WACO, TX — Baylor junior All-American power forward Lauren Cox will not require surgery after medical staff evaluated an injury to the left knee suffered in the third quarter of Sunday’s NCAA Division I national title game.
Dr. Brad Gilliam of Southwest Sports Medicine Orthopedics in Waco evaluated Cox Monday afternoon, which included an MRI scan. Gilliam determined that the Flower Mound, Texas native suffered an MCL sprain with bone bruising.
While there is no surgery required, there is also no time table for a return.
Baylor led 62-50 in the third quarter when Cox went down and eventually held on for the third national title in the program’s history. Cox had played a key role all season long, left the game with eight points, eight rebounds and three blocks, and despite exiting early helped anchor Baylor in a thrilling 82-81 victory over Notre Dame.
Cox was named as a third-team All-American by the USBWA and Associated Press while earning honorable mention honors from the WBCA. She is the two-time defending Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was the WBCA’s Katrina McClain Award finalist for the second-straight year for nation’s top power forward.
