KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — In a taut, back-and-forth contest defined by offensive efficiency and critical late-game execution, the Arizona State Sun Devils edged the Baylor Bears 83-79 in a Big 12 men’s basketball game Tuesday afternoon at T-Mobile Center.

The victory, played on a neutral floor as part of conference tournament play, improved Arizona State to 17-15 overall, while Baylor fell to an even 16-16.

The game’s decisive sequence unfolded in the final minute. With Arizona State clinging to a 78-76 lead, Baylor’ Cameron Carr, who led all scorers with 25 points, stole the ball from Santiago Trouet with 31 seconds remaining. Dan Skillings Jr. converted the ensuing fast-break layup to tie the game at 78.

On the next possession, Baylor’s Obi Agbim was called for a foul on Anthony Johnson, sending the Sun Devils’ guard to the line with 19 seconds left. Johnson, who finished with 19 points, six rebounds and two assists, made the first free throw to put Arizona State ahead for good. After he missed the second, Carr secured the defensive rebound for Baylor.

Out of a timeout, the Bears worked for a final shot, but Tounde Yessoufou’s three-point attempt was off the mark. Caden Powell grabbed the offensive board, but his putback attempt also failed. Arizona State’s Maurice Odum was fouled after securing the defensive rebound and calmly sank two free throws with 5.8 seconds left to extend the lead to 81-78.

Carr was fouled on a three-point attempt with one second remaining, giving Baylor a desperate chance. He made the first two free throws to cut the deficit to one, but after an Arizona State timeout meant to ice the shooter, his intentional miss on the third attempt did not produce a scoring opportunity. Odum was fouled on the rebound and made two more free throws to seal the outcome.

The game was a study in contrasting offensive styles. Arizona State won with remarkable shooting efficiency, converting 31 of 54 field goal attempts for 57.4%. Baylor, by contrast, struggled from the floor, making just 28 of 67 shots (41.8%) and hitting only 8 of 33 from three-point range. The Bears compensated with a 12-6 advantage in offensive rebounds, generating 15 second-chance points, but could not overcome the Sun Devils’ superior shot-making.

Arizona State built its victory on a balanced and efficient offensive attack. Alongside Johnson’s 19, the Sun Devils received significant contributions from their international frontcourt. Andrija Grbovic of Montenegro scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while Santiago Trouet of Argentina posted a near double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Noah Meeusen of Belgium added 12 points, and Maurice Odum chipped in nine points, four rebounds and two assists.

For Baylor, Carr’s 25-point effort on 8-of-21 shooting was the offensive centerpiece. Isaac Williams added 15 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Yessoufou finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Powell provided 10 points off the bench.

The first half set the stage for the nail-biting finish. Arizona State used a 10-2 run late in the period, capped by a Grbovic dunk and a Meeusen three-pointer, to take a 44-35 lead into halftime. Baylor responded immediately after the break, opening the second half with a 15-4 surge to reclaim a 50-48 lead, fueled by Carr and Yessoufou.

From there, neither team led by more than five points. The lead changed hands eight times in the second half, with six ties, as both teams traded baskets in a tense, possession-by-possession struggle. Arizona State’s ability to consistently answer Baylor’s runs—shooting 57.7% in the second half—proved vital.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably the final 40 seconds. After Skillings’ layup tied the game, Arizona State’s composure at the free-throw line under pressure was the difference. The Sun Devils made 5 of 6 free throws in the last 36 seconds, while Baylor’s final two offensive possessions resulted in missed three-pointers. In a game where margins were razor-thin, Arizona State’s execution in the bonus and Baylor’s cold shooting at the most critical juncture decided the outcome.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Baylor entered with a 59.1% probability to win and was a 2.5-point favorite. The combined score of 162 points fell under the betting over/under line of 158. The result avenged a 73-68 home loss for Arizona State against Baylor just over two weeks prior on Feb. 21.

Baylor’s season continues Wednesday with a game against Iowa State, also in Kansas City.