No. 8 Baylor powers past No. 20 Kentucky
McCarty guides 2nd-ranked UT to easy win over Louisiana Tech
WACO — Kristy Wallace scored 15 of her 20 points in the first half, and ninth-ranked Baylor held No. 20 Kentucky without a field goal in the third quarter on the way to a 90-63 victory Thursday night in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
The Lady Bears outscored the Wildcats 23-6 in that decisive quarter, with Kentucky (6-1) missing all 13 of its shots from the floor.
Wallace led six players in double figures for the Lady Bears (6-1), who shot 54 percent (35-for-65) from the floor and 53 percent (9for-17) on 3-pointers. The senior guard from Australia had plenty of help in the backcourt, with Alexis Morris scoring 15 points and Juicy Landry 14.
Maci Morris had a game-high 22 points for Kentucky, which had four players in double figures and made 11 of 19 of its 3-pointers (58 percent). But the Wildcats shot only 32 percent overall after shooting only 8-for-40 inside the arc.
Baylor was up only 2521 in the second quarter when Kentucky was called for a flagrant foul. Wallace made the two free throws, Morris added layup to make it a four-point trip and start a 12-2 run.
The Wildcats were back within seven before Landrum made two 3s, and Wallace added one from long range in a 67-second span just before halftime for a 50-34 lead.
With the way the Lady Bears shot from the outside, Kentucky could not gang up on them inside. Baylor took advantage with a 36-10 advantage in the paint, with Kalani Brown, Lauren Cox and Dekeiya Cohen all scoring in double figures. Brown and Cox each had 13 points, and Cohen had 10 points with nine rebounds.
TEXAS 88 LOUISIANA TECH 54
Brooke McCarty had 15 points, five assists and five steals to lead the second-ranked Longhorns past the Bulldogs at Austin.
McCarty, a senior guard who was Big 12 player of the year last season, converted her first six shots, including three 3-pointers.
Guard Lashann Higgs scored 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting for Texas (6-0). Alecia Sutton added 10 points and five assists, and Ariel Atkins had eight points, seven assists and three blocks.
Taylor Stahly led Louisiana Tech (4-3) with 13 points, including three 3-pointers.
LSU 48, TEXAS TECH 40
Raigyne Louis scored 17 points as the Lady Tigers held the Lady Raiders in check at Lubbock in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Brielle Blaire and Recce’ Caldwell each scored 10 points for Tech (3-3).
DUKE 69, OHIO ST. 60
Lexie Brown and Rebecca Greenwell each scored 19 points to help the No. 14 Blue Devils beat the eighth-ranked Buckeyes at Durham, N.C., in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Erin Mathias had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Duke (6-1), which won after giving up a 17-point lead in the second half.
The Blue Devils led 52-35 before Ohio State answered with a 22-5 run to tie the game early in the fourth quarter.
Kelsey Mitchell scored 24 points to lead Ohio State (7-2).
LOUISVILLE 72, INDIANA 59
Myisha Hines-Allen had 25 points and 12 rebounds to help the No. 4 Cardinals use a big third quarter to beat the Hoosiers at Bloomington, Ind., in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Jazmine Jones had 12 points and seven rebounds for Louisville (7-0).
Jaelynn Penn led Indiana (4-3) with 17 points.
TENNESSEE 77 CENTRAL ARKANSAS 34
Mercedes Russell had 19 points and 10 rebounds as the No. 12 Lady Vols trounced the Bears at Knoxville, Tenn., to remain undefeated.
Tennessee is off to just its second 7-0 start in Holly Warlick’s six seasons as coach. Tennessee started 10-0 in 2013-14 and went on to finish 29-6 with a loss in the NCAA regional semifinals.