Baylor’s Mulkey the quickest to win 600 in Division I
LUBBOCK — Baylor’s Kim Mulkey became the fastest Division I men’s or women’s coach to 600 wins, reaching the milestone when Juicy Landrum scored 19 points to lift the No. 2 Lady Bears to a 77-62 victory over Texas Tech on Tuesday night.
The Lady Bears (24-1, 13-0 Big 12) broke open a tie game by scoring the first seven points of the fourth quarter.
Mulkey, 57, earned her 600th victory in her 700th game, four games faster than Adolph Rupp with the Kentucky men. Mulkey, now 600-100 and in her 20th season, won her third national championship last season. Rupp won four titles and 876 games from 1930-72.
“Thirty wins, 20 years, I can’t comprehend that,” said Mulkey, the only women’s coach to win national titles as a player — with Louisiana Tech — and coach.
“I’m thinking about the next game. The next championship. To put it in perspective, I’m humbled. But coaches don’t stop and smell the roses really until they retire. How much I have left in the old tank, I don’t know. But I’m not on empty.”
Connecticut women’s coach Geno Auriemma has won 11 national championships and 1,083 games in his 35 years with the Huskies. His 600th win came in his 716th game in 2006.
CINCINNATI 74, HOUSTON 65
Julia Blackshell-Fair had a monstrous game with 23 points, seven rebounds and seven steals, but the Cougars’ offense couldn’t keep up with the hotshooting Bearcats in a loss at Fertitta Center.
Tatyana Hill added 12 points for Houston (12-15, 5-8 American Athletic Conference), which allowed Cincinnati to shoot 50.9 percent from the floor.
Men BAYLOR 65, OKLAHOMA 54
Jared Butler scored 22 points, and the No. 1 Bears beat the host Sooners for their Big 12-record 23rd consecutive win.
Baylor broke a tie with Kansas, which won 22 straight during the 1996-97 season.
Mark Vital had 10 points, and Freddie Gillespie grabbed 10 rebounds for Baylor (24-1, 13-0).
ILLINOIS 62, PENN ST. 56
Ayo Dosunmu had 24 points, and the visiting Fighting Illini ended a four-game skid with an upset of the No. 9 Nittany Lions.
DAYTON 66, VCU 61
Jalen Crutcher scored 18 points, and the No. 5 Flyers held off a late challenge and beat the host Rams for their 15th consecutive victory.
MARYLAND 76 NORTHWESTERN 67
Jalen Smith had 22 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, and the No. 7 Terrapins beat the visiting Wildcats to extend their winning streak to nine games.
FLORIDA ST. 82, PITTSBURGH 67
Patrick Williams scored 16 points, and the No. 8 Seminoles pulled away in the second half the visiting Panthers.
CREIGHTON 73, MARQUETTE 65
Ty-Shon Alexander scored 22 points, leading the No. 15 Bluejays over the 19th-ranked Golden Eagles in Milwaukee.
WEST VIRGINIA 65 OKLAHOMA ST. 47
Miles McBride had 11 points in his first start, and the No. 17 Mountaineers beat the visiting Cowboys.
KENTUCKY 79, LSU 76
Immanuel Quickley scored 21 points, and the No. 10 Wildcats edged the host Tigers.