Big 12 Tournament 2012 Scores: Perry Jones III Will Keep Baylor Going vs. Kansas

Perry Jones III has taken criticism in some circles this season for being a soft player. Yet here he is, after leading Baylor to an impressive 82-74 win over Kansas State in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals, with Kansas, the big boys on the block, waiting in the wings. 

With all eyes focused on him during the Bears' first conference tournament game, Jones decided to show the world why he is one of the best big men in the college basketball. He dropped 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to carry the team. 

We have seen him do this before, so it is not a surprise. Where he has to get better is against the best teams in the conference. 

Baylor has had problems this season against Kansas and Missouri, the top two teams in the Big 12. That is not exactly a bad thing—a lot of teams struggled against them. But if they want to take the next step, eventually they have to beat a great team. 

This will be the Bears' third crack at Kansas, with the first two not being particularly close. They lost by an average of 16 points, and Jones was held to just 23 points in the two games, including five when they played in Waco on February 8. 

Jason King of ESPN.com wrote about Jones and his path to Baylor. He describes the emotional journey that Jones went through picking colleges, and the harsh criticism he faces each time he steps on the court. 

Jones is a practical human being. He seems to understand that playing basketball is great, but it is far from the only thing in his life. That attitude leads to the criticisms about being soft or not being focused on basketball 24/7. 

Yet now Jones has a chance to silence all the critics with a third game against the preeminent program in the Big 12. 

Considering how focused Jones was against Kansas State on Thursday, it would be foolish to bet against him. 

Kansas is a deeper team than the Bears, and Bill Self's squad won't go down without a fight. But when all is said and done, Jones is ready to leave his mark on Baylor and the Big 12. This will be his time to show the world what he is all about, and the Bears will roll into the finals of the conference tournament. 

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