WACO, Texas (Interstat) — The Baylor Lady Bears, leveraging a dominant third-quarter surge, dispatched the Kansas State Wildcats 80-54 in a Big 12 Conference women’s basketball game Monday night at the Ferrell Center.

A crowd of 3,478 watched Baylor improve to 24-6 overall and solidify its position in the upper tier of the conference standings. Kansas State, which entered the game having split its last four contests, fell to .500 at 15-15.

The game’s trajectory shifted decisively after halftime. Baylor, which led 35-26 at the break, erupted for 25 points in the third quarter while holding Kansas State to 14. This 16-point swing transformed a competitive contest into a comfortable lead for the home team. The Lady Bears shot efficiently throughout the period, capitalizing on defensive stops to fuel their transition game and find open shooters on the perimeter.

Freshman guard Taliah Scott of Baylor was the offensive catalyst, finishing with a game-high 20 points in just 29 minutes. Her scoring, particularly from beyond the arc, helped break the game open. She was complemented by forward Bella Fontleroy, who added 16 points, including four three-pointers, many of which came during the pivotal third-quarter run.

Kansas State, which had kept pace in the first half by scoring 13 points in each of the first two quarters, could not match Baylor’s offensive firepower or solve its defensive pressure after the intermission. The Wildcats were led by 12 points apiece from guards Tess Heal and Jordan Speiser, while forward Brandie Harrod added 10. Guard Gina Garcia, a native of Barcelona, Spain, played a team-high 40 minutes, contributing six points and five assists.

Baylor’s defensive presence was anchored by center Kiersten Johnson of Duncanville, Texas. The 6-foot-4 sophomore recorded four blocked shots, altered numerous others, and grabbed seven rebounds to go with three assists. Her rim protection was a consistent factor, discouraging Kansas State drives and contributing to the Wildcats’ shooting struggles.

The Lady Bears also displayed sharp ball movement, tallying 21 assists on their 30 made field goals. Point guard Jana Van Gytenbeek directed the offense with eight assists and five steals in 23 minutes of play. Forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Kansas State’s offense never found a sustained rhythm, hampered by 18 turnovers which Baylor converted into 23 points. The Wildcats also struggled from three-point range, a deficiency magnified by Baylor’s hot shooting from distance during its game-breaking run.

The victory extended Baylor’s recent strong form, as the Lady Bears have now won seven of their last eight games. Kansas State, meanwhile, continues its search for consistency as it heads into the final stretch of the regular season.

According to pregame analytics from Interstat, Baylor was projected with an 87.6% probability to win. The Lady Bears covered the pregame spread of -8.5, and the combined score of 134 landed under the over/under line of 133.5.

Baylor next travels to face Texas Christian on Sunday, March 1. Kansas State returns home to host Iowa State on the same day.