Feb. 23, 2005
Box Score
By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - A school-record winning streak is not making victories come any easier for No. 6 Baylor.
Caught off guard by Kansas' surprising zone defense, the Lady Bears twice lost big leads Wednesday night before finally pulling away behind Steffanie Blackmon and Sophia Young for a 70-60 victory.
"It is hard every night," said Blackmon, who had 20 points for the Lady Bears (22-3, 12-2 Big 12). "When they went to the zone, they did a good job of making sure we didn't get the ball."
Young had 18 points and nine rebounds for Baylor, which has won a school-record nine in a row.
"Welcome to the Big 12," said Baylor coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson. "We read that they were out for blood. We are playing for a Big 12 championship. You are always going to be up against a tough team on the road."
Aquanita Burras, a senior playing her last home game for Kansas, tied her career high with 24 points. At one point in the first half, she personally outscored the Lady Bears 9-0.
"What a way for her to go out on senior night," said Mulkey-Robertson. "She lit us up."
Erica Hallman added 21 points for Kansas (12-13, 5-9), which twice cut double-digit leads to as low as six points.
"I am proud of our kids to make a run and get it to a 10-point game," first-year Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "The second half they came out again and we came back again."
Baylor led by 10 points at halftime and quickly built its advantage to 47-31 when Blackmon hit a free throw following Chameka Scott's 3-pointer.
But two minutes later, Hallman drove in for an easy basket and converted a 3-point play to ignite a 9-0 run. The lead melted to 52-46 when Burras stole a pass and drove in for a basket. Then she connected on a pair of free throws.
But before the Lady Jayhawks could get closer, Blackmon hit a free throw, Scott blocked a shot by Burras and Young converted on the other end. Scott, on a well-conceived inbounds play, hit a 5-footer to put the Lady Bears on top 59-48.
Scott had 14 points for Baylor, which outrebounded Kansas 31-23. For the 14th straight conference game, Kansas held an opponent under its scoring average.
"When we gave them uncontested shots, they made those shots," Henrickson said. "When they didn't, they got offensive rebounds."
The Lady Bears appeared to be putting the game out of reach when Blackmon ignited a 10-0 run early in the first half for a 21-5 lead. Baylor went up 31-13 when Emily Niemann canned a 3-footer with about five minutes to play.
But Burras went on her personal 9-0 run, hitting two short jumpers, then drilling a 3-pointer and another jumper to slice the lead from 31-13 to 31-22. Blackmon's free throw with 20 seconds left sent Baylor into halftime with a 32-22 lead.
"It was Baylor vs. Aqua there in the first half," Henrickson said. "They defended her better in the second half."
The Lady Bears tried several different players on Burras.
"I think they had about four," she said. "I am not really going to brag. It just felt good. I knew my teammates were giving me confidence. They wanted me to keep up my intensity."
