Baylor women rout TCU, grab share of Big 12 title

WACO -- Decked out in pink from head to toe, stylish Baylor coach Kim Mulkey mostly just watched from her signature crouch on the sideline while Brittney Griner and plenty of reserves put the Lady Bears on the brink of another Big 12 title.

Griner had 22 points and 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes, No. 1 Baylor held TCU to 26 percent shooting and the Lady Bears clinched at least a share of the league's regular-season championship with a 78-45 victory on Saturday.

Mulkey didn't have to say much once Baylor went on a 17-2 run for a 27-10 lead, which allowed the coach to get at least eight minutes for every player on the roster before Baylor visits No. 3 Connecticut on Monday night.

"Was it a game plan to do it because we have a quick turnaround with Connecticut?" Mulkey said. "I guess it's a game plan in every game, but not every game allows you to do it."

This one did.

The Lady Bears extended their nation-leading streaks to 53 home wins, 36 league victories and 22 straight this year while keeping TCU (7-17, 0-13) without a league win in its first Big 12 season.

Nobody scored in double figures for the Horned Frogs, who were 17 of 65 from the field and 6 of 27 from 3-pointer range.

Kamy Cole led TCU with nine points on 3-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc.

"We just had trouble getting off any open looks," TCU coach Jeff Mittie said. "They have a protector at the rim and they guard the arc very well, and we struggled all day with that."

Griner spent almost half the game on the bench near Mulkey's bright pink pants and high heels on Baylor's "Play 4Kay" day in honor of late N.C. State coach Kay Yow, who died of breast cancer in 2009.

The Big 12's career scoring leader had four points on the 17-2 run.

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