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WACO, Texas — Sedona Prince had 16 points and 19 rebounds as 10th-ranked TCU won its first Big 12 regular-season title, holding on to beat No. 17 Baylor 51-48 on Sunday in the conference's first winner-take-all on the final day in its 29-season history.
Hailey Van Lith added 14 points as the Horned Frogs (28-3, 16-2 Big 12), under second-year coach Mark Campbell, wrapped up their best regular season ever. They were a combined 7-47 in Big 12 games in the three seasons before the coach's arrival.
Aaronette Vonleh had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Baylor (25-6, 15-3), the 13-time Big 12 champion that had its nine-game winning streak snapped with its lowest-scoring game this season. Yaya Fielder also had 17 points, but missed a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left.
Five weeks after beating Baylor for the first time in 35 years, the Frogs completed the regular-season sweep of their instate rival to win their first conference title since being in the Mountain West in 2010. The Bears hadn't lost since that 80-75 loss in Fort Worth on Jan. 26.
TCU: By winning nine conference games more than last season, TCU matched Sun Belt team Arkansas State for the largest increase this season. It is the best season-to-season improvement in the Big 12 since Nebraska had a 10-win increase from 2008-09 to 2009-10.
Baylor: Sarah Andrews played in her Big 12 record 164th game, which broke the school record that Suzie Snider Eppers held since 163rd game in 1977. The fifth-year guard had a season-low one point with 0-of-7 shooting in 35 minutes.
Van Lith made two free throws with 1:49 left to give TCU its largest lead at 49-39. After Baylor went on a 9-1 run, Van Lith made another free throw with nine seconds left.
Baylor shot 27.7% from the field (18 of 65).
The women's Big 12 tournament in Kansas City. Baylor and TCU both got double-byes and don't play until the quarterfinal round Friday.
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