Brittney Griner not only stole the spotlight in Baylor's 65-47 victory over Kansas State on Wednesday night, she made history doing it.
After the game, Baylor coach Kim Mulkey made it clear that her 6-foot-8 freshman center's performance was special.
"My God, tell your buddies what they missed," she said.
What did those absent from the game pass up?
Well, first, Griner threw down the first dunk in Big 12 women's basketball history. To add to it, she blocked eight Wildcat shot attempts -- the most by a single player from an opposing team in Bramlage Coliseum history.
Griner was simply dominant.
K-State had no answer for Griner, who also finished with a game-high 26 points and seven rebounds.
As dominant as Griner was, K-State made this a game in the first half, trailing by only two at halftime, 30-28.
In those 20 minutes, they scratched, clawed, and downright played gutsy against the more physical and athletic Baylor squad.
They drove the lane as if they were blind to the fact that Griner and her 7-4 wingspan were waiting there. And they scored.
Sophomore forward Jalana Childs opened the Wildcats' scoring in the first half with a hard drive right at Griner, and converted. Then she did it again.
Senior forward Ashley Sweat got in on the action too as she kept the Cats close with seven points in the first in the first 10 minutes of the half -- including a 3pointer.
Childs had seven points in the half -despite sitting out 10 minutes with two fouls. Sweat netted 12 first-half points.
"I was just trying to play my game," said Childs, who also had seven rebounds. "There was not a different strategy this game. I just had to keep going at it and try to get to the line."
Yet Griner came out in the second half, and immediately reminded the 3,893 in attendance why she was one of the most feared post presences in the county.
On the Wildcats' first possession of the second half, K-State freshman point guard Brittany Chambers made a drive at the right side of the basket -- staying true to the attack strategy K-State used in the first half.
This time, though, it didn't work, as Griner blocked the shot out of bounds.
The swat set the tone for the second half for a Bears team that was still looking for its first Big 12 road win of the season.
"Starting off with a blocked shot like that not only gets me pumped up, it gets my whole team pumped up," Griner said.
"It gives them reassurance that if they happen to get beat off the dribble, I am there to help them out," She did more than help them out -dominating on both ends of the floor.
"If you get by one player for Baylor, there (Griner) stands," Mulkey said.
"They have to make decisions -- her ability, her wingspan to block shots -- I don't know that any of you or I will ever see it again in women's basketball."
Those forced decisions by K-State often came at the end of the shot clock in the second half, as KSU shot only 25 percent from the field in the half and finished the game just 17-for-55.
K-State was denied any significant post game in the second half due to Griner, and their shooting was just not present to bail them out.
The Wildcats will look to rebound on the road Sunday as they travel east to face their in-state rival Kansas with tip off set for 1 p.m.
-Photo K-State Sports Information.
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