AMES, Iowa — For the 12th-straight season, the Baylor Bears are Big 12 Conference women's basketball champions.
No. 5 Baylor beat No. 8 Iowa State 87-62 inside Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa, on Monday to clinch the at least a share of the title. The Bears become the first team to win the Big 12 after starting conference play 0-2 since Texas Tech in 2000.
NaLyssa Smith scored a game-high 28 points and pulled down a career-high 20 rebounds in the win.
Jordan Lewis added 23 for the Bears.
It's the Bears' first Big 12 championship without Kim Mulkey as head coach, keeping the streak alive in their first season under Nicki Collen.
Baylor closes the regular season at home Sunday against Texas Tech. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. A win would clinch the outright conference championship for the Bears.
The Bears, with the win, have clinched the No. 1 seed in next week's Big 12 Conference Tournament in Kansas City.
