March 9, 2005

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Sophia Young scored 18 points and No. 6 Baylor moved into the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament with a 70-52 win over Missouri on Wednesday.

Chameka Scott hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points for the top-seeded Bears (25-3), who will play either Texas Tech or Iowa State on Thursday. LaToya Wyatt added 11 points and Steffanie Blackmon had 10.

C'stelle N'Garsanet led Missouri (11-18) with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but the Tigers turned the ball over 21 times and shot just 35 percent from the field (18-for-52). They were also 12-for-22 at the free throw line.

LaToya Bond added 11 points and Tiffany Brooks 10 for the Tigers.

Missouri scored first, but Baylor used two 9-0 runs in the first seven minutes to quickly build a 22-8 lead. Young was the catalyst for both, scoring six of her 14 first-half points.

The Bears extended their early lead to as many as 20 (38-18), capitalizing on Missouri's 12 turnovers and a five-minute drought midway through the first half.

Brooks scored four straight points in the final minute to draw the Tigers within 41-27 at the break, and Missouri kept the momentum early in the second-half, cutting the lead to 10 with 16 minutes remaining.

But Scott's outside shooting kept Missouri at bay, and a 13-0 run in which she scored nine straight points late in the game sealed the victory.