No. 2 Sooner Women Beat Baylor

The Associated Press

WACO, TX -- Courtney Paris had 15 points with 14 rebounds for her 111th consecutive double-double and scored the tiebreaking basket with 34 seconds left to help No. 2 Oklahoma beat
fourth-ranked Baylor 56-51 on Wednesday night.

The game was tied 11 times, the last at 51-all before Paris scored on an inside shot.

Ashley Paris added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Sooners (17-2, 6-0 Big 12), who won their 13th straight game. Danielle Robinson had 13 points.

Melissa Jones had 16 points for Baylor (17-2, 5-1), which had its 11-game winning streak snapped and lost at home for the first time this season.

Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura were sitting in the first row behind the Baylor bench for the highest-ranked conference matchup ever in the Big 12, which has a nation-best six teams ranked in the women's Top 25.

An exchange of 3-pointers, Whitney Hand hitting for Oklahoma before Jessica Morrow made one for Baylor, tied the game at 51 with a minute left. Paris, who has scored in double figures in all 119 of games of her career, put the Sooners ahead for good on the next possession.

After Morrow missed another 3-pointer, Robinson was fouled and hit both free throws.

Baylor had been 10-0 at home, including an 81-65 victory over then-No. 2 Stanford back in November. The Lady Bears had won 27 of their last 28 games at the Ferrell Center, including a 20-point victory over Oklahoma last year.

Morrow's 3-pointer with 4 seconds left in the first half made it 23-22 and the Lady Bears didn't trail again until Nyeshia Stevenson's free throw with 7:52 remaining broke a 40-40 tie.

Robinson then made a short bank shot and was fouled. She missed the free throw, but a lane violation by Baylor gave her another chance, and she made that one for a 44-40 lead.

The Lady Bears didn't catch up again until scoring twice in a second. Morghan Medlock drove for a layup with 1:42 left, then Jones stole the inbound pass and was fouled. Jones made the second free throw, the ball falling through after rattling around the rim.

Morrow and Danielle Wilson both had 11 points for Baylor, which shot a season-low 27 percent (16-of-59). 

It was one of the first public appearances for Bush since returning to his Crawford ranch, about 25 miles form the Baylor campus, after ending his second presidential term last week when President Barack Obama took office.

The biggest margin for either team before halftime was Baylor's 20-16 lead when Medlock made two free throws with 3:20 left. 

After Ashley Paris missed her sixth consecutive shot to start the game, the Lady Bears appeared to have added to their advantage on a shot by Danielle Wilson. But officials whistled her for traveling instead.

The Sooners got even on baskets by both Paris sisters, Ashley's first make tying it at 20.