Historic performance propels Baylor into the Round of 32

STORRS, Conn. -- Caitlin Bickle stepped to the charity stripe with an opportunity to give Baylor a 75-74 lead with 0:38 remaining in the game. The senior wasn’t the least bit phased under pressure as she connected on a pair of free throws that swung the momentum in the Bears' favor.

Fellow senior Ja’Mee Asberry put the dagger in Alabama 78-74,  behind an 18-point comeback — the third-largest in NCAA Tournament history — with a pair of free throws of her own to cap off her season-high 26 points.

Baylor (20-12) got off to a terrible start, as Alabama (20-11) opened up a 12-0 lead to start the game and held a 22-4 lead after one quarter of play. The Bears had no answer for Tide guard Brittany Davis, who scored a career-high 33 points. Davis had single-handedly outscored Baylor 22-21 with 4:25 remaining in the second quarter as Alabama comfortably led 37-21.

The Bears came out firing from downtown in the second quarter as they were 5-of-12 from behind the arc at halftime, but still trailed 41-30. Asberry sparked the second quarter resurgence connecting on 4-of-8 from the three point line.

Davis picked up her third foul of the night for Alabama and went to the bench with 8:30 remaining in the third quarter, which gave Baylor an opportunity to close the gap and get back in the game.

Sarah Andrews drilled a shot from behind the arc to give Baylor their first lead of the night 46-44 at the 5:35 mark of the third quarter. Andrews wasn’t just making noise on the offensive end, she also had a career night defensively with four blocks. 

Alabama called for Davis to return to the court, but Baylor had the juice. The three’s kept raining for Baylor, as well as the Tide, but Asberry made history with just over eight minutes remaining in the game, as Bickle grabbed a rebound and kicked the ball out to her fellow senior counterpart for her sixth three pointer of the night.

The bucket helped Asberry eclipse Baylor greats Alexis Jones, Odyssey Sims, and Emily Niemann, who each had five in tournament play – she would finish the night with a career high 7 made three-pointers. Andrews gave Baylor the lead once again on a transition bucket from downtown that put the Bears up 71-68 with 3:28 remaining in regulation.

The shot gave Baylor a record 14 three’s during an NCAA Tournament game.

Andrews and Bickle each finished the night with 14 points, while Bella Fontleroy chipped in 10 points on the night. Darianna Littlepage-Buggs injured her fingers early in the game, which resulted in them being taped up and her sitting for a majority of the second half, she finished with 5 points.

Baylor will now shift their focus towards second seed and host UConn (30-5), who dominated Vermont 95-52 behind a career-high 28-point performance from Aaliyah Edwards. The two juggernauts of Women’s College Basketball will square off on Monday in the round of 32.