Texas

No. 5 Texas women drop Big 12 opener 85-79 to No. 10 Baylor

December 30, 2023

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Jada Walker scored 19 points and No. 10 Baylor opened Big 12 conference play Saturday with an 85-79 win over No. 5 Texas, which played without injured point guard Rori Harmon.

The Bears (12-0, 1-0) also got 18 points and eight rebounds from Dre’Una Edwards. Baylor has won 14 in a row at Texas (13-1, 0-1) in a rivalry that won’t see as many matchups once the Longhorns leave for the Southeastern Conference after this season.

Baylor guard Jada Walker (11) is fouled by Texas forward Khadija Faye (20) as she tries to score during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas guard Rori Harmon, who suffered a season-ending knee injury this week, right, wears a brace uses crutches before an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor guard Jada Walker (11) drives past Texas guard Shaylee Gonzales (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas head coach Vic Schaefer, left, argues a call to an official during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas forward Amina Muhammad (14) is blocked and fouled as she drives between Baylor guard Yaya Felder (2) and forward Dre’Una Edwards (44) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor head coach Nicki Collen signals to her players during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas forward Amina Muhammad (14) is blocked and fouled as she drives between Baylor guard Yaya Felder (2) and forward Dre’Una Edwards (44) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas forward Madison Booker (35) scores against Baylor during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas forward Madison Booker (35) scores against Baylor during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor forward Dre’Una Edwards (44) celebrates a score against Texas during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas forward Amina Muhammad (14) and Baylor guard Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (5) scramble for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor guard Bella Fontleroy (22) celebrates a score against Texas during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas head coach Vic Schaefer directs his players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor guard Jada Walker (11) celebrates a score in front of Texas guard Shaylee Gonzales (2) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor guard Sarah Andrews (24) shoots over Texas guard Shay Holle, center, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor forward Madison Bartley (3) scrambles for a loose ball under Texas forward Khadija Faye (20) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor guard Yaya Felder (2) shoots over Texas guard Shay Holle (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor forward Dre’Una Edwards (44) shoots against Texas guard Shay Holle (10) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor guard Yaya Felder, center, reaches for a rebound between Texas forward Madison Booker (35) and forward Khadija Faye, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Texas forward Aaliyah Moore (23) celebrates a score against Baylor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor guard Yaya Felder (2) tries to shoot between Texas guard Shay Holle (10) and forward DeYona Gaston (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor guard Yaya Felder (2) drives to the basket against Texas forward DeYona Gaston (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor guard Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (5) looks to shoot against Texas forward Amina Muhammad (14) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Baylor forward Dre’Una Edwards (44) is defended by Texas forward DeYona Gaston (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Walker scored eight consecutive points in one stretch of the third quarter.

Texas freshman Madison Booker had 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in taking over the point-guard duties for Harmon, who was lost for the season when she tore a knee ligament in practice this week.

Baylor built a 13-point lead with a burst to start the game, before Texas rallied and closed to 59-55 on Booker’s stretching finger-roll layup at the end of the third quarter.

Amina Muhammad’s two free throws with 47 seconds left got Texas within four. But Muhammad fouled Baylor’s Sarah Andrews, who made two free throws with 20 seconds to play to stretch the Bears’ lead again — leading to “B-U!” chants from Baylor fans.

Booker then missed a long 3-pointer that rattled around the rim.

Muhammad scored 17 points for Texas.

BIG PICTURE

Baylor: The Bears won 12 consecutive regular-season Big 12 championships from 2011-2022 and their hot start has them looking like the top title contender again. A win at Texas, even a depleted one that hung close without Harmon, is a huge step in that direction.

Texas: The Longhorns got their first game without Harmon behind them. Now comes the grind of a long Big 12 season without Harmon’s energy and efficiency on both ends of the court. Harmon had 93 assists against just 14 turnovers and was a lock-down defender despite her 5-foot-6 height. Booker is bigger and stronger at 6-1 but now shoulders the burden of leading the team.

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AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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