TCU defeated Baylor on the final day of the regular season to claim the Big 12 regular-season title.
On Sunday, the top-seeded Horned Frogs (30-3) and second-seeded Bears (27-6) will meet again to determine the champion of the Big 12 women’s tournament.
No. 8-ranked TCU, which reached 30 wins for the first time in program history, will make its first appearance in the Big 12 title game. No. 17 Baylor will go for its 12th tournament title, the most in Big 12 history.
In Saturday’s semifinals, the Horned Frogs built a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter before a run by West Virginia trimmed the deficit to 62-57 with 3:38 remaining. Madison Conner hit a 3-pointer to halt the momentum and help TCU go on to a 71-65 victory.
The Horned Frogs had a trio of players with at least 16 points, led by Big 12 Player of the Year Hailey Van Lith (19). Sedona Prince had 18 points and 16 rebounds, and Conner had 16 points.
TCU coach Mark Campbell passed all of the credit to Van Lith and Prince.
“It starts with these two,” he said. “They’re two of the biggest names in college basketball, and the only reason this thing is working is because they’re selfless. They have truly no ego. All they care about is winning and figuring out what the team needs.”
Baylor outlasted Oklahoma State 84-74 in overtime in the second semifinal Saturday after both teams missed opportunities to take the lead in the final minute of regulation. The Bears outscored the Cowgirls 18-8 in overtime.
Baylor received a career-high 37 points from Aaronette Vonleh.
“(She) was awesome,” Bears coach Nicki Collen said. “I probably believe in her more than she believes in herself. I really don’t expect (37) every night, I promise.
“She was aggressive early. The crazy part was she missed her first four shots, but she was playing to the rim aggressively and making good moves. Once it started to go in, she picked up a couple of fouls, and she just continued to want the ball.”
In the final game of the regular season, the Horned Frogs held a 10-point lead with 1:49 remaining and held off a late charge from Baylor.
–Field Level Media
