a future NBA lottery pick. Baylor’s Perry Jones III is a phenom, professional scouts have said, an athletic freak.

Lately, though, the 6-foot-11 forward whom some have labeled as the most talented player in America has heard a new set of adjectives to describe his game.

Timid.

Passive.

Soft.

“Every day someone asks me, ‘Is Perry going to get any tougher?’” Bears coach Scott Drew said. “I think he answered that question tonight.”

Indeed, in one of the most intense games of the college basketball season to date, Jones put on his best scowl and muscled up when Baylor needed him most in a 75-73 victory over Kansas State at Bramlage Coliseum.

Jones scored a team-high 17 points, but his biggest moment came when he fought off K-State forward Jamar Samuels to rebound a missed 3-pointer by teammate Brady Heslip with 26 seconds remaining and Baylor leading 74-73. Jones was immediately fouled, and he split a pair of free throws to give the Bears a two-point cushion.

Drew couldn’t help but scream and pump his fist when time expired after Kansas State failed to score on its final possession. At 16-0, fourth-ranked Baylor remains one of three undefeated teams in college basketball. And as for Jones, who snared a game-high 8 rebounds?

“No one can say he’s not tough now,” Baylor forward Quincy Acy said. “For people to call him soft ... he just [has] taken that and ran with it.”

In some ways, Baylor has, too.

Much like their All-America candidate, the Bears have spent much of the past two seasons listening to fans and pundits question their focus and heart. Last season they were ranked as high as ninth but floundered down the stretch and failed to make the NCAA tournament.

Even during the early portions of this season there were times when it seemed as though the Bears needed to develop a mean streak -- especially in the paint, where Baylor boasts one of the most talented front lines in college basketball with Jones, Acy and Quincy Miller. Getting outrebounded by undersized squads such as BYU was inexcusable.

“It seems like every time we’re picked to lose, it’s because we’re not tough enough,” Jones said.

No. 18 Kansas State -- which was fresh off a blowout of then-unbeaten Missouri -- probably begs to differ after Tuesday.

Much like Baylor, Frank Martin’s squad boasts excellent size and depth in the paint, and the Wildcats are regarded yearly as one of the country’s most physical teams. But Kansas State outrebounded Baylor by only 28-26 on Tuesday, and the Bears outscored the Wildcats 36-32 in the paint.

Acy, though, said Baylor’s mental toughness -- and not the physical kind -- is the biggest reason for the Bears’ 16-0 start.

“Tough isn’t about going out and elbowing someone,” Acy said. “It’s about how you respond in certain situations when the crowd is against you. We’ve done a good job of persevering.”

A year ago, Baylor was 3-10 in games played outside of Waco, Texas. This season, the Bears are 7-0 in road and neutral-site games. Their points per game (65.8 to 73.1) and field-goal percentage (42.3 to 49.2) in those contests have improved dramatically from season to season.

Four of Baylor’s past five victories -- against BYU, West Virginia, Mississippi State and Kansas State -- have been decided by three points or less. None of those games were in Waco.

That’s poise, that’s toughness. Especially considering the added pressures that come along with being undefeated.

“We have a target on our back,” Jones said. “We’re getting everyone’s A-game. It’s difficult, but it feels a lot better than losing, definitely.”

The reasons Baylor is playing with more moxie are plentiful. With a 10-man rotation, BU has one of the deepest benches in America. Fresh legs and spirits are always a good replacement for a worn-down teammate who is upset with himself because of a turnover or missed shot.

The Bears also have two strong tone-setters in Acy and junior-college transfer Pierre Jackson, a point guard who had 11 assists Tuesday. Jackson’s fearlessness and spunk -- he often lets out a “Woooo!” after a big play -- have been infectious to his teammates, many of whom are beginning to take on his swagger.

Acy is the senior veteran who has reveled in the glory of advancing to the Elite Eight and felt the disappointment of missing the NCAA tournament one year later.

“We try not to pay too much attention to [our rankings],” Acy said. “Last year we got a little fame and we got embarrassed a couple of times. I stressed to the guys that we shouldn’t get caught up in the rankings and all that. Every game, we’ve got to play like we’ve got something to lose, like we have a target on our back.”

The Bears certainly did against Kansas State, when they trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half. Baylor fought back and trailed by only two at intermission.

Numerous Baylor players came up with clutch plays in the second half of a game that featured six ties and 10 leads changes.

