KANSAS STATE 57, NO. 10 BAYLOR 56: Angel Rodriguez finished with a team-high 15 points and six assists for the Wildcats (18-8, 7-7 Big 12), whose NCAA Tournament hopes received a much-needed boost, with an upset of fading Baylor.

Trailing 56-55 late, Jordan Henriquez put the Wildcats on top for good on a dunk with 1:55 left. Neither team made another basket the rest of the way, and Quincy Miller’s short jumper with two seconds left caromed off the rim.

The Bears (22-5, 9-5 Big 12) are now three back of Kansas and Missouri in the loss column with just four to play.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, likely punched their ticket to the Big Dance barring a collapse down the stretch. They brought a two-game losing streak into this one and had also lost four of six overall.

Rodney McGruder scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half for Kansas State, which improved to 3-4 in conference road games. Rodriguez, who had zero points and a career-high seven turnovers in K-State’s 59-53 loss to Kansas on Monday, added four steals.

Baylor, which trailed 32-28 at the half, was led by Quincy Acy’s 14 points. Brady Heslip had 13 points and Miller added 12 points and seven rebounds.

The game had 14 lead changes, and it appeared that Baylor might have been on its way to a season sweep over the Wildcats when Pierre Jackson made a 3-pointer with 2:18 left.

But the Wildcats, as they did all day, responded on the other end.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Baylor fell to 2-5 in games when trailing at the half and to 7-2 in games decided by five points or less … K-State improved to 2-2 against ranked opponents this season … The Bears shot 4-of-13 from 3-point range … Baylor and K-State had a combined 34 turnovers … Henriquez had three blocks, which puts him in a tie for first on the Wildcats all-time block list with 121.