Box Score THE RUNDOWN
WACO, Texas (AP) - - Kristy Wallace scored 24 points with six 3-pointers in her return for ninth-ranked BAYLOR after the Australian freshman missed five games to play for her homeland team, and the Lady Bears beat Idaho 88-70 on Wednesday night.
Nina Davis added 21 points and Niya Johnson 15 points and nine assists for the Lady Bears, who have won six games in a row.
Wallace had three 3s in the final 6:25 of the first half, when the Lady Bears (7-1) used a 20-12 run to finally get some separation against Idaho (4-4). The Australian guard had an assist on the opening basket after halftime for a 41-30 lead.
Stacey Barr, who like Wallace is a guard from Australia but is a senior, had 31 points with five 3-pointers for Idaho (4-4). Ali Forde added 14 points.
Wallace was back at practice Tuesday with the Lady Bears after being in Fiji competing with Australia's Jayco Gems, who went undefeated in a qualifying tournament to earn a spot in the FIBA Under 19 World Championship next summer.
After Wallace picked up a loose ball under the BAYLOR basket for a layup with 18:12 left in the game, she was in a stretch of less than two minutes when she also had a steal that led to a nifty bounce pass to Davis for a basket, then had consecutive baskets - a long jumper and a 3-pointer.
Idaho started 4-of-6 shooting and led 11-7 on Forde's basket that led into the first media timeout with 15:51 left. The Vandals then missed their next eight shots until the next media timeout and trailed 15-11.
A 3-pointer by Barr snapped their shooting drought at nine misses in a row, then she made another to tie the game at 17. But Alexis Prince then made a tie-breaking long jumper with 8:55 left in the half to put BAYLOR ahead to stay.
Christina Salvatore had 11 points and Connie Ballestero 10 for Idaho.
TIP-INS
Idaho: The Vandals are 0-20 in their history against Top 25 teams, including an 82-37 loss in Waco five years ago. .. Idaho is back in the Big Sky Conference after 11 seasons in the WAC, where they Vandals were conference champions.
BAYLOR: The Lady Bears entered the game outscoring opponents by 38 points a game, the highest margin in the country.
UP NEXT
Idaho plays at Toledo on Saturday.
BAYLOR is home Sunday against Stephen F. Austin.
HIGHLIGHTS
? Idaho's 10 3-point field goals were the most allowed by the Lady Bears since Dec. 3, 2013 when San Jose State hit 13 on 27 attempts.
? Baylor's seven 3-points field goals were a season high (Wallace, 6).
? Baylor tied a season-high with seven blocks (Abuke, 4.)
? Nina Davis finished with 21 points, marking the 39th time in her career she's reached double figures, and she has at least 11 points in every game this season. It was the 10th game in her career with at least 20 points.
? Kristy Wallace returned to the Lady Bears for the first time since Nov. 17 at Kentucky; she finished with a season-high 24 points off the bench and earned double-figures for the second time in three games.
? Wallace hit six 3-pointers on the night, which matched last year's season high for a Baylor player, achieved five times (Odyssey Sims 4, Makenzie Robertson 1).
? Wallace's five assists and five rebounds were season highs.
? Niya Johnson reached double figures for the first time in 2014-15, finishing with 15 points. It was her sixth-career game to finish with at least 10 points and the first since Baylor's Sweet 16 game with Kentucky, March 29 (11).
? Johnson averaged five assists through the first three games for the Lady Bears; after recording nine Wednesday, she's averaging 9.8 over the past four contests.
? Imani Wright tied a season-high with six assists (vs. Utah State, Nov. 28).
? Sune Abuke grabbed a season-high eight rebounds and led the team in that category for the 15th time in her career.
? Abuke matched a season-high four blocks for the second-straight game.
STAT OF THE GAME
39-4: Advantage in bench points for Baylor.
TWEET OF THE GAME
WHAT'S NEXT
Baylor hosts Stephen F. Austin Sunday (Dec. 14) at 2 p.m. CT.
