March 10, 2004
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DALLAS (AP) - Baylor wasn't about to let another close game slip away against Texas Tech.
Sophia Young had 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead the No. 14 Lady Bears to an 80-72 victory over No. 10 Texas Tech in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals Wednesday.
"We made the plays today," Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson said. "We didn't make them the first two times. They did, and our kids didn't forget that."
Baylor will face No. 2 Texas on Thursday night. The Lady Bears beat the Longhorns by 14 points on Jan. 14 in Waco, then lost by a point in double overtime in Austin on Feb. 25.
The fifth-seeded Lady Bears lost starting center Steffanie Blackmon with 2:37 remaining when she twisted her left knee on a drive to the basket. Blackmon, who finished with 13 points to reach double-figures for the 28th time this season, was on the floor for several minutes before she was helped to the bench, where she watched her teammates complete the victory while holding an ice bag on her knee.
Blackmon's status is questionable for the Texas game.
"She's always had that (knee problem), that's why she wears a brace," Mulkey-Robertson said. "But it's not an ACL. If she can play, she will. But the NCAA tournament is more important than the Big 12. If I have to rest her, I will."
LaToya Davis led Texas Tech (24-7) with 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Alesha Robertson added 17 points. Dionne Brown added 11 points, and Jessika Stratton had 10 for Baylor (24-7).
Tech was unable to contend with Young, who hit 12-of-19 shots, pulled down five offensive rebounds, had three steals and two blocked shots.
"I think Sophia is a great player," Davis said. "You just have to try and slow her down, but it's hard to stop her. Baylor's inside game has always been great."
Baylor took control with a 13-4 second-half run capped by consecutive three-point plays from Brown and Young.
Young worked inside for a layup and converted a free throw with 11:00 left to push the Lady Bears' edge to 56-41.
Robertson scored seven points during an 11-2 charge that got Texas Tech to 63-57 with 4:35 left.
But Baylor re-established itself with a 10-6 run for a 73-63 lead and Texas Tech could get no closer than seven.
"Every Big 12 team will not go away...so it was nerve-wracking, but it wasn't surprising to see they were fighting back," Brown said.
Young said the double-overtime regular-season loss to top-seeded Texas will provide incentive for her team.
"Texas has an excellent inside game and so do we," Young said. "We match up well with them. We were close last time. It'll be easy to be motivated for them."
