No. 5/6 WBB Cruises to 101-52 Victory over Jackson State

Sunday, March 21

San Antonio, Texas

3 p.m.

Baylor

26-2,17-1Big 12

101

Jackson State

19-6,15-1SWAC

Jackson St.

Baylor

101

No. 5/6 WBB Cruises to 101-52 Victory over Jackson State

3/21/2021 5:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score WBB_28_Jackson State

Lady Bears advance to face No. 7-seed Virginia Tech in Round of 32

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            SAN ANTONIO – Walking out on the Alamodome South Court for the first time, Moon Ursin "took it all in and took a deep breath."
            Going 3-for-3 from 3-point range and scoring 11 of her career-high 24 points in the first quarter, the senior guard helped the second-seeded Baylor Lady Bears (26-2) jump out to a 19-point lead and look every bit the part of defending national champions in a 101-52 rout of Jackson State in Sunday's NCAA Tournament first-round game.
            "It's playoff time," said Ursin, who scored a point per minute and added six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. "We have to send a message early, not only for other teams but for ourselves. We want to get out hot, we want to start out and fast. That's how we get momentum, that's how we get into the flow of things."
            That message came through loud and clear on an opening day of the women's tournament that was all-chalk. The higher-seeded teams went 16-0, including lopsided wins by No. 1 seeds Stanford, UConn, South Carolina and North Carolina State, but none any bigger than Baylor's 49-point spread.
            After spending five days cooped up in a hotel, Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said it was like the horses in the Kentucky Derby when "they're in those gates and they're kind of chomping at the bit to get out of it."
            "I think having been here since Tuesday night, our kids were just ready to play. I was ready to be on that sideline. It's been a long time," said Mulkey, whose team has won 18 in row overall and seven-straight in the NCAA Tournament going back to its national championship run in 2019.
            Winning its 18^th-straight opening-round game, Baylor advances to the Round of 32 and will face seventh-seeded Virginia Tech (15-9) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Bill Greehey Arena in San Antonio. The Hokies held off a fourth-quarter rally to defeat Marquette, 70-63, behind a 23-point scoring performance from 6-5 sophomore post Elizabeth Kitley.
            Mulkey said Baylor's 18-1 record in NCAA Tournament first-round games is "just expectations, it's understanding that you prepare each game throughout the course of the year, and the playoffs are no different."
            "We spent as much time on Jackson State as we will spend on Virginia Tech and whoever we have the opportunity to play if we keep winning," she said.
            Ursin hit back-to-back 3-pointers to push the Lady Bears' lead to 12-4, then drained another one in a closing 10-2 run that put Baylor comfortably ahead, 29-10.
            "If they want to sag off, we're going to make them pay," Ursin said.
            The early buckets by Ursin and NaLyssa Smith, who scored nine of her 18 points in the first quarter, "just gives them a little bit of confidence and it allows them to relax a little bit."
            "Particularly when you have Moon and then you have (DiJonai) Carrington on the other wing," Mulkey said, "and those guys hit their first couple of shots, it makes us a more dangerous team and it gives them a lot of confidence."
            Smith recorded her second double-double in an NCAA Tournament game with 18 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks and was an efficient 8-of-9 from the floor.
            "NaLyssa Smith can run the floor with the best of guards, she can rebound with the best of post players," Mulkey said. "She can face you up, she can play with her back to the basket. You're seeing an All-American out there."
            Up by 27 at halftime, Baylor closed the third quarter on a 16-1 run and then got back-to-back treys from Sarah Andrews and Caitlin Bickle to give the Lady Bears their biggest lead of the day, 97-45. They missed several chances to pass the century mark for just the third time in an NCAA Tournament game before Jaden Owens knocked down two free throws with 1.3 seconds left.
            Sophomore guard Jordyn Oliver scored 14 points in her first NCAA Tournament game and added seven rebounds, four steals and three assists in 20 minutes off the bench.
            "I watch and evaluate every day in practic3, shoot-around, I don't care what it is," Mulkey said. "Jordyn Oliver got my attention this week. She can relive DiDi (Richards at point guard), she can go and play the off-guard. She penetrates zones very well. And starting out, they played a lot of zone. She gets to the paint and can elevate and make that shot."
            Keshuna Luckett scored a team-high 15 points for the Lady Tigers (18-6), while 6-4 senior center Ameshya Williams had a double-double with 14 points and 14 boards. Baylor dominated the rebounding battle, 59-35, and scored 27 second-chance points on 20 offensive boards.
            "In the NCAA Tournament, you're going to learn quickly there are players that you better block out, better understand they're going to jump with you," Mulkey said.