Daily Bears Report 1/2/17

Baylor Lady Bears Relentless Onslaught from the Bench Pulverizes the Kanzas Jayhawks

Kansas made a game out it for the first seven and a half minutes. They were only down by 2 points but they were done for the day. By the half Baylor was up by 24. Five and half minutes into the 3rd period, Baylor was up by 40.

"Alexis Prince is unbelievable defensively," Baylor Head Coach Kim Mulkey said. "We talk about the game, and we should, but you've got to look at things like that. . . . To do what she's doing on the offensive end, and then to ask her to defend the better players on the other team, don't let that go unrecognized."

Kansas leading scorer McKenzie Calvert was guarded 1 on 1 by 6-foot-2 Alexis Prince on the perimeter and went 1-10, for 2 points, and that came late in the third quarter.

• There’s being focused, then there’s what the Baylor women have been to open Big 12 play in back-to-back games at the Ferrell Center. Story by WacoTrib’s Tony Adame from BearsExtra.

Ultra-focused? Uber-focused? Laser-focused?

They all probably work. Just like every piece of No. 3 Baylor’s lineup seemed to work in Sunday’s 90-43 win over Kansas.

It was the Lady Bears’ second straight win by at least 30 points following Thursday’s 87-57 win over Kansas State.

“We have depth, so when you have depth and certain people aren’t playing well, you’ve got other people to come of the bench and have a great game,” Baylor guard Alexis Jones said. “I think we’re older in the post area and older in the guard area so that means we’re a lot more focused on each and every game. So we know what it takes to come out and be ready to play.”

“You can start B, Kalani, KayKay (Cave), Lauren Cox, you can start pretty much any one of us,” Nina Davis said. “But just to have that person you know is going to come off the bench and go to the offensive rebounds hard, it’s something good to have.”

“I think it’s their depth,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said. “Their six through 12 are as good as anybody else’s (starters) for a lot of teams in the country. So when you have to go to your bench, they can play so many different styles because of their personnel groupings.

“I thought we showed some fight in the first quarter, but eventually their ability to rebound and get out in transition really wears on you. Then when you get behind, you try to shoot your way back into the game instead of executing your way back into the game, and that plays into their hands.”

• Baylor's starting five is scary enough. But, it's the third-ranked Lady Bears' depth that makes things so unbelievably difficult on opposing teams. Story by Baylor Bear Foundation’s Jerry Hill from Baylor Bears dot com.

Led by 6-4 sophomore Beatrice Mompremier, who recorded her third double-double of the season with 15 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, Baylor got 36 points from its bench and throttled the Kansas Jayhawks, 90-43, Sunday afternoon at the Ferrell Center for a New Year's Day celebration.

"I've been blessed to coach a lot of great players - All-Americans - and I've been part of some really phenomenal teams," said Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, whose team improved to13-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12. "This team has its own personality, but this team also has unbelievable depth.

"You don't have to sit around and feel sorry for yourself or apologize for a bad night. You've got to stay the course and know that everybody's going to get their opportunity again."

Brown and Cox each had three blocks, while Chou and Cave had two apiece.

"When you see a teammate block a shot, and you're a post, you're thinking, `I'm going to get my opportunity, I'm going to get one,''' Mulkey said. "It spreads, it's contagious. But, we've got athletes and size down in there, and they are all capable of blocking shots, so do it. If you get the block, you're usually altering the shot."

PEP TALK THAT LAUNCHED THE NCAA’s ONLY 40-0 SEASON AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY

Lady Bears 2011-2012 Season Intro Video

Baylor Athletics MBB Highlights vs. Oklahoma

In case you wanted to watch the full game replay, click here.

Playing in its first true road game of the season, Baylor took advantage of the absence of Sooners’ leading scorer, senior guard Jordan Woodard, en route to a 76-50 victory over Oklahoma in Norman. From Baylor Lariat.

“Well I know they (Oklahoma) weren’t at full strength number one. That’s first and foremost, but I thought we were sharp after the break and again I have to credit our upperclassmen for making sure everyone was ready to go,” said head coach Scott Drew. “This was just one game and we’ve had games were we played well and then we didn’t play well the next game, so after this bus ride it’ll be about refocusing on the next game.”

Junior forward Jonathan Motley put on an offensive clinic against the Sooners. He scored inside with a variety of post moves, as well as stepping out and hitting the deep jump shot. Motley finished with 19 points on 9-15 from the field and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Bears.