Moments after K-State’s Will Spradling hit a 3-pointer to put his team ahead 63-62, freshman Miller responded with a 3-pointer on the other end to help Baylor regain the lead and quiet the crowd.

Soon after, KSU looked as though it may pull away when Henriquez swished a pair of foul shots that made it 71-67, but Heslip did a nice job of drawing contact on the Bears’ ensuing possession. He went to the free-throw line and made it a two-point game again.

“Guys didn’t get mad at each other,” Jones said. “We still played basketball the way we know how to play. When we see someone down we say, ‘C’mon, we’ve got to do this for 40 minutes. We’ve got to grind. There’s no time for sulking.’”

Acy scored five consecutive points -- four of which came as a result of his own steals -- to turn a 71-69 deficit into a 74-71 lead. A basket by Kansas State’s Rodney McGruder made it 74-73 with 2:04 remaining.

The only other point of the game came on Jones’ free throw with 20 seconds remaining following his heroic rebound.

Kansas State still had a chance to win or force a tie, and it looked as though it would happen when freshman point guard Angel Rodriguez broke free for what appeared to be an easy layup. But at the last moment, Baylor’s A.J. Walton ripped the ball away from Rodriguez with 3 seconds remaining.

The ball sailed out of bounds, and the Wildcats’ hopes died moments later when Acy got a hand on Rodriguez’s high-arching entry pass to Samuels and batted toward the other end of the court. Time expired as Kansas State chased down the loose ball.

“We assumed they were going to throw a lob because of the time,” Acy said. “They had run that play a couple of other times earlier in the game. I was fortunate to tip it and let the clock run out.”

Martin, whose team fell to 12-3 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play, couldn’t have been more dejected after the game, mainly because the Wildcats had 20 turnovers.

“The guys wearing our uniforms threw the ball to the guys wearing their uniforms so they could go down and dunk,” Martin said. “For us not to protect our home court and not close this game out because of a comedy of plays is embarrassing.”

The win was easily Baylor’s biggest of the season -- and possibly one of the monumental of the Scott Drew era. Bramlage Coliseum is regarded as one of the toughest places to play in the country. Other than Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse, the Bears won’t encounter a louder, more difficult road environment all season.

Drew also realizes his squad beat an exceptional team in Kansas State, whose only two losses before Tuesday were to West Virginia (in overtime) and Kansas.

“I’d put them up against anyone we’ve faced or up against any top-10 team in the nation,” Drew said. “They’re that good.”

People would’ve said the same thing about Baylor before Tuesday’s game. But now the narrative is different. Perry Jones and the Bears were always one of the nation’s most-talented teams.

Now they’re one of the toughest.

After an eventful week in the Big 12, here are my latest power rankings:

1. Baylor: At 15-0, the Bears are one of just three remaining undefeated teams in the country. But just how much longer will the streak last? Scott Drew’s squad will face its toughest test to date when it enters Kansas State’s Bramlage Coliseum Tuesday night. Freshman Quincy Miller has scored in double figures in four of his last five games.
2. Kansas: Thomas Robinson is the Jayhawks’ best player, but the biggest story in Lawrence lately has been Travis Releford. The junior small forward scored a career-high 16 points in Wednesday’s win over Kansas State before erupting for 28 points in Saturday’s road victory over Oklahoma.
3. Kansas State: The Wildcats bounced back from an 18-point loss to Kansas by thumping previously-unbeaten Missouri Saturday in Manhattan. Rodney McGruder has been solid all season, but he took his game to a different level in a 20-point effort against the Tigers, when he was in attack mode from start to finish.
4. Missouri : Frank Haith’s squad got exposed a bit in Saturday’s 75-59 loss at Kansas State. The undersized Tigers shot a season-low 32 percent from the field and were outscored 42-16 in the paint. Missouri’s lack of size could also be a factor in games against Big 12 title contenders Baylor and Kansas. Winning at Iowa State Wednesday won’t be easy.
5. Iowa State: Saturday’s 74-50 victory at Texas A&M marked the seventh straight win for the Cyclones, who may be starting to figure everything out. Royce White had a triple-double (10 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists) against the Aggies. He’ll have to continue to play well if Iowa State has hopes of beating either of its next two opponents (Missouri and Kansas).
6. Oklahoma: The Sooners lost their first two Big 12 games by an average of 24.5 points, but no one expected Lon Kruger’s squad to beat Missouri or Kansas. Leading scorer Steven Pledger combined to make just seven of his 22 field goal attempts in those contests. Oklahoma is better than Oklahoma State, but Monday’s game against the Cowboys is on the road. Saturday’s home game against Kansas State should be a good one.
7. Texas: The Longhorns have made the NCAA tournament in each of Rick Barnes’ 13 seasons, but that streak could be in jeopardy this year. Texas dropped its Big 12 opener at Iowa State before bouncing back with a home win over lowly Oklahoma State. After Wednesday’s game against Texas A&M, the Longhorns hit the road for back-to-back games at Missouri and Kansas State. Uh-oh.
8. Texas A&M: What in tarnation is wrong with the Aggies? Losing to Iowa State at home is bad enough, but falling by 24 points is inexcusable. Khris Middleton is shooting just 38 percent from the field and 23 percent from 3-point range. Texas A&M is the Big 12’s most disappointing team.
9. Oklahoma State: Give the Cowboys credit for beating Texas Tech in Wednesday’s Big 12 opener just days after third-leading scorer J.P. Olukemi was lost for the season with an ACL injury. Still, this is an incredibly thin team (in terms of numbers) that will struggle to win more than four or five conference games. The Cowboys’ shot selection must improve. They’re making just 41 percent of their field goal attempts.
10. Texas Tech: The Red Raiders are obviously getting better. They trailed unbeaten Baylor by just one point at halftime in Lubbock Saturday but floundered after intermission. Kansas comes to town Wednesday, but the most anticipated game on the schedule occurs Saturday, when Billy Gillispie returns to Texas A&M to face his former school.

