WACO, Texas — Sedona Prince delivered an impressive performance with 16 points and 19 rebounds, as the 10th-ranked TCU Horned Frogs clinched their very first Big 12 regular-season title. They narrowly defeated 17th-ranked Baylor with a 51-48 victory on Sunday in an intense contest marking the conference’s first winner-take-all day in its 29-year history.
Adding to the team’s efforts, Hailey Van Lith contributed 14 points. The Horned Frogs (28-3, 16-2 Big 12), guided by second-year coach Mark Campbell, wrapped up an exemplary regular season. This success marks a stark turnaround from their past record, where they went 7-47 in Big 12 games during the three seasons preceding Campbell’s leadership.
On the opposing side, Baylor’s Aaronette Vonleh scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Bears (25-6, 15-3) had their impressive nine-game winning streak interrupted, suffering through their lowest-scoring game of the season. Yaya Fielder also contributed 17 points but missed a critical 3-pointer with just six seconds on the clock.
The victory came just five weeks after TCU managed to break a 35-year losing spell against Baylor, completing a regular-season sweep over their in-state rivals. The Horned Frogs last celebrated a conference title during their tenure in the Mountain West Conference in 2010. Meanwhile, Baylor had not been defeated since that January 26th loss in Fort Worth, where they fell 80-75.
**Takeaways**
TCU: With a substantial improvement from the previous season, the Horned Frogs increased their conference wins by nine, matching Arkansas State of the Sun Belt Conference for the largest leap this season. This marks the best seasonal improvement seen in the Big 12 since Nebraska’s 10-win advancement between 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Baylor: Sarah Andrews played her record-setting 164th Big 12 game, surpassing the longstanding school record previously held by Suzie Snider Eppers since 1977. Andrews, now in her fifth year, faced challenges, scoring only one point and recording 0-of-7 from the field in 35 minutes.
**Key Moment**
In a crucial play, Van Lith sank two free throws with 1:49 remaining, pushing TCU to its largest lead at 49-39. Following a Baylor surge that cut the deficit, Van Lith added another point with a free throw just nine seconds before the buzzer.
**Key Stat**
Baylor struggled from the floor, shooting only 27.7% (18 of 65) overall.
**Up Next**
Attention now turns to the women’s Big 12 tournament, set to take place in Kansas City. Both Baylor and TCU have secured double-byes, meaning they won’t hit the court until the quarterfinals on Friday.
