No. 7 Bears Flog the Frogs 80-55
WACO, Texas — The No. 7 Baylor women’s basketball team (20-5, 10-3) pulled away from the TCU (6-16, 2-11) Horned Frogs to win their 10th conference game, and 20th game overall for the season, 80-55.
Queen Egbo had a poster double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bears, and she was closely followed by NaLyssa Smith with 20 points of her own and 10 boards to boot.
The game was close throughout the first half, with the Horned Frogs outshooting the Bears and cashing in with some bank shots.
For a quick second, TCU looked like they might build a small lead with a 9-2 run early in the second quarter. However, a Ja’Mee Asberry three and a Caitlin Bickle charge sparked a 7-0 response by the Bears.
Heading into the half, Baylor was up 33-30 and Egbo had already registered 14 points and 6 rebounds. Egbo’s defense, particularly in the second quarter was phenomenal, and her game as a whole tonight was a driving force for the home team.
TCU shot 39% from deep compared to the Bears’ 27% in the half, which was keeping the game close.
Then, in the second half, Baylor created some distance. A 9-0 run at the end of the third quarter had the Bears up 59-47. And there were no plans to slow down.
“We knew it would come,” said Egbo after the game, and they kept it coming into the fourth quarter.
The green and gold opened the final frame on a 10-2 run to create a 20 point lead at 69-49.
From there, TCU pressed and Baylor cruised. Sarah Andrews nearly registered a double-double with 8 points and 9 assists. Jordan Lewis registered 14 points and 6 boards, while Asberry finished with 11 points of her own.
Kendra Gillispie and Andrea Katramados even got some game time at the end of the fourth
quarter, with Katramados hitting a three to cap off Baylor’s strong night. Those were Katramados’ first points of her career.
The Bears now have yet another 20-win season and are won their way to plenty more victories, possibly even another Big 12 Championship with the losses of Iowa State and Oklahoma tonight.
“I’m grateful to be back where we controlled our own destiny,” Coach Nicki Collen said after the game, “We’ve got a tough schedule down the stretch but we just have to take care of each game”.
Up next on that journey is a rematch with TCU in Fort Worth on Saturday. That game will tip-off at 1 PM CT and will be available on ESPN+.