Lady Bears roar past KSU in Big 12 Tournament
Freshman Alexis Morris started in place of the injured Kristy Wallace, but that was no problem as Baylor defeated Kansas State 83-54 in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament.
The Wildcats went to a zone defense early, but penetration by Morris and crisp passing from forwards Kalani Brown and Lauren Cox brought a 20 plus point lead early.
Coach Kim Mulkey sat the pair for much of the second, but freshman Didi Richards and senior Dekeiya Cohen tacked on to Baylor’s more than 40 points in the paint while holding the Wildcats to less than half that in the same area.
The second half there was not much different. Kansas State was scoreless for the first six minutes of competition.
Baylor led 70-33 after three quarters which allowed Mulkey to rest Cox and Brown.
That put freshmen Morris, Richards, and Moon Ursin on the floor at the same time. The trio was sometimes exposed inside, but were able to stave off a KSU run.
Natalie Chou checked in with two minutes to play. Chou is still wearing a soft cast from a wrist surgery earlier in the year. Doctors cleared her to play before the regular season finale against WVU.
That’s not the only surprising sub, managers Darryln McDonough and Michelle Kahue even suited up and played the last minute for the Lady Bears.
Baylor will play TCU in the Big 12 Tournament Semifinals Sunday, Mar 4 at 2:00p.m..