DALLAS -- Forget the national-player-of-the-year candidate.

And don’t be overly concerned with the freshman who’s projected as an NBA lottery pick, or the veteran senior who scores half of his baskets on dunks.

Perry Jones III, Quincy Miller and Quincy Acy might form one of the most imposing frontcourts in the nation. But all week long, Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury told his squad that stopping the trio wasn’t the key to beating the Baylor Bears.

“Pierre Jackson is the key to their team,” Stansbury said. “He’s the guy that makes them go.”

It was certainly hard to argue that point Wednesday, when Jackson -- the Bears’ diminutive 5-foot-10 point guard -- came through for Baylor yet again.

With 22 seconds remaining, Jackson beat Bulldogs guard Dee Bost off the dribble and streaked through the lane for an uncontested layup that propelled the No. 7 Bears to a 54-52 victory over 14th-ranked Mississippi State at American Airlines Arena.

At 13-0, Baylor is off to its best start in school history. The Bears are one of just four remaining undefeated teams in the country. Mississippi State fell to 12-2 after losing for the first time since Nov. 9.

“That was probably one of the toughest teams we’ll play all year,” said Jackson, who scored a game-high 14 points. “Our chemistry is really good right now. We’ve got to keep getting better.”

Wednesday wasn’t the first time that Jackson -- who earned national junior college player-of-the-year honors at the College of Southern Idaho last season -- has come through for Baylor in the clutch.

He scored 23 points and hit a 3-pointer that forced overtime in last week’s victory over West Virginia, when he reeled off eight consecutive points during a stretch from late in the second half through the first 70 seconds of the extra period. And he blocked a game-tying 3-point attempt at the buzzer in Baylor’s 86-83 win at BYU on Dec. 17.

In short, Jackson and Boston College transfer Brady Heslip have completely reshaped a Baylor squad that missed the NCAA tournament last season because of a porous backcourt that, at times, could barely get the ball up the court. The twosome combined for 21 of the Bears’ 34 first-half points against MSU.

“Those two killed us,” Stansbury said. “Like I said, people can talk about Jones and those other guys all they want. But Jackson is the reason Baylor is so good.”

That’s not to say Jackson and the Bears are without flaws. Baylor found a way to win Wednesday despite turning in one of its sloppiest performances of the season.

The Bears shot just 21 percent after intermission and missed all eight of their 3-point attempts. Baylor also clanked three of its five foul shots in the final 3 minutes -- yet it managed to emerge victorious.

“When you can shoot 21 percent in the second half and still beat a top-15 team, it shows that you really defended and rebounded well,” BU coach Scott Drew said. “We weren’t very good rebounding early in the year. We made it a focus after the BYU game and we’ve improved.”

