No dunks, but double-double for Griner in Baylor home debut, 100-55 victory over Tenn. Tech

Griner double-double, no dunk in Baylor home debut

WACO, Texas — Baylor freshman phenom Brittney Griner had 10 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocks and missed her only dunk attempt before fouling out with 10 minutes left in the eight-ranked Lady Bears’ home opener, a 100-55 victory over Tennessee Tech on Tuesday night.

The 6-foot-8 Griner tried a right-handed slam just over 3 minutes into the second half, but the ball caromed off the back of the rim. She did rebound her miss and was fouled on a putback try, then made one of the free throws to put Baylor (2-0) up 51-29.

While Baylor appeared to be trying to get the ball inside to Griner several times, she had a rough shooting night (3 of 9) and wasn’t able to get a dunk against the Golden Eagles (1-2), whose 10-player traveling squad consisted of seven freshmen and three sophomores — all of them at least eight inches shorter than Griner.

Jordan Madden, another of Baylor’s five freshmen, had 21 points to lead five Lady Bears in double figures. Ashley Field had 16 points, lone senior Morghan Medlock had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Shanay Washington had 10 points.

Krystal Stirrup led Tennessee Tech with 19 points.

The Golden Eagles’ only lead was 3-2 when Kylie Cook, who finished with 12 points on four 3-pointers, hit her first one on their opening shot of the game. Medlock’s two free throws put Baylor back ahead, and the Lady Bears had already stretched the lead to 22-10 when Madden hit a 3-poiniter midway through the first half.

In her college debut Sunday in the Lady Bears’ 74-65 loss at sixth-ranked Tennessee, Griner had 15 points, four rebounds and four blocks and didn’t attempt a dunk.

Griner became a YouTube sensation at Houston’s Nimitz High, where she had 52 dunks in 32 games as a senior last season and had as many as seven in a game. Only six women have dunked in college basketball, a total of 15 dunks.