AUSTIN, Texas — Brittney Griner fought through a tough shooting night to score 27 points and lead No. 1 Baylor to an 87-72 win over Texas on Wednesday night.
Griner was 9 for 24 from the field but 9 of 12 from the free-throw line and added 10 rebounds. The sophomore also blocked seven shots to give her 303 for her career, No. 2 all-time in the Big 12, and reached 1,000 career points in 51 games.
Odyssey Sims scored 23 points for Baylor (15-1, 2-0) which won its 12th in a row and snapped a two-game losing streak to the Longhorns.
Chassidy Fussell scored 25 points to lead Texas (11-5, 0-2). The Longhorns have started 0-2 in league play in three of coach Gail Goestenkors' four seasons.
Texas, the nation's highest scoring team at 86 points per game, shot just 39 percent against the Lady Bears. Leading scorer, senior forward Kathleen Nash, was scoreless on 0-for-7 shooting.
Griner had a miserable start, missing her first six shots and 10 of 13 before halftime. The 6-foot-8 center found tough going against Texas' 6-4 Ashley Gayle, who got good position under the basket and forced Griner to misfire on several layups.
Ashleigh Fontenette scored 11 points as Texas raced to 19-8 lead before the Lady Bears roared back with a 16-2 run to take the lead on Griner's 3-point play. Baylor stretched the lead to nine before Texas closed to 32-30 at halftime.
Even with her struggles shooting, Griner still had 11 points in the first half and did her usual part on the defensive end with three blocks and diverted several other shots.
Griner didn't miss her first shot of the second half, a 10-foot jumper, and forced Gayle to pick up her third foul and go to the bench two minutes into the period.
Griner never really find her shooting touch from up close, but had no problems from the free-throw line, making her first nine. Her putback basket, when Gayle picked up her fourth foul, put Baylor up 48-39 with 14 minutes left. Griner nearly dunked two minutes later but settled for drop-in basket.
The Longhorns gave Griner few easy shots, but all the attention they paid to her left Sims free to drive to the basket or pull up for open jumpers.
Texas kept the game within reach deep into the second half before Griner made a short hook over Kristen Nash and Melissa Jones' 3-point play put the Lady Bears in firm control at 66-54.