Women's Basketball Team Breaks Into Top 25
1/8/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2001
For the first time in 23 years and the first time since NCAA competition began for women's basketball, the Baylor Lady Bears have broken into the Associated Press' Top 25 at No. 23.
The Lady Bears, at 13-0, are one of only three NCAA I programs (UCONN, Notre Dame) with undefeated records. Baylor recently opened Big 12 play with two victories matching their Big 12 win total of last season. They defeated Oklahoma State (81-69) in the Ferrell Center and beat Kansas (85-80) in Lawrence for the first time.
First year head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson's Lady Bears are led by juniors Sheila Lambert and Danielle Crockrom who rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the powerful Big 12 in scoring. Lambert averages 24.5 a game while Crockrom scores 21.5. Crockrom also leads the Big 12 in rebounding at 12.8.
Prior to today's poll, Baylor had never been ranked in the top 25 in NCAA competition but had received votes during the 1997-98 season and at the beginning of the 1998-99 campaign.
Back in the days of AIAW competition Baylor was ranked in the AP's Top 20. During the 1976-77 season Baylor was ranked as high as 12th nationally (twice). The last time they were ranked 12th was on Mar. 16, 1977. They began the 1977-78 season ranked 15th but fell out of the rankings for good after being ranked No. 18 on Jan. 25, 1978.
"The ranking brings welcome recognition to our program. However, it's a long season and means nothing if we can't continue to win basketball games and get into the upper echelons of the Big 12," Mulkey-Robertson said.
