Jan. 4, 2008

Final Stats

WACO - Tamarra Evans-Sluga scored 13 straight points in the second half, but the No. 9 Baylor Bears outscored Texas State 45-26 in the second half as the Bobcats lost 84-57 in Waco on Friday night.

The loss dropped the Bobcats to 6-7 on the season while Baylor improved to 12-1 in the final nonconference tune-up for both teams before the start of league play.

Neither team made a field goal until Angela Tisdale's three gave Baylor an 8-2 lead, but Davis answered with a lay-up on the next Bobcat possession. Cole then hit another lay-up as Texas State trailed 9-6 at the game's first media timeout at the 15:39 mark.

Ekworomadu's three tied the game at 13-13 two minutes later, but a 7-2 run put the Bears up 20-15 with 10:29 on the clock. Texas State stayed within striking distance when another Ekworomadu three cut Baylor's lead in half at 24-21 before a Kim Cessna jumper trimmed the lead to 27-25 with 6:11 left.

Texas State would go on a scoring drought for the next four minutes as Baylor went on an 8-0 run to stretch its lead to 10. The Bobcats got a pair of jumpers from Ryann Bradford and Cole, but the Bears outscored the `Cats 12-6 over the final six minutes to take a 39-31 lead into the halftime break.

The scoring troubles continued for Texas State in the second half as Baylor opened with a 12-2 run over the first 4:13 and led 51-35 at the half's first media timeout with 15:07 to play.

Aimee Hilburn's lay-up broke a 7:46 stretch without a field goal by the `Cats and brought Texas State back within 14 with 11:51 remaining. From there Evans-Sluga took over, first scoring five points that included a three to make it 59-46. An 8-0 Baylor run in response gave the Bears a 21 point lead, but Evans-Sluga answered with an 8-0 run of her own to make it 67-54 with just under seven minutes left in the game.

Baylor refused to give any more ground, pulling away with a 16-3 run over the final 6:54 to finish with the 83-54 win.

Evans'Sluga and Davis led Texas State with 13 points apiece while Ekworomadu added 10. Brooke DeGrate finished as the Bobcats' leading rebounder, grabbing six for the game.

Rachel Allison posted game-highs of 23 points and 13 rebounds for Baylor, marking her second straight game with at least 20 points. Angela Tisdale also added 19 for the Bears.

The Bobcats now return home to open the Southland Conference portion of the schedule, beginning Thursday, Jan. 10, against Northwestern State.