Sims' shot lifts Baylor over OU
BY LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer
Monday, February 28, 2011
2/28/11 at 5:48 AM
NORMAN - Danielle Robinson and Arryn Ellenberg combined for 50 points but it wasn't enough as third-ranked Baylor eked out an 82-81 victory over 16th-ranked Oklahoma in front of 9,858 fans Sunday at the Lloyd Noble Center.
Odyssey Sims' jumper in the lane with 10 seconds remaining gave the Bears (26-2 overall, 13-1 Big 12) the one-point lead.
After an OU timeout, Robinson took the inbound pass from Morgan Hook and raced upcourt with Sims in tow. As she cut to the lane, Robinson went up for the right-handed layup over 6-foot-8 Baylor center Brittney Griner, but the ball rimmed around and out to Whitney Hand as the buzzer sounded.
"Our kids played incredibly hard," Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. "We played well enough to win."
Asked about the final sequence, Coale said, "We scored on a high-ball screen and before I could turn around, Odyssey scored. We had a play out of the time out called to either get Vegas (Ellenberg) or D-Rob the ball. Danielle did a fantastic job of going right at the rim and drawing the defense to her."
The ending was eerily similar to the Sooners' 80-78 loss at home to Texas A&M on Jan. 26 when Robinson drove the court in the same fashion only to have the same result.
"We battled to the end in that game just like we did tonight," Robinson said. "I think that helps our confidence. I had a good look (tonight). It was a great shot, it was on the rim for a while and we lost some time there. We ended up getting the rebound but by then it was too late."
Sims tied a Baylor record for most 3-pointers in a game with nine. She finished with a game-high 37 points. Griner added 21 points but was limited to just five rebounds.
"Credit our guys, we stayed the course," Coale said. "We wanted to limit their points in the paint and I thought we did a fabulous job there. Our attention to the game plan was very good.
"We did a better job in the second half of getting out to Odyssey. She made some contested 3s. She's a great player. We did a much better job (on Baylor) than the last time."
Said Sims, "Robinson was roaming the paint more to (Griner). So I knew to relocate and get the ball to (Griner) and I was open on the back side just about every time."
Oklahoma (19-9, 9-5) grabbed a 75-72 lead with 3:42 left on an Ellenberg pull-up jumper in the face of Griner.
On OU's next possession, Baylor forward Destiny Williams was whistled for her fifth foul, drawing a heated reaction from Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, who was whistled for a technical foul.
When Robinson stepped to the line, the Sooners had hit all 18 free throws. But Robinson missed the first. She hit the second, then sank one of two from the Williams foul, giving the Sooners a 77-74 lead.
The teams traded baskets until the final minute with OU up 79-78. Carlee Roethlisberger, who finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, picked up her fifth foul to send Sims to the line with 1:16 remaining. Sims missed the front end of the one-and-one.
Baylor's Melissa Jones grabbed the rebound and passed to Griner, who was fouled by Nicole Griffin. Griner sank both shots to put Baylor on top 80-79.
Robinson gave OU an 81-80 lead on a driving layup with 17 seconds remaining before Sims' shot at the other end.
Coale said her team can take plenty of positives out of the game.
"We're getting better," Coale said. "I've said all year we're very young. We're a work in progress. We continue to learn and get better and show resilience and that's what's most important in late February. This one you take the sting and you take it out on whoever or whatever is in your path. This one is not easy to swallow."
Big 12 women's basketball
Baylor......82
Oklahoma......81
Up next
Vs. Oklahoma State
7 p.m. Wednesday
TV: None
Radio: None
Lynn Jacobsen 581-8461
lynn.jacobsen@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Oklahoma's Danielle Robinson puts up the last shot of the game in front of Baylor's Odyssey Sims on Sunday. The shot rolled off the front of the rim, giving Baylor the win. JOHN CLANTON / The Oklahoman
Baylor guard Odyssey Sims shoots in front of Oklahoma guard Whitney Hand on Sunday. Sims scored 37 points and tied a Baylor record with nine 3-pointers. ALONZO ADAMS / Associated Press
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