Since rivals Kansas and Missouri appeared destined for one final showdown in Saturday's Big 12 title game, tickets for that matchup have been selling for as much as $500 on the secondary market. Expect those prices to drop drastically now. Baylor denied the Border War one final stay of execution on Friday night when it stunned top-seeded Kansas 81-72 in Kansas City. This was no fluke either considering the Bears did not relinquish the lead the final 34:41, even withstanding a 15-3 Kansas run that trimmed the lead to one midway through the second half. What was noteworthy about the victory for Baylor (27-6, 12-6) wasn't its impact on the Bears' NCAA tournament seeding. They were a No. 3 seed Friday morning, they're likely a No. 3 seed now and even if they topple Texas or Missouri in Saturday's title game, the best they could hope for is to sneak into the final No. 2 seed. No, the real impact of what Baylor accomplished Friday night is psychological. It eliminates the seeds of doubt planted during the Big 12 regular season when a Bears team projected to win the league instead went 0-for-4 against top dogs Kansas and Missouri on its way to a pedestrian 12-6 fourth-place finish. Nobody has ever questioned whether Baylor had the talent to compete with the nation's elite teams this season, but on Friday the Bears showed flashes of the resilience, heart and savvy necessary for a deep March run.
