DES MOINES, Iowa — Sydney Wallace scored consecutive baskets early in Georgia Tech’s NCAA tournament game Saturday against Baylor. After the first — a 3-pointer — she appeared to say something to the Baylor bench, causing some furrowed brows among the Lady Bears’ assistant coaches.
The moment of bravado was the last for the Yellow Jackets as top-ranked Baylor (37-0) responded to Wallace’s second shot with a 20-0 run in six minutes, turning a 10-6 deficit into a 16-point lead.
That advantage was never less than 14 thereafter in the Lady Bears’ 83-68 win at Wells Fargo Arena.
Baylor moves on to face Tennessee while Tech ends its season 26-9.
The Yellow Jackets committed seven turnovers during Baylor’s decisive run and finished with 20.
“I think Baylor did a good job, especially with Sydney Wallace — getting up in her,” Tech coach MaChelle Joseph said. “I thought their 16 points off turnovers were really the difference in the game.”
Wallace, a freshman reserve, was far from stifled. She scored 32 points and was 8-of-12 on 3-pointers. She finishes the tournament with 83 points in 79 minutes played, and was the first Yellow Jacket to score more than 30 points since December 2006. Her eight 3-pointers also were a school record for a tournament game.
Wallace had little help, though, as her teammates combined for 36 points and were 14-of-48 (29 percent).
Baylor’s inside tandem of Brittney Griner and Destiny Williams were nearly unstoppable, combining for 53 points on 22-of-28 shooting.
“I thought their complementary players were great,” Joseph said. “Destiny Williams [18 points] had a huge game, especially in the first 10 minutes. We had to make some adjustments based on how she played.”
Great, too, was Griner who finished her 35-point, 10-rebound game with a fast-break, two-hand dunk that stirred the announced crowd of 7,941.
“Obviously I wish she wouldn’t have dunked on us, but how many people can say I coached in a game where a female basketball player dunked?” Joseph said. “She’s elevated our game.”
Senior center Sasha Goodlett, who dabbed her tearing eyes with a tissue after the game, was held to eight points on 4-of-18 shooting.
“[Griner’s] so long and she’s so lanky,” Goodlett said. “It was very tough.”
Tech out-rebounded Baylor 44-33, buoyed by 25 offensive rebounds, but lost every other significant statistical category, including free throws made (22-6). Baylor’s 83 points were the most allowed by the Jackets this season.
Griner’s dunk put Baylor ahead 77-46 with 6:29 to go, and Griner and two other starters exited the game shortly thereafter. Tech closed the game on a 22-6 run, a fact that did not escape Baylor coach Kim Mulkey after the game.
“Twenty-five [offensive] rebounds jump out at you. Now, how many of those 25 did they get in the last six minutes when I cleared my bench and she kept her starters in?” Mulkey said.
The answer: two.
“I cleared my bench and we were up 31. I’m not happy we allowed them to cut it to 15, but it was the right thing to do to get my kids off the floor,” Mulkey said.
Goodlett and four other seniors move on after leading Tech to a school record for wins and its deepest run in the NCAA tournament.
“It makes me feel proud. Last year, when everyone counted us out, we came together,” Goodlett said. “I’m very proud to be a Yellow Jacket and proud to leave this program in the hands of the juniors.”
Tech has been to six consecutive tournaments, but Joseph said her seniors’ biggest accomplishment was off the court.
“The think that I’m the most proud of is that these seniors are going to graduate from Georgia Tech in four years,” she said.
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