Sims, Griner lead No. 1 Baylor women over Mizzou

Baylor's Brittney Griner dribbles the ball after a steal against Missouri during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Waco, Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Baylor's No. 0 guard Odyssey Sims steals the ball from Missouri's No. 15 guard Kyley Simmons during the first half of the Lady Bears' home game Wednesday.
LM Otero | Associated Press

By The Associated Press

WACO — Odyssey Sims scored 22 points and Brittney Griner had 14 points and nine blocks to lead top-ranked Baylor over Missouri 90-46 Wednesday night in the Big 12 opener for both teams.

Griner also had eight rebounds for Baylor (14-0, 1-0), which is 14-0 for the first time in school history. Kimetria Hayden scored 14 points, Jordan Madden added 12, Terran Condrey 10, and Destiny Williams grabbed 10 rebounds for the Lady Bears.

BreAnna Brock had 14 points for Missouri (10-2, 0-1), which played its previous eight games at home. Christine Flores, who came in averaging 21.9 points, added 10 points for Missouri.

Baylor opened the game on an 18-3 run with Griner contributing a pair of baskets and Hayden knocking down a 3-pointer and driving for a layup to end the burst. Baylor hit four 3s in the first 9 minutes of the game and led 24-7 with 11:25 remaining before intermission.

Late in the first half, Missouri twice couldn’t get a shot off and committed back-to-back shot clock violations.

The Bears opened the second half on an 18-5 run culminating in a fast-break layup by Sims off an assist from Hayden. Griner blocked two shots to set up the play.

Missouri put together just one scoring run of its own, a 6-0 effort behind Brock and Sydney Crafton, who each hit a pair of free throws to go with a jumper from Flores.

Baylor led 65-39 at that point.

With substitutes on the floor, Baylor closed the game on a 10-2 run, with Missouri’s only points in the final 3 minutes coming on a pair of free throws by Bailey Gee. Missouri made 14 of its 16 free throw attempts, while Baylor was 6 of 8 from the line.

Baylor had the rebounding advantage at 46-30, including 18 on the offensive glass.