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WACO, Texas (AP) - Odyssey Sims scored 27 points, and No. 9 Baylor beat McNeese State 82-57 Saturday night in the last game before the start of conference play for both teams.
The Lady Bears (10-1) extended their nation-leading home winning streak to 67 games, a school record.
Sims, the top scorer in the country at 30.1 points per game, led a 14-2 first-half run to take control heading into a visit to Kansas State for the Big 12 opener on Thursday. The Lady Bears have won three straight conference regular-season and tournament titles.
Baylor has one more non-conference game at home against No. 1 Connecticut on Jan. 13.
Allison Baggett scored 22 points to lead McNeese State (7-4), which had a three-game winning streak snapped. The Cowgirls play host to Southeastern Louisiana in their Southland Conference opener Thursday.
Before the game, Baylor coach Kim Mulkey presented Sims with a ball commemorating the school assists record she broke with a career-high 13 against San Jose State on Dec. 3. She had two assists against McNeese to put her at 524. Angela Tisdale had 493 from 2004-08.
It won't be long before Sims becomes the school's career 3-point leader. She was 5 of 7 from long range against McNeese and needs six to break Jennifer King's record of 195 from 1989-93.
Sims, the only Baylor player in double figures, had back-to-back 3-pointers and 10 points overall during the 14-2 run that put Baylor in front 27-12 with 7:47 remaining in the first half.
Jalyn Johnson opened the second half with a 3-pointer to get McNeese within 12, but Sims hit two free throws and made a crosscourt pass to Imani Wright for an opener 3-pointer. Alexis Prince added a putback layup for a 51-32 lead.
Sims put the Lady Bears up 61-39 with 11:58 remaining on a steal and layup in the backcourt right after a bucket from Sune Agbuke and went to the bench for good less than a minute later.
Sims had more points than minutes (25), which isn't unusual because she's averaging more points than minutes for the season. Sims has played at least 30 minutes just four times because the Lady Bears have won by at least 25 points in nine of their 11 games.
Agbuke, Baylor's leader in rebounding and blocks, had eight rebounds and four blocks while freshman Nina Davis led Baylor with 10 boards.
Prince, who had offseason foot surgery and made her debut against Kentucky only after the Lady Bears ran out of players because of fouls, scored the first four Baylor points and finished with eight.
Cecilia Okoye had 14 points and six rebounds for McNeese, and Hailey Jenkins scored 11.
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