Nov. 30, 2002
Box Score
BOZEMAN, MT - The Baylor Lady Bears suffered their first defeat of the season when they lost to the Montana State Bobcats, 75-66, in the championship game of the GranTree Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday evening.
Despite Baylor taking a 31-30 lead into the lockerroom at halftime, the Bobcats outscored Baylor 45-35 in the second half to move their record to 4-0 on the season while the Lady Bears fall to 4-1. The loss was Baylor's first regular season non-conference loss under third year head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson. The loss halted a 27-game regular season non-conference winning streak by Baylor.
The Lady Bears out-rebounded Montana State 43-28 but shot a dismal 53.3 percent, 10-of-17, from the free throw line and a season-low 13.3 percent, 2-of-15, from 3-point range. On the other hand, Montana State was 70.4 percent from the line and 36.4 from beyond the arc. Experience proved invaluable to the Bobcats, as two seniors and a sophomore accounted for 58 of the their team's 75 points.
Sophomore post Steffanie Blackmon and freshman forward Sophia Young led Baylor on the night, both were named to the all-tournament team. Blackmon recorded her third double-double of the season with 23 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Young also posted a double-double, her second of the season, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Chelsea Whitaker tallied 10 points and nine assists for the Lady Bears.
Tournament MVP Isabel Stubbs, a senior post, led the Bobcats with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Senior Candis Wilcox and sophomore Kati Burrows also scored in double digits for Montana State and were named to the all-tournament team. Wilcox recorded 17 points while Burrow chipped in 15.
Baylor will now travel to Hammond, La., to play Southeastern Louisiana on Monday, Dec. 2. It will be a homecoming for Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson. Mulkey-Robertson grew up in the Hammond area (Tickfaw, La.) and attended Hammond High School. She led Hammond HS to four-straight state championships, posted a 136-5 record and finished her career with the national record (4,075) for most points scored. She earned all-district, all-state and all-American honors each of her four years there. She also graduated as her class' valedictorian with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. She has a street named after her in Tickfaw.
