LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech played two tough games against Baylor last season, losing by eight at home and by five in Waco. They were the two closest calls during the Lady Bears’ 40-0 season.
This one was a runaway.
Kelsi Baker scored 12 points for the Lady Raiders, but Brittney Griner had 40 points and 15 rebounds to lead No. 1 Baylor to a 90-60 victory on Wednesday night.
It was the Lady Bears’ 31st consecutive Big 12 regular-season victory. Texas Tech was the last team to beat Baylor during the regular season, topping the Lady Bears in 2011.
Texas Tech coach Kristy Curry said Griner and Baylor have grown a lot since that loss.
“I think her supporting cast,” she said. “Obviously she had 40, but (Jordan) Madden hits a couple of wide open 3s. They do a great job of cutting off of (Griner). Not only was Brittney scoring, but I thought they really made some great decisions off of her as well.”
Griner passed Oklahoma State’s Andrea Riley for the Big 12 women’s scoring record while collecting the first four points of the game, giving her 2,837 for her career. Riley had 2,835 points from 2007-2010.
It was Griner’s fourth career 40-point performance and 51st double-double.
Casey Morris scored 11 points for Texas Tech (16-5, 6-3), which had won four in a row.
“They just had a really good game,” Morris said. “We played defense like we should have. Every game might have some little breakdowns, but they were making everything. What’s good about it is we get to play them again in Waco, so we’re looking forward to that.”
Brooklyn Pope added 14 points for Baylor (19-1, 9-0).
Griner got the ball inside often and didn’t miss much. She was 17 for 25 from the field and 6 for 9 at the free-throw line. Baylor finished with 50 points in the paint, compared to 18 for Texas Tech.
Baylor scored 17 points off the Lady Raiders’ 13 turnovers, while the Lady Bears coughed up the ball eight times and Texas Tech got 10 points from them.
It was the second record in as many games for the 6-foot-8 Griner, who set the NCAA mark for career blocks in a home win over Oklahoma on Saturday.
She blocked seven shots against Texas Tech, giving her 30 in the last four games. She reached 40 points with a two-handed jam with 2:37 left in the game for her 12th career dunk, extending her NCAA record.
“Just happy to get the win really first,” Griner said. “My team did a good job of getting me the ball, good looks. When I didn’t have a shot they did a great job on cutting to the basket so I could find them. We were just clicking from the jump, we were on all cylinders.”
Texas Tech defended Griner as best it could, putting as many as three players on her when she got the ball inside. When she missed, there was plenty of rebounding help on the weak side of the basket for the Lady Bears to get another scoring opportunity.
Baylor outrebounded Texas Tech 51-37 and got 12 second-chance points. The Bears got 30 offensive rebounds.
It was Griner’s last game in Lubbock, where her first appearance four years ago made national news. She was ejected from the game after throwing a round-house punch at Texas Tech’s Jordan Barncastle.
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