DALLAS – Britney Griner scored 31 points as No. 1 Baylor (32-1) beat Iowa State (23-8), 75-47, Monday in the championship game of the Big 12 Conference postseason tournament in the American Airlines Center. The appearance of the Cyclones in its first league championship final since 2007 was spurred by wins over Kansas and Oklahoma on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Iowa State awaits the presentation March 18 of its berth in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Center Anna Prins had a great tournament scoring 66 points and 19 rebounds in three games, including 20 points vs. Baylor to lead Iowa State Monday. Prins scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a 79-60 victory over Oklahoma en route to being named to the all-tournament team.
Nikki Moody added 12 points for the Cyclones, who saw a three-game win streak snapped at the hands of the Lady Bears.
A pair of three-point field goals by Prins and Hallie Christofferson gave Iowa State a 6-5 lead with 17:43 left in the first half. But the Cyclones did not score for 8:06 and Baylor led 24-6 before Moody scored on a drive with 9:37 left in the half. Baylor was dominant, leading 41-13 at intermission.
Iowa State, which was picked for sixth in the preseason Big 12 poll, placed second outright in the final league regular-season standings.