For the third time this season, Baylor women’s basketball swept Big 12 weekly awards on Monday, Feb. 27. Sophomore Kalani Brown was selected Big 12 Player of the Week for the third time this season and freshman Lauren Cox earned her fourth Freshman of the Week accolade.
Both played integral roles in Baylor’s 2-0 week with wins at No. 6/8 Texas and against Texas Tech, which culminated in an outright Big 12 regular season championship. It is the seventh-straight regular season conference title and the eighth overall for the Lady Bears.
Brown averaged team-highs with 24.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in the two-game stretch. She shot an impressive 84.2 (16-19) percent from the floor and 94.1 (16-17) from the free throw.
Against the Longhorns, Brown scored half of the team’s 70 points to lead Baylor to its 10th win over a ranked opponent. Her 35 points marked a career-high and season-best number for any Baylor player. She also led the Lady Bears in rebounds (13), steals (2) and blocked shots (2) in the game. With her perfoRmance, Brown secured her eighth double-double of the season and the ninth of her career.
In 22 minutes against Texas Tech, Brown compiled 13 points, six rebounds and a team-high three blocked shots. The victory keyed a Big 12 regular season championship and secured the No. 1 seed in the 2017 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament for Baylor.
Cox came off the bench to average 9.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game last week.
In 13 minutes of play at Texas, Cox provided a spark off the bench following the loss of senior Alexis Jones due to injury with six points, five rebounds and two assists.
Against Texas Tech, Cox netted double figures for the 11th time with 13 points in 13 minutes on the court. She also pulled down seven rebounds and blocked two shots to help the Lady Bears win their seventh consecutive Big 12 regular season championship.
Baylor concludes the regular season on Monday, Feb. 27, at No. 16/16 Oklahoma. The 7 p.m. (CT) game will be broadcast live on FS1.
