WACO, Texas (October 30, 2019) – A pair of defending NCAA championship squads hit the hardwood of the Ferrell Center Wednesday night, as Division I national champion Baylor defeated defending Division II national champion Lubbock Christian University 98-63 behind Lauren Cox, who had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Baylor.
Lauren Cox's performance came as advertised. She joined sister
Whitney Cox, a first-year member of the Lady Chaparrals, in promoting the game as the Type-1 Diabetes Awareness Game. The two sisters, who each have been diagnosed as T-1 diabetic, were part of an on-court presentation which included a donation of $3,000 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation from Melvin Bruggeman (Lauren's and Whitney's grandfather, who died on Sept. 27). Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey also donated $5,000 for each player to the JDRF organization.
As for the game, Baylor, coming off a 149-32 victory over Langston Friday, continued their hot shooting in the first quarter. LCU had a 3-2 lead following a
Maddi Chitsey three-pointer, but Baylor knocked down their first five field goal attempts and it led to a 9-3 run for a 11-6 lead. Chitsey had seven points in the first quarter and helped LCU pull within one-point of the Lady Bears (11-10) before a 13-4 scoring stretch by Baylor extended their lead to 24-14. Trailing 26-18 after the first quarter, LCU hit a scoring lull in the second quarter and the Lady Bears took advantage. LCU went without a field goal for the first 4:13 of the quarter, missing three consecutive field goal attempts and committing four turnovers in the quarter before
Madelyn Turner ended the dry spell with LCU's first field goal of the quarter. Baylor's 59.5% shooting from the field in the first half led to a 52-29 halftime lead.
LCU had a much more competitive second half.
Allie Schulte exploded for 10 points in the third quarter and LCU was 7-of-17 (42.9%) from the field (3-of-6 from three-point range) in the quarter. Baylor outscored LCU 20-19 in the quarter and took a 72-48 lead in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Chaps played all 14 players and many of the depth players made their exhibition season debuts in the fourth quarter. Baylor outscored LCU 46-34 in the second half, as the Lady Chaps fell 98-63 and to 0-2 in the exhibition season.
Along with Lauren Cox's solid performance, the Lady Bears received a double-double from former Texas Tech Lady Raider Erin DeGrate (17 points and 10 rebounds). They also received 21 points from Te'a Cooper. Baylor was 55.6% from the field off 40-of-72 shooting.
LCU, 35.6% (21/59) from the field, was led by Chitsey, who posted 16 points. She was one of four Lady Chaps to hit double figures. Turner and Schulte each posted 14 points and
Emma Middleton had 12 points in 13 minutes (along with five rebounds) off 4-of-5 shooting.
The Lady Chaps continue their three-game exhibition season Monday (Nov. 4) in Starkville, Miss. facing Mississippi State. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will air locally on Oldies 97.7 FM.
QUOTABLE
"They (LCU) came out on fire. They hit a lot of shots. I thought contested shots when they'd make little reverse pivot moves and just shoot it right in our face. That team is setting themselves up to win another championship." - Baylor Head Coach Kim Mulkey
