ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Taliah Scott scored 26 points and No. 12 Baylor breezed to a bounce-back win, defeating UCF 93-63 on Sunday.
The Bears fell a half-game out of first place in the Big 12 on Thursday when they lost at home to No. 17 TCU 83-67. Baylor plays at TCU on March 1.
Led by 12 points from Scott, Baylor rolled to a 27-13 lead through the first quarter against UCF, which lost by 50 points against Big 12-leader West Virginia last time out. Baylor led 52-23 at halftime after shooting 65% in the first half compared to 37% for UCF.
Scott made 7 of 8 shots and had 21 points by halftime. She finished 8 for 10 for the game with 3 of 4 3s and 7 for 7 at the free-throw line.
Jana Van Gytenbeek had 11 assists and 10 points for her first double-double of the season to go with the triple-double she had on Dec. 9 against Alabama State. Kayla Nelms scored 12 points off the bench, Bella Fontleroy scored 11 and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs 10 for the Bears (22-5, 11-3 Big 12).
No starter scored in double figures for UCF (10-15, 2-12). The bench led the way with Samari Bankhead's 16 points and 13 points from Kayanna Cox.
Baylor's lead reached 39 points three times in the second half, but UCF got within the final 30-point margin when Bankhead hit two 3-pointers and Jacorriah Bracey hit another in the final two minutes of the game.
Baylor defeated UCF 73-48 on Jan. 21 in the game that started UCF’s now seven-game losing streak.
Baylor: at Texas Tech on Wednesday.
UCF: Kansas State visits on Wednesday. ___
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