March 17, 2002

Box Score

WACO, Texas (AP) - After Drake lost the Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship game, Stephanie Schmitz hoped for a good showing in the NCAA tournament.

The senior point guard's clutch shooting led Drake to a 76-72 upset over Baylor, the number-two seed, in the East Regional's second round Sunday night.

Schmitz, who scored 19 points - including Drake's final nine - put the Bulldogs in front 74-70 with a 3-pointer with just over a minute left.

"I love those situations," she said. "I wanted the ball in my hands, and I feel like I have control. My teammates trust me with the ball and taking control."

Trailing 74-72, Baylor's Jessika Stratton missed a 3-point attempt with 16 seconds left, and Schmitz grabbed the rebound. Fouled in the backcourt, the point guard hit both ends of a one-and-one with seven seconds remaining to clinch the win for Drake (25-7), the seventh seed.

"I'm just elated," Schmitz said. "We are going to Raleigh, N.C. and we have some games to win there. We want to keep on playing."

Carla Bennett, who scored 19 of her season-high 29 points in the second half, led Drake.

"We were going to pound it inside, and the ball has to go inside," Drake coach Lisa Stone said. "We lost too many games this year by going away from our inside game."

Danielle Crockrom paced Baylor (27-6) with 28 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Sheila Lambert, who connected on only 7 of 20 attempts, added 15 points and handed out 15 assists.

"I still haven't swallowed it yet," Crockrom said. "I hate to go out this way, playing my last game at home."

The Bulldogs connected on 50 percent of their shots, finishing 29-of-58 from the field.

Baylor made 33 of 71 attempts for 47 percent.

Crockrom led first-half scorers with 16 points, while Bennett led Drake with 10.

Foul trouble put Schmitz on the bench much of the first half, but Ja'nae Mosley went 4-for-4 from the field in her place.