No. 7 Iowa State Holds Off Baylor, 72-69

Milan Momcilovic scores 21 points as Cyclones win fifth straight

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Milan Momcilovic scored 21 points and Joshua Jefferson added 15 as No. 7 Iowa State held off a late rally by Baylor to win 72-69 on Saturday. The Cyclones led by as many as 14 points in the second half before Baylor cut the deficit to 3 with a last-second 3-pointer, but Iowa State was able to hang on for the victory, their fifth consecutive win.

Why it matters

The win keeps Iowa State, ranked 7th in the nation, in the hunt for a high seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament. Baylor, meanwhile, falls to 13-10 on the season and 3-8 in Big 12 play, making it increasingly difficult for the Bears to earn a tournament berth.

The details

Momcilovic had 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-6 from 3-point range. Jefferson added 15 points and 5 rebounds for the Cyclones. Iowa State led by as many as 14 points in the second half before Baylor made a late push, cutting the deficit to 3 on a 3-pointer by Tounde Yessoufou with 1 second left. However, the Cyclones were able to hold on for the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
  • Iowa State led 37-33 at halftime.

The players

Milan Momcilovic

A key player for No. 7 Iowa State, scoring 21 points in the win.

Joshua Jefferson

Contributed 15 points and 5 rebounds for the Cyclones.

Tounde Yessoufou

Baylor player who hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds to cut the deficit to 3 points.

Cameron Carr

Led Baylor with 24 points in the loss.

Obi Agbim

Baylor player who scored 15 points in the game.

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What’s next

Iowa State will visit TCU on Tuesday, while Baylor will host No. 16 BYU on the same day.

The takeaway

Despite the close finish, this win keeps Iowa State, a top-10 team, on track for a high NCAA tournament seed, while Baylor's tournament hopes took a hit with the loss, their 8th in Big 12 play this season.