The Connecticut Huskies were one win away from tying their own Division I record for consecutive home victories. But then they ran into the defending champions.
No. 6 Baylor used a 19-4 run over the final 5:18 to snap No. 1 UConn's 98-game winning streak at the XL Center. Lady Bears' guard Te'a Cooper led all scorers with 27 points on 8-of-19 shooting, while adding six rebounds and five assists.
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UConn's Christyn Williams scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a losing effort. Teammate Olivia Nelson-Ododa failed to score, missing all eight of her field-goal attempts. She did, however, grab six rebounds.
But Baylor had a slight edge on the glass, 44-43 to be exact. Lady Bears' forward NaLyssa Smith grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
FULL COURT: Women's basketball scoreboard
Baylor vs. UConn women's basketball: Score, updates
Baylor 74, UConn 58 | Final
The Lady Bears dominated the final 10 minutes of the game, outscoring UConn 19-6 in the fourth quarter. UConn was held scoreless for 5:34 before a Megan Walker free throw ended the drought with 1:02 remaining.
Baylor 61, UConn 54 | 4th 4:03
After failing to score for the first five minutes of the fourth, Baylor used a 6-0 run over 1:15 to take a 61-54 lead with 4:03 to play. The Huskies are 1-for-11 from the floor this quarter.
Baylor 55, UConn 52 | End 3rd
The Huskies have won 98 straight games at the XL Center. But that streak could be in jeopardy, as Baylor maintains a slim lead at the end of third period. UConn guard Christyn Williams is closing in on a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds.
What a play!👀
— Baylor Lady Bears (@BaylorWBB) January 10, 2020
Steal by Richards and basket by Cooper 🔥#SicEm pic.twitter.com/7oyAxGpI4U
Baylor 35, UConn 34 | Halftime
UConn's Christyn Williams and Megan Walker combined for 28 points (14 each) in the first half. Baylor was led by Te'a Cooper, who posted 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting. Two Lady Bears starters are currently in foul trouble, as Didi Richards and Juicy Landrum each have two. They've played 10 and nine minutes, respectively.
Lady Bears continue to hit from 3️⃣! #SicEm pic.twitter.com/iUo4TBRrcK
— Baylor Lady Bears (@BaylorWBB) January 10, 2020
Baylor 28, Uconn 25 | 2nd 4:46
Baylor has tried to get the ball to Lauren Cox (eight points, four rebounds) in the post, however, the Huskies have made it difficult by doubling her. The Lady Bears have relied on NaLyssa Smith's (eight points, five rebounds) playmaking ability to generate offense. UConn has been much more aggressive this quarter when it comes to attacking the rim.
UConn 18, Baylor 13 | End 1st
UConn's offense is rolling, as the Huskies are feeding the ball to their 3-point shooters. They're 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, with forward Megan Walker connecting on two triples. Walker leads all scorers with eight points on 2-of-4 shooting.
MW3 FOR THREE#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/dXzcQE01LF
— UConn Women's Hoops (@UConnWBB) January 10, 2020
Pregame: (6:45 p.m.): No. 1 UConn vs. No. 6 Baylor 7 p.m. ET
Now, here is the starting lineup for the Connecticut Huskies.
| STARTERS |#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/3tdnPVGdGj
— UConn Women's Hoops (@UConnWBB) January 9, 2020
Here are the starters for the visiting Baylor Bears.
Who's ready to roll with these 5⃣?#SicEm pic.twitter.com/eJ7TstdE8D
— Baylor Lady Bears (@BaylorWBB) January 9, 2020
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Egbo's 16 blocks on the season is a large factor in the unit's success and so is guard DiDi Richards' 32 steals. The team ranks fifth nationally in blocked shots per game with 6.3.
You know who's also tied for fifth nationally in blocked shots per game? The UConn Huskies.
The top-ranked team in the nation averages 80.7 points per game and carries an undefeated record into Thursday. UConn is one of four undefeated teams left in the nation, along with Oregon State, UCLA and NC State. Baylor will be a great test for the highly-touted club, which collected 19 of 30 first place votes in the most recent AP Poll.
Overall, the Huskies haven't played as many high-scoring games like the Bears, but they've won their games handily as well, outscoring opponents 967-668. A .491 shooting percentage, which ranks fourth in the nation, and a .392 3-point percentage (10th nationally), has the Huskies cruising through non-conference play.
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Baylor vs. UConn women's basketball: All-time series history, results
The Huskies entered Thursday night's game with a 4-3 lead in the all-time series. But it's the reigning champions, the Baylor Bears, that have now won the past two matchups, tying the series at 4-4
April 4, 2010 marked the first matchup of the series, with UConn leaving the Alamodome court victorious in the Final Four with the series' largest margin of victory, 70-50. Below is every result from the head-to-head series.
| Date | Location | Winner, Score |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 9, 2020 | Hartford, CT | Baylor, 74-58 |
| Jan. 3, 2019 | Waco, TX | Baylor, 68-57 |
| Nov. 17, 2016 | Storrs, CT | UConn, 72-61 |
| Jan. 13, 2014 | Waco, TX | UConn, 66-55 |
| Feb. 18, 2013 | Hartford, CT | Baylor, 76-70 |
| Dec. 18, 2011 | Waco, TX | Baylor, 66-61 |
| Nov. 16, 2010 | Hartford, CT | UConn, 65-64 |
| April 4, 2010 | San Antonio, TX (Final Four) | UConn, 70-50 |
