Griner big again for No. 1 Baylor in win over Tech

WACO, Texas – Brittney Griner had 25 points, seven rebounds and six blocked shots for No. 1 Baylor, which extended its winning streak to 15 games with a 64-51 victory in the rematch against Texas Tech and Jordan Barncastle.

Baylor (18-1, 5-0 Big 12) used a 12-5 run at the start of the second half to wipe out a one-point deficit and take the lead for good. Griner scored the first six points in that spurt, including the short jumper that broke the game's seventh and final tie.

Christine Hyde had 14 points to lead Texas Tech (16-3, 3-2), which lost its second consecutive game to a Top 25 team since its second eight-game winning streak of the season.

It was the first game between the two teams since March in Lubbock when Griner threw a punch that broke Barncastle's nose and led to Baylor's star being suspended for two games.

There had been no direct contact between the two players since, and there was no interaction between them during warmups and before the opening tip. When they were in the game at the same time, they were guarding other players — though it was always clear when Barncastle entered the game or touched the ball by the boos coming from the crowd of 10,379.

Griner, the 6-foot-8 preseason AP All-American, always gets a loud ovation during starting introductions. It seemed even louder this time. She was 8-of-14 shooting made 9 of 10 free throws.

Barncastle missed her only shot and had four rebounds in 13 minutes.

After Griner hit two free throws in the opening minute of the second half for a 30-29 lead, Teena Wickett hit a 3-pointer to put the Lady Raiders back in front before Griner's jumper tied the game.

Baylor then went ahead for good when Griner caught Odyssey Sims' inbound pass under the basket and made a short jumper while being fouled. Griner missed the free throw, but Melissa Jones grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Destiny Williams for a layup.

The Lady Bears had a 53-38 lead when Sims hit a 3-pointer with 9 minutes left. Tech then scored eight in a row, six by Hyde.

Jones added 13 points for Baylor, including a 3-pointer with 1:09 left after another Hyde basket had gotten the Lady Raiders within 57-51.

Destiny Williams had 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds for the Lady Bears.

Chynna Brown and Wickett both had 12 points for Tech. Kierra Mallard had 11.

Sims, the freshman point guard, got called for a charge only 1½ minutes into the game. Officials took an extended look at video replay before determining that it was an intentional foul on Sims for shoving Monique Smalls hard in front of the Texas Tech bench. Smalls went to the locker room briefly for an apparent busted lip, but was back in the game midway through the first half.

The Lady Raiders got nothing out of the penalty. Brown missed both free throws, then Wickett turned it over. That came after Mallard had already been called a questionable foul on Griner away from the ball in the opening minute of the game.

Sims' foul was sandwiched by Griner's short jumper and a driving layup by Jones for a 4-0 lead — the largest gap by either team in the first half.

There were nine lead changes and six ties by the break. Texas Tech got the 29-28 halftime lead on Hyde's 3-pointer with 1:21 left.