Baylor pounds Vols for 45th straight home victory

Brittney Griner scored the first six points of the game and third-ranked Baylor had the first 17, extending its home winning streak to 45 in a row with a 76-53 victory over 10th-ranked Tennessee on Tuesday night in Waco.

Griner finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds, her third consecutive double-double and 47th of her career. Brooklyn Pope had 11 points and 16 rebounds.

Griner, the 6-foot-8 two-time All-American, had nine of Baylor’s first 11 points less than 4 minutes into the game. The Lady Bears (9-1) won their seventh in a row since losing to top-ranked Stanford a week into the season.

Tennessee (7-2) had won seven in a row, including four games against Top 25 teams, since opening its first season under new head coach Holly Warlick with a loss at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

In a rematch of last year’s NCAA regional final, a 77-58 Lady Bears victory in what was Tennessee coach Pat Summitt’s final game last March, the Lady Vols trailed 41-16 at the half.

That was the largest halftime deficit in Lady Vols history.

No. 14 Louisville 75, Washington State 39: Sara Hammond scored 18 points as the Cardinals (10-2) routed the visiting Cougars (3-6).

No. 16 Dayton 90, Akron 59: Andrea Hoover and Cassie Sant scored 18 points as the visiting Flyers (11-0) beat the Zips (8-3). Rachel Tecca led Akron with 13 points.