STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — As desperate as Oklahoma State was to win a Big 12 Conference game, how the Cowboys looked doing it was of little concern to coach Mike Boynton.

Freshman Isaac Likekele hit two free throws with 10.6 seconds left and the Cowboys — who had blown most of what had been a 19-point lead — held on for a 61-58 win over Texas on Tuesday night. Lindy Waters III scored 19 points on 5-of-5 three-point shooting and grabbed nine rebounds as Oklahoma State (7-8, 1-2) avoided an 0-3 start in Big 12 play.

The Cowboys have won seven of their last eight games against Texas (10-5, 2-1) in Stillwater, a run that matches the Cowboys’ home-court success in the series from 1925 to 1964, long before the schools became conference rivals.

“Winning is hard — that’s what I think,” Boynton said. “I’m extremely, extremely proud of our guys, even for having to win the way we did. Obviously, we played really well for the first half, probably as a good a first half as we’ve played all year . and then I thought our defense was still solid, but our offense just stagnated and got kind of tight against their press late. But you don’t apologize for a win in this league.”

Kerwin Roach II had 18 points to lead Texas, which missed its first 13 three-point attempts and finished 2 of 22 from behind the arc. The last of those misses, by Courtney Ramey, came at the buzzer as the Longhorns tried to tie the game.

No. 18 Kentucky 85, Texas A&M 74
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — After an awful start, Kentucky coach John Calipari was happy to see his team finish off Texas A&M.

Tyler Herro had 21 points, Ashton Hagans scored a career-high 18 and No. 18 Kentucky overcame a 10-0 deficit before holding off Texas A&M for an 85-74 victory on Tuesday night.

“The whole season is about building,” the coach said. “We won a game. We won a league game. We won our first league game. Good start.”

The Wildcats (11-3, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) definitely had room for improvement after Saturday’s 77-75 loss at Alabama, disappointment that translated into an early hangover against the Aggies.

Kentucky started badly on both ends with four missed shots, turnovers and defensive breakdowns the Aggies seized upon for a pair of 10-point leads. Kentucky quickly regrouped with a 19-6 run over 5:21. Hagans had a pair of steals during the spurt in which everything clicked.

The Wildcats led 46-34 at the break before having to withstand a second-half comeback by the Aggies (6-7, 0-2), who got within 66-64 with 7:55 left. Immanuel Quickley answered with a three-pointer and PJ Washington eventually followed with a three-point play for an 11-point cushion that held up.

Baylor 73, No. 20 Iowa State 70
WACO, Texas (AP) — Makai Mason is getting more aggressive on the floor for Baylor, wanting to take shots and chasing after loose balls.

Mason scored a season-high 25 points, including five free throws in the final 38 seconds, and the Bears held on for a 73-70 victory over No. 20 Iowa State on Tuesday night.

Iowa State (12-3, 2-1 Big 12) was coming off a 17-point home win over then-No. 5 Kansas three days earlier. The Cyclones had won five in a row and entered the AP Top 25 on Monday for the first time since the end of the 2016-17 season.

Devonte Bandoo made two free throws with five seconds left for Baylor (9-5, 1-1), and Iowa State had one more shot to tie the game but Nick Weiler-Babb’s defended 3-pointer from about 30 feet along the right sideline wasn’t even close .

Tristan Clark added 16 points for Baylor while Bandoo had 13.