Indeed, Baylor outrebounded Mississippi State 40-32 and came up with some huge stops down the stretch. Moments before Jackson’s winning basket, the Bears forced Bost into a terrible shot against his momentum on the other end. The Bulldogs had a chance to tie or win after Jackson’s layup, but they couldn’t get a good look before Rodney Hood went up for a guarded jumper with 6 seconds left. Hood’s shot was blocked, and Jackson made a heady play by batting the ball toward the other end of the court as time expired.

“The toughest thing for young players is ... when you’re not scoring, you don’t want to play defense,” Drew said. “For us, to shoot 21 percent and still play defense shows a lot of [character]. I’m proud of our guys.”

The victory in Dallas -- Baylor’s first this season against a top-25 opponent -- could have long-reaching effects. Drew touted after the game that his team is the only one in the country with wins against six top-50 opponents, according to the Sagarin ratings.

“It’s a win that resonates on your resume throughout the rest of the season,” Drew said.

It should also do wonders for Baylor’s confidence, as the Bears likely won’t face many teams in the Big 12 as tough as the Bulldogs. No team in the league has as good of a frontcourt as Mississippi State’s tandem of Renardo Sidney and Arnett Moultrie. Bost is regarded as one of the nation’s top point guards and Hood probably won’t be in school longer than two years before jumping to the NBA.

Baylor has plenty of future pros on its roster, too, but its biggest strength continues to be its depth. Jones and Acy combined for just 15 points on 6-of-20 shooting. But it didn’t matter thanks to players such as Jackson, Heslip and Miller, who had 12 points and 6 boards. Nine Baylor players saw at least seven minutes of action Wednesday, and seven of them played 19 minutes or more.

“We came down here and went nose-to-nose-to-nose with them,” Stansbury said. “We took a team averaging 80 points and held it to 54. It was a hell of a game. These were two pretty good teams. We’ll take a lot of positives from this and get better from it, and I’m sure Baylor will, too.”

DALLAS -- Here are a few quick observations from Baylor's 54-52 victory over Mississippi State on Wednesday at American Airlines Arena in Dallas.

Overview: Baylor point guard Pierre Jackson scored a team-high 14 points -- including the game-winning layup with 22 seconds remaining. Quincy Miller added 12 points for the Bears, who are off to their best start ever at 13-0. Baylor trailed for nearly all of the second half -- but never by more than four points. The Bears outrebounded Mississippi State (38-31), an area that Scott Drew's team struggled in recent weeks. Renardo Sidney and Jalen Steele had 10 points each for Mississippi State, which lost for the first time since Nov. 9

Turning point: Baylor trailed for almost the entire second half before Jackson beat Dee Bost off the dribble for what proved to be the game-winning layup with 22 seconds remaining. The Bears also caught a huge break at the 1:35 mark, when Mississippi State's Sidney was whistled for a technical while arguing with an official who had just whistled him for his fifth personal foul. The Bears shot four free throws -- two for the fifth foul, two for the technical -- and made two of them to force a 52-52 tie. Bost missed a runner on the other end. Baylor rebounded and then Jackson made his heroic shot.

Star of the game: Jackson may have hit the winning shot, but Miller may have been the Bears' top all-around performer in a sloppy game. The freshman forward scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds in 25 minutes, an encouraging sign considering his recent struggles.

What the win means for Baylor: The Bears should be ecstatic about being one of four undefeated teams in the country. They've defeated some good teams and have earned the accolades that will come their way. Still, all teams strive to improve, so head coach Scott Drew should use Wednesday's game to address a handful of flaws that may have been masked by Baylor's successful start. Much like they did last season, the Bears play out of control at times. Jackson, in particular, took a ton of terrible shots in traffic against Mississippi State. Instead of trying to take the game over by himself, he needs to get better at sharing the ball and dishing off when he draws help defense. He's an incredible talent who has a knack for hitting huge shots, but he needs to develop some discipline. Drew also needs to let Miller play through his mistakes. He sat out way too long in the second half. He's simply too talented to keep on the bench. Drew also may want to consider tightening his rotation. Playing 10 to 12 guys early in the season is fine when you're trying to figure things out, but by now it may be better to go with a rotation of seven to eight guys. Brady Heslip sat way too many minutes in the second half. Still, none of that should diminish the magnitude of Wednesday's victory. No one can question the Bears' legitimacy now.

