Baylor overcomes 18-point deficit to advance over Alabama

STORRS, CONN. — Ja’Mee Asberry scored 26 factors, together with three key foul pictures within the closing minute, and No. 7 seed Baylor overcame an early 18-point deficit to beat Alabama 78-74 on Saturday within the opening spherical of the NCAA Match.

Sarah Andrews and Caitlin Bickle every added 14 for the Bears (20-12), whose rally tied for the third greatest comeback in match historical past. Baylor closed the sport on a 7-0 run, all from the foul line.

The Bears will face No. 2 seed UConn within the second spherical Monday night time.

Brittany Davis tied a profession excessive with 33 factors for Alabama (20-11), which closes its season on a five-game dropping streak.

The Crimson Tide led 22-4 after 1 / 4 and by 11 at halftime.

However the Bears opened the third quarter on a 16-3 run and took the lead at 46-44 on a 3-pointer from the left wing by Andrews, one in every of her 4 on the night.

Alabama fought again and led 59-54 after half-hour.

However Baylor held Alabama with no subject aim for greater than 4 minutes within the fourth quarter and took the lead at 71-68 on a 3-pointer from the highest of the important thing by Andrews with 3 1/2 minutes left.

A 3-pointer from the left wing by Davis off an offensive rebound from Hannah Barber tied the sport once more at 71 and a traditional 3-point play from Jada Rice gave Alabama a 74-71 lead with 53.5 seconds left.

However Baylor held Alabama scoreless from there and hit seven foul pictures, the ultimate three from Asberry, to shut out the sport. They had been 14-for-16 from the road, together with 9 of 10 within the closing quarter.

Davis had 15 factors within the first quarter, 9 on 3-of-4 capturing from behind the arc, serving to Alabama to its 18-point benefit.

The Bears hit simply two of their first 16 pictures from the ground and had been 0 for 7 on 3-pointers over the primary 10 minutes. It took three offensive rebounds in a single possession earlier than Darianna Littlepage-Buggs lastly bought the Bears on the board.

However Davis picked up her second foul late within the second quarter and her third foul early within the third.

Baylor closed the hole to 39-30 on a 3-pointer by Ja’Mee Asbury and trailed 41-30 at halftime.

BIG PICTURE

Alabama: This was the Crimson Tide’s thirteenth sport this season in opposition to an opponent on this 12 months’s NCAA Match. They’re 6-7 in these video games.

Baylor: Baylor had misplaced two straight and 6 of its final 9 coming into the match, forcing them to play the primary two rounds away from dwelling for the primary time since 2012 (barring the 2021 journey to the pandemic bubble). That is the Bears’ nineteenth straight journey to the NCAA Match and twenty first look total. The Bears at the moment are 55-17. They’ve made 15 journeys to the Candy 16.

UP NEXT

Baylor will face No. 2-seed UConn on Monday night time. The Huskies routed Vermont 95-52 earlier Saturday.

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