Nov. 22, 2002
Box Score
WACO, Texas - Baylor outscored Princeton 51-20 in the second half to cruise to an 86-47 victory in both team's season opener as part of the Women's Sports Foundation Tournament in Waco. Alcorn State defeated Southwest Texas 58-56 in the first game of the tourney.
Five players scored in double figures for the Lady Bears. Sophomore post Steffanie Blackmon led Baylor with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Melanie Hamerly, a 6-5 sophomore post, posted career highs with 15 points and nine rebounds. She also blocked five shots. Jessika Stratton added 14 points, five assists and three steals and Jordan Davis and Chelsea Whitaker, both sophomores, each scored 10.
Princeton's lone player to tally double figures was Karen Bolster's 17 points off the bench.
Baylor jumped out to a 9-0 lead holding the Tigers scoreless until the 15:17 mark. Princeton fought back and took their only lead of the game on a three-pointer by Allison Cahill at 10:08. The Lady Bears regained the lead for good at the 8:39 mark, 16-15, on a three-pointer by Jordan Davis. Baylor would take a 35-27 lead into the lockerroom at the half.
At the beginning of the second half, Baylor reeled off eight straight unanswered points to stretch the lead to 43-27. They went on to post an 86-47 win.
The victory moves Baylor's record in season openers to 23-6 and 11-1 in season openers at home.
In game one, Alcorn State eeked out a 58-56 victory over Southwest Texas giving head coach Shirley Walker her 399th career victory.
With six seconds remaining Alcorn's Tnonealyer Powers scored in the paint to put the Lady Braves ahead 58-56. Then with three seconds on the clock Southwest Texas' Tori Talbert had two chances to tie it but missed both from under the basket.
Guard Keairra Levy led Alcorn State with 19 points. Danielle Tipton came off the bench to score 15. Guard Alexis Marshall tallied 13 to lead Southwest Texas and Talbert had an 11 point-11 rebound performance.
Southwest Texas and Princeton will meet in the consolation game at 6 p.m. on Saturday and Alcorn State and Baylor meet in the championship game at 8 p.m.
