Sunday, December 2
Columbia, S.C.
6 p.m.
Baylor
94
at
69
South Carolina
No. 4/5 WBB Cruises Past No. 18/19 South Carolina
12/2/2018 8:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kalani Brown had 22 points and nine rebounds to lead Baylor.
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Most nights, the post tandem of Kalani Brown and Lauren Cox is the given for the fourth-ranked Baylor Lady Bears. The question mark is whether the guards can do enough to support them.
If Sunday's game is a good indication, yes, they can.
Chloe Jackson and Juicy Landrum combined to hit five of their first six shots and scored 34 points as the Lady Bears jumped out to a 13-point lead in the first four minutes and coasted to an impressive 94-69 win over No. 18/19 South Carolina before a crowd of 10,531 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.
"We're big, and you better worry about our post game, but you better not forget about our perimeter game," said Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, whose team improved to 7-0 with its second win over a ranked opponent. "When the game started, and they were challenged and they packed the paint, they didn't hesitate. I don't think it was just one or two trips down the floor. They were like, 'If you're going to leave us open, we're going to continue to shoot it.'''
In the first-ever meeting between two programs that have been among the nation's best over the last decade, Brown and Cox did their part as well. Rebounding from a rare off day, the 6-foot-7 Brown had 22 points and nine rebounds, while the 6-4 Cox tallied 10 points, eight boards and six assists.
"The guards were really working on getting the ball to us through difficult defenses," Brown said. "South Carolina came with a lot of different defenses and doubling, so we were working with the guards on getting us the ball even through the double (team)."
Jackson hit a pull-up jumper off the opening tip, just seven seconds into the game, and the Lady Bears never trailed. Landrum hit her first two 3-pointers and Jackson knocked down another mid-range jumper to give Baylor the early 16-3 lead.
"I knew to relieve the pressure (inside), we had to attack them," said Jackson, who scored 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting to go with seven assists, three rebounds and a steal. "I knew I couldn't be passive. I had to get after my mid-range game tonight."
Baylor's perimeter players combined for 21 first-quarter points, including a layup by freshman Aquira DeCosta. After missing the first six games with a knee injury, DeCosta had two points and three rebounds in 15 minutes in her collegiate debut.
"This was a step forward in (all) of their confidence," Mulkey said, referring to 10 of the 12 players scoring in the game. "Aquira got valuable minutes. To watch kids grow and become more comfortable, that's all you can do as a coach. . . . On the defensive end of the floor, we still have to get better. We have to quit allowing dribble penetration and letting them drive middle. We still have to get better. it was a good test for us today."
Baylor led 32-13 after the first quarter, the most points South Carolina (4-4) has ever given up in any quarter. Using more of a high-low attack with the posts, the Lady Bears stretched it to 57-35 at the half and shot a sizzling 65 percent (24-of-37) in the first two quarters.
The Lady Bears hit just six buckets and scored 14 points in the third quarter, but they did take their biggest lead of the game, 69-39, on a three-point play by Brown with 4:32 to go. Cooling off to 44 percent shooting in the second half (15-of-34), Baylor only outscored the Gamecocks, 37-34, over the last two quarters and won a tight rebounding battle, 42-39.
"We talk about how to handle yourself when the crowd gets into it," Mulkey said. "Keep a cool head and a hot game. When you make shots like we did to start the game, the crowd can't get into it. That's a credit to those kids in that locker room."
Sophomore guard Moon Ursin was 2-of-2 from outside the arc and scored nine points off the bench, while sophomore DiDi Richards had a solid all-around game with seven points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Baylor gets the next nine days off before hosting Morehead State (7-2) on Dec. 12 in a noon game at the Ferrell Center.
Mulkey of the Lady Bears and Dawn Staley of the Gamecocks are the only women to play and coach in the NCAA Women's Final Four.
Baylor Bear Insider
Most nights, the post tandem of Kalani Brown and Lauren Cox is the given for the fourth-ranked Baylor Lady Bears. The question mark is whether the guards can do enough to support them.
If Sunday's game is a good indication, yes, they can.
Chloe Jackson and Juicy Landrum combined to hit five of their first six shots and scored 34 points as the Lady Bears jumped out to a 13-point lead in the first four minutes and coasted to an impressive 94-69 win over No. 18/19 South Carolina before a crowd of 10,531 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C.
"We're big, and you better worry about our post game, but you better not forget about our perimeter game," said Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, whose team improved to 7-0 with its second win over a ranked opponent. "When the game started, and they were challenged and they packed the paint, they didn't hesitate. I don't think it was just one or two trips down the floor. They were like, 'If you're going to leave us open, we're going to continue to shoot it.'''
In the first-ever meeting between two programs that have been among the nation's best over the last decade, Brown and Cox did their part as well. Rebounding from a rare off day, the 6-foot-7 Brown had 22 points and nine rebounds, while the 6-4 Cox tallied 10 points, eight boards and six assists.
"The guards were really working on getting the ball to us through difficult defenses," Brown said. "South Carolina came with a lot of different defenses and doubling, so we were working with the guards on getting us the ball even through the double (team)."
Jackson hit a pull-up jumper off the opening tip, just seven seconds into the game, and the Lady Bears never trailed. Landrum hit her first two 3-pointers and Jackson knocked down another mid-range jumper to give Baylor the early 16-3 lead.
"I knew to relieve the pressure (inside), we had to attack them," said Jackson, who scored 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting to go with seven assists, three rebounds and a steal. "I knew I couldn't be passive. I had to get after my mid-range game tonight."
Baylor's perimeter players combined for 21 first-quarter points, including a layup by freshman Aquira DeCosta. After missing the first six games with a knee injury, DeCosta had two points and three rebounds in 15 minutes in her collegiate debut.
"This was a step forward in (all) of their confidence," Mulkey said, referring to 10 of the 12 players scoring in the game. "Aquira got valuable minutes. To watch kids grow and become more comfortable, that's all you can do as a coach. . . . On the defensive end of the floor, we still have to get better. We have to quit allowing dribble penetration and letting them drive middle. We still have to get better. it was a good test for us today."
Baylor led 32-13 after the first quarter, the most points South Carolina (4-4) has ever given up in any quarter. Using more of a high-low attack with the posts, the Lady Bears stretched it to 57-35 at the half and shot a sizzling 65 percent (24-of-37) in the first two quarters.
The Lady Bears hit just six buckets and scored 14 points in the third quarter, but they did take their biggest lead of the game, 69-39, on a three-point play by Brown with 4:32 to go. Cooling off to 44 percent shooting in the second half (15-of-34), Baylor only outscored the Gamecocks, 37-34, over the last two quarters and won a tight rebounding battle, 42-39.
"We talk about how to handle yourself when the crowd gets into it," Mulkey said. "Keep a cool head and a hot game. When you make shots like we did to start the game, the crowd can't get into it. That's a credit to those kids in that locker room."
Sophomore guard Moon Ursin was 2-of-2 from outside the arc and scored nine points off the bench, while sophomore DiDi Richards had a solid all-around game with seven points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Baylor gets the next nine days off before hosting Morehead State (7-2) on Dec. 12 in a noon game at the Ferrell Center.
Mulkey of the Lady Bears and Dawn Staley of the Gamecocks are the only women to play and coach in the NCAA Women's Final Four.
Players Mentioned
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