No. 5 Baylor’s NCAA Tournament run ends in Sweet 16

PORTLAND, OR ( FOX 44 ) — The Baylor Bears couldn’t withstand the USC Trojans charge late as their season comes to an end in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament with a 74-70 loss.

The Bears faced one of their toughest tests of the season against the nation’s top freshman in USC’s JuJu Watkins but answered the call in the first half. Watkins scored 15 of USC’s 37 first half points but only connected on 5-16 field goal attempts.

Meanwhile on Baylor’s side, the Bears came out with the typical balanced approach on offense with seven players finding the scoring column, keeping the deficit within six heading into the halftime break.

The second half began with USC swinging but the Bears punching right back. A 19-12 run gave the Bears their first lead of the game off a three-point jumper from Sarah Andrews with Baylor taking a four-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Neither team was ready to return home in the final period, with Jada Walker once again providing a spark for the Bears in the late stages adding five of Baylor’s 10 points in the quarter.

The Trojans jumped out to as much as a five-point lead with under two minutes to go but a key sequence by Andrews on both the offensive and defensive side cut the lead to two points.

A missed lay in by USC’s Kaitlyn Davis knocked out of bounds caused for some controversy at the Moda Center shortly after, with an official review determining that it went off of the Bears to give the Trojans possession with 29.3 seconds remaining, five seconds on the shot clock.

Baylor forced Watkins into a double team with the shot clock winding down but an untimely foul from Fontleroy put the star freshman at the line for two free throws that she used to extend the lead to four with 26 seconds left.

Andrews answered right back, banking in a three pointer on the other end to pull the Bears within a point before fouling Watkins who extended the lead to three once again to give her 30 points on the night.

The Bears were unable to tie the game with missed three pointers from Andrews and Edwards down the stretch as Baylor bows out from the NCAA Tournament.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.