WACO, Texas (Interstat) — In a game defined by defense, missed opportunities, and a dramatic final minute, the Baylor Lady Bears held off a furious second-half rally from the Arizona State Sun Devils to escape with a 67-64 victory in a Big 12 Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at the Ferrell Center.

A crowd of 4,213 watched as Baylor, which improved to 21-4, built a 15-point third-quarter lead only to see it evaporate completely in the fourth. The game was ultimately decided at the free-throw line, where Baylor converted 25 of 31 attempts compared to Arizona State’s 13 of 21.

The most critical sequence unfolded in the final 14 seconds. With Baylor clinging to a 65-64 lead after a Gabby Elliott jumper, Arizona State’ Last-Tear Poa fouled Baylor’s Jana Van Gytenbeek on the inbound pass. Van Gytenbeek, a 5-foot-7 guard from Greenwood Village, Colorado, calmly sank both free throws to push the lead to three.

Arizona State, now 19-6, called a timeout to advance the ball and set up a potential game-tying play. The Sun Devils inbounded to Elliott, but her pass was deflected and stolen by Baylor, sealing the victory for the home team.

The game was a stark contrast in offensive efficiency. Both teams struggled from the field, with Arizona State shooting 36.4% (24 of 66) and Baylor at 38% (19 of 50). From beyond the arc, the teams were a combined 7 of 36. Baylor’s significant advantage came from its ability to draw fouls and capitalize, scoring 16 more points from the charity stripe.

Arizona State’s offense ran primarily through guard Gabby Elliott. The 5-foot-10 junior from Detroit played 36 minutes and scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of-23 shooting, though she committed six turnovers. Guard Jyah LoVett added 16 points for the Sun Devils.

Baylor countered with a balanced attack. Guard Taliah Scott, a 5-foot-9 sophomore from Orange Park, Florida, led the Lady Bears with 17 points, while Van Gytenbeek added 13 points and five assists. Forward Kayla Nelms provided a crucial spark off the bench, scoring 12 points in just 15 minutes, and 6-foot-4 post Kiersten Johnson of Duncanville, Texas, anchored the defense with four blocks.

The first half was a grinding affair. Baylor led 15-9 after a low-scoring first quarter and extended its margin to 29-26 at halftime. The Lady Bears then seized control with a 24-point third quarter, fueled by interior scoring and trips to the line, to take a 53-48 lead into the final period.

Arizona State refused to fade. The Sun Devils opened the fourth quarter with a 7-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from LoVett, to take their first lead since the opening minutes at 55-53 with 8:56 remaining. The teams traded blows through six more lead changes and two ties.

With 1:53 left, Van Gytenbeek hit two free throws to give Baylor a 63-62 edge. After a missed Sun Devils jumper, Kyla Abraham hit two more free throws for Baylor to make it 65-62 with 19 seconds left, setting the stage for the frantic finish.

Defensively, both teams were active, each recording six steals. Baylor won the rebounding battle 40-35, with forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs pulling down a game-high 11 rebounds. Arizona State’s Deborah Davenport had two steals and a block in 18 minutes.

The win keeps Baylor in the thick of the Big 12 title race, while Arizona State dropped its second close conference road game in three weeks. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Baylor was projected with a 95.2% probability to win.

Baylor next hosts Texas Christian on Thursday. Arizona State returns home to face Utah on Wednesday.