What the loss means for Mississippi State: There is no reason for the Bulldogs to hang their heads. They went toe-to-toe against a Final Four contender and could've easily won. If anything, Mississippi State should be encouraged. On a night when leading scorer Arnett Moultrie wasn't all that productive (eight points) the Bulldogs got huge contributions from secondary players such as Brian Bryant (eight points) and Steele (10). Aside from a silly technical foul in the waning minutes, Sidney turned in a strong performance, scoring 10 points and blocking two shots in just 19 minutes. His poor conditioning is still an issue, but Mississippi State doesn't lose much when Wendell Lewis subs for him. This is a deep, talented team that should finish no worse than third in the SEC. Rick Stansbury, who was under fire after a disappointing 2011-12 season, is doing a nice job.

Up next: Baylor opens Big 12 play Jan. 2 against Texas A&M in Waco. Mississippi State hosts Utah State on Saturday before opening SEC play Jan. 7 at Arkansas.

For one scary moment, Perry Jones III feared he was done for a long time.

Baylor's big man was writhing on the court in pain and wasn’t sure he could come back into the game, let alone how much of the season might be missed.

Jones had knocked knees with BYU’s Brandon Davies atop the perimeter on a drive with 1:26 left and his seventh-ranked Bears up 84-83. Without its star forward, Baylor looked like it might lose not only the game, but its shot at a glorious season.

“I was scared,’’ Jones told ESPN.com by phone Saturday. “I couldn’t move my leg on my own. I thought I tore something.’’

But Jones quickly made a decision while on the bench.

He wanted back in.

“I didn’t want to let my team down,’’ Jones said. “I just wanted to ignore the pain, get to the weak side and get the rebound. I was there at the right time.’’

Jones’ tip-in follow with 21 seconds left gave Baylor an 86-83 lead.

“That was huge,’’ BU coach Scott Drew said. “What was really special is that normally a player gets injured, limps around and doesn’t make the big play. He got the big play.’’

Brigham Young had one more chance to tie the game when Davies had a 3-pointer at the buzzer. But Pierre Jackson, a 5-foot-10 guard, came from the side and blocked the 6-9 forward’s shot.

“I was closest to him,’’ Jackson said after the Bears' 86-83 victory. “I know I can jump pretty high. I wanted to contest it but I happened to block it. It was a big block, and it saved the game for us.’’

Drew said Jackson is as athletic a player as Baylor has and that he wasn’t surprised Jackson found a way to block Davies’ shot.

Jones, a clear contender for All-America status and Big 12 player of the year, finished with a career-high 28 points and eight rebounds, while Jackson added 13 off the bench. Brady Heslip made six of 10 shots from beyond the arc and finished with 18 for the Bears.

Baylor hadn’t been tested yet this season, blowing out all its competition, even in the one previous road game at Northwestern.

So Drew wasn’t sure how his team would handle going into the Marriott Center, a notorious graveyard for BYU opponents.

“You’re not going to find a tougher atmosphere in college,’’ Drew said. “They were 48-2 in their last 50 games. This definitely gets us ready for Big 12 play and tells us a lot about our team. It showed we know how to execute at the end of games. Toughness is required to win on the road. We weren’t ready early on, and we got dominated on the glass.’’

The Cougars added UCLA transfer Matt Carlino for this game, and he tied Davies for the team lead with 18 points. But Baylor did have length, size and depth advantage in the frontcourt with BYU missing sixth man Stephen Rogers.

However, it was Cal transfer guard Gary Franklin who played a key role Saturday. He made two 3s in 12 minutes, but Drew said Franklin’s defense was just as crucial.

“Normally you like to bring in a player that you add midseason for a home game,’’ Drew said. “But he was tremendous. He guarded very well.’’

It's pretty clear the Bears are more than capable of competing for the Big 12 title and a deep run in March, possibly long enough to get to New Orleans.

But there still are some potholes ahead. Baylor plays Saint Mary’s and West Virginia in Las Vegas next week, and then squares off with Mississippi State on Dec. 28 in Dallas.

The length of Arnett Moultrie and size of Renardo Sidney will certainly test Jones, Quincy Miller and Quincy Acy, while Heslip, Franklin, Jackson and A.J. Walton will have their hands full with Dee Bost and Rodney Hood.

So plenty of tests remain for the unbeaten Bears. But one of the biggest of all was passed in Provo.

“We got through the adversity together,’’ Jones said. “We just have to play smarter and play better together.’’