Former Big 12 Foes Baylor and Oklahoma Clash in Crown Semifinals

The two teams meet in Las Vegas after advancing through the quarterfinals.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 11:10pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a college basketball game in motion, with overlapping planes of orange, blue, and green representing the players and action on the court.The historic rivalry between Oklahoma and Baylor is renewed in the Crown semifinals, as the former Big 12 foes battle for a spot in the championship game.Waco Today

Former Big 12 rivals Oklahoma and Baylor will square off in the College Basketball Crown semifinals on Saturday in Las Vegas. Both teams were members of the Big 12 for 28 years before the Sooners left for the SEC ahead of the 2024-25 season. Oklahoma and Baylor advanced to the semifinals with quarterfinal wins on Wednesday, setting up the matchup between the longtime conference opponents.

Why it matters

The clash between Oklahoma and Baylor renews a longstanding rivalry from their days in the Big 12 conference. The two teams have a history of competitive matchups, and their meeting in the Crown semifinals adds another chapter to the rivalry as they vie for a spot in the tournament final.

The details

Oklahoma (20-15) topped Colorado 90-86 in overtime in the quarterfinals, with Nijel Pack scoring the Sooners' first six points in OT. Tae Davis (19 points), Xzayvier Brown (17), and Kuol Atak (16) also contributed to the balanced Oklahoma attack. Baylor (17-16) defeated Minnesota 67-48 in the quarterfinals, with Tounde Yessoufou scoring 19 points and Obi Agbim knocking down five 3-pointers for 17 points. The Bears committed just five turnovers and limited the Golden Gophers to 13.0% shooting from beyond the arc.

  • The semifinal matchup between Oklahoma and Baylor will take place on Saturday, April 5, 2026.
  • Oklahoma and Baylor last met on February 13, 2024, with Baylor winning 79-62 in Waco, Texas.

The players

Nijel Pack

A key player for Oklahoma who scored the Sooners' first six points in overtime to help them defeat Colorado in the quarterfinals.

Tounde Yessoufou

Baylor's leading scorer in the quarterfinal win over Minnesota, netting 19 points to spark the Bears' second-half surge.

Porter Moser

The head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, who praised his team's ability to grind out the quarterfinal win over Colorado.

Scott Drew

The head coach of the Baylor Bears, who acknowledged Oklahoma's strong play in the tournament and the history between the two former Big 12 rivals.

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What they’re saying

“We got some stops down the stretch but we were really rusty offensively. To stick with it, being down 10, we've been there before, just knowing you're going to win by getting stops.”

— Porter Moser, Oklahoma Head Coach

“They're playing great basketball.”

— Scott Drew, Baylor Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of the Oklahoma-Baylor semifinal will advance to the championship game of the College Basketball Crown tournament on Sunday, April 6, 2026.

The takeaway

The semifinal matchup between former Big 12 rivals Oklahoma and Baylor adds another chapter to their longstanding basketball rivalry. Both teams have shown resilience and balanced scoring in their tournament runs, setting up an intriguing clash as they vie for a spot in the final.