Bailey. Maupin. The senior from West Texas who stayed home to get this program back calmly stepped to the free-throw line and buried two shots with 3.4 seconds left. Pushing her to seven fourth quarter points and helping lift Texas Tech to a 61–60 road win over No. 15 Baylor to snap a 31-game losing streak.

It wasn’t perfect. Texas Tech played no where near their ceiling and in many ways, that’s exactly what made it so special. Because they found a way to get it done and still have so much more to give. An early trademark of this year’s now 14-0 team.

“It felt really ugly,” head coach Krista Gerlich said. “But our radio guys reminded me that that was a defensive battle. When you have that, it’s ugly, right? It’s a little bit ugly. But what heart, what courage — huge plays by multiple people on our roster for sure.”

Two of the Big 12’s best defensive teams traded blows for 40 minutes inside Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas. There were seven lead changes, nine ties and no stretch where either side could breathe. Baylor led for over 17 minutes. Texas Tech led for just over 14. The margin never exceeded eight points.

And yet, just like it has all season, Texas Tech saved its best for last.

Down four after the first three quarters of play, the Lady Raiders poured in 22 points in the fourth quarter. It was a final frame filled with counter punches from both team’s and a chaotic final two minutes that even saw Baylor throw in Taliah Scott who had not played to that point due to injury.

“I thought our kids handled it really well,” Gerlich said. “The last minute and a half was crazy, right? And I thought you saw a lot of execution by both teams.”

That execution included a heavy dose of Texas Tech’s leading scorer on the night, Snudda Collins, who poured in 11 of her 21 points in the fourth quarter after being limited in the first half by foul trouble.

“Coach told me the moment that I got out with the fouls that I had to remain locked in,” Collins said. “And that’s what I did.”

Locked in she was. When it was time to go, the born scorer went to work. She attacked the paint, absorbed contact and delivered whenever the Lady Raiders desperately needed offense.

Down two possessions late in the fourth, Collins buried a corner three that momentarily silenced the Bears’ crowd and pulled Texas Tech within one.

Baylor responded with a four-point play on the other end and suddenly the deficit was back to five. No panic. Collins came right back down and answered with another bucket to cut it to three. Bucket getter, all night.

“I was honestly ready from the jump,” Collins said. “I know this is the first conference game, and conference game you have to take it up a notch.”

But Baylor answered yet again, because that’s what a No. 15 team does, so Collins said fine I’ll do it again. This time coming up with two-clutch free throws to get Tech within one point with 39-seconds to play. All setting the stage for the Lady Raiders’ eighth-ranked scoring defense to lock up the Bears and force a stop. They did just that.

Eleven seconds remained. Texas Tech had the ball. Down one. A chance to win. That’s when Bailey Maupin did Bailey Maupin things.

Driving baseline, floating through contact, Maupin forced the whistle and earned a trip to the line.

No hesitation.
Nails.

Then again, no hesitation.
Nails.

Texas Tech had a 62-61 lead with 3.4 seconds to go needing one more stop. Exactly where a team who prides itself on defense wants to be. Both Collins and Sara Sanogo walled up Baylor players at the rim to force the miss and secure the win.

The streak is over. Texas Tech is 1-0 in Big 12 play and almost assuredly headed for an AP Top 25 ranking tomorrow for the first time since 2012. A Merry Merry Christmas indeed.

“Winning, not just against Baylor, but at Baylor, is monumental for our program,” Gerlich said. “This team deserves this,” Gerlich said. “They earned it.”

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