The ninth-ranked Kansas State Wildcats (25-6; 12-5) and the 21st-ranked Baylor Bears (25-6; 12-5) are slated to collide Friday evening in the semifinal round of the 2010 Big 12 Tournament from the Sprint Center in Kansas City. Baylor was dominant in yesterday's 86-67 quarterfinal romp over sixth-seeded Texas. The Wildcats crushed Oklahoma State by an 83-64 final in yesterday's quarterfinal round.

Through 31 games, the Bears are scoring 77.7 ppg while allowing only 65.4 ppg on 38.1 percent shooting by foes. They are outrebounding foes by 6.9 rpg. They figure to give the Wildcats, who escaped with a thrilling 76-74 win in Waco back on Jan. 26 all they can handle. In that meeting, the Wildcats shot 52% (11-for-21) from behind the arc, while the Bears were cold, only connecting on 21% (3-for-14) of their attempts. Don’t expect such a disparity this time around.

This should be a slugfest, as both teams resemble each other, with athletic frontcourts, and experienced backcourts. However, I’ll give the slight edge to the Bears who continue to impress in this type of setting. The Bears are playing with a lot of confidence right now, and they seemed primed to exact some revenge on the Wildcats behind a solid performance from their magnificent trio. Look for the Bears to find a way in a game that could very well come down to the last possession. Play on the Baylor Bears for 1 unit. Good luck to all.

San Diego State (23-8; 12-5), winners of three straight, seven of its last eight games (7-1)?and nine of its last 11 (9-2), looks to improve its postseason resume and advance to the Conoco Mountain West Conference championship game for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in the 11-year history of the league on Friday when the Aztecs take on top-seeded New Mexico (29-3; 15-2) in the first semifinal game at the Thomas and Mack Center on the campus of UNLV.

The Aztecs defeated Colorado State for the third time this season and the seventh consecutive outing with a 72-71 victory in Thursday's quarterfinals, while the Lobos held off Air Force, 75-69 in their quarterfinal match-up. The teams split the regular-season games, with the Aztecs winning 74-64 at Viejas Arena on Jan. 5 and the Lobos claiming an 88-86 overtime victory at The Pit. Friday’s rubber match should be a classic, and while the marketplace list the Lobos as the morning favorite, I think we’ll end up seeing an upset when the clock strikes 00:00.

The Lobos should be the favorite at your favorite sports book, after putting together a stellar season under head coach Steve Alford. However, the Lobos were fortunate to earn a split with the Aztecs this season. The Aztecs match-up well with the athletic Lobos, and they appear to be peaking at the right time despite last night’s close call.

As of this writing and depending on what guru you listen to, the Aztecs are either part of the “last four in” or the “first four out”. Regardless, a win tonight against the Lobos would all but seal the deal. Coach Fisher and his team have been looking forward to this rubber-match and are well aware of the opportunity that lies in front of them. Look for an inspired effort from the Aztecs that proves to be the difference and results in them advancing to tomorrow’s Final. Play on the San Diego Aztecs for 1 unit. Good luck to all.