Baylor 79, Providence 68: Cory Jefferson matched his career high with 26 points and the second-seeded Bears pulled away from the visiting Friars in the final four minutes to win an NIT quarterfinal.

Pierre Jackson added 20 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds for Baylor (21-14), which will play third-seeded BYU in the semifinals Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

Bryce Cotton scored 23 points to lead fourth-seeded Providence (19-15). Vincent Council added a season-high 21 points and Kadeem Batts finished with 20 points and eight rebounds for the Friars.

Baylor led by as many as eight points with 7:16 remaining in the first half, but Providence came back to tie it at 38 on Cotton’s 3-pointer with one second left in the session.

The Friars erased a pair of seven-point leads by Baylor early in the second half and eventually took a 58-56 lead on another 3-pointer by Cotton with 9:48 left. But Jackson’s three-point play with 3:57 remaining ignited a 7-0 run that finished off Providence.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Baylor has won at least three postseason games for the fourth time in the last five years. The Bears advanced to the NIT finals in 2009 and the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 2010 and 2012, losing to the eventual champion each time. … Baylor senior guard A.J. Walton tied Quincy Acy (2008-2012) for the most games played at the school (139). … Providence came in ranked 260th in 3-point shooting (31.3 percent) and shot 4-for-18 against the Bears.