College Station, Texas ? Danielle Adams sure gave No. 1 Baylor plenty to think about.
Kansas City, Mo., native Adams scored 26 of her school-record 40 points in the first half, and No. 6 Texas A&M coasted to an 81-58 victory over Kansas on Saturday night.
The Aggies (21-2, 9-1) have won three straight heading into Monday’s Big 12 showdown at the top-ranked Bears. Texas A&M lost, 63-60, in the first meeting this season.
“After the game was over, I immediately start thinking about the next game,” Adams said. “Baylor’s a big game, and everybody is looking for us to do something great — get a win and knock off the No. 1 team.”
Adams led the charge in a dominant first half, helping the Aggies build a 19-point halftime lead. The Jayhawks never threatened after the break despite Adams slowing down a bit. She made 10 of her first 14 shots, then went 6-for-12 from the field in the second half.
Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson thinks Adams may have had some inside information about her entering this game.
“I think Danielle knows I’m on the All-American committee,” Henrickson said with a laugh. “I feel certain she might know that I’m going to sit at that table in Indianapolis and represent. She made my speech pretty easy. I don’t have to watch any film on that. D-Train and I are good.”
Texas A&M coach Gary Blair called Adams special and said the only thing she and fellow senior Sydney Colson need to show him is they can produce in an important game like Monday’s matchup.
Carolyn Davis had 16 points, but Kansas (16-9, 3-8) was hurt by a season-high 31 turnovers.
The Jayhawks didn’t have an answer for Adams, the Big 12’s leading scorer.
“She’s a tough matchup,” Davis said. “She’s a big body. She’s bigger than all of our post players.”
Davis, Kansas’ leading scorer, played just six minutes in the first half after picking up two early fouls.