Following a long delay due to the 4-overtime game between the Kentucky and Baylor womens' teams, the #3 Wildcats and #20 Bears took the court at Jerry Jones' palatial AT&T Stadium for a little Top 25 tip.The Bears, whose only loss was to Syracuse, 74-67, on November 27, was ready for the meeting that was the finale of the SEC-Big 12 Challenge, and, thanks to some heady play down the stretch and a game-high, 18 points from point guard Kenny Chery, came away on the top side of a 67-62 victory, sending the Wildcats to their second loss of the season (7-2).
Chery, a 5'11" junior from Montreal, couldn't buy a bucket from long range, going 0-for-5 from beyond the arc, but was money inside, hitting eight of 10 two-pointers while dishing five assists. He also hit a key bucket with 43 seconds left, giving Baylor a 65-61 lead as the Bears outscored the Wildcats, 26-12, over the final 13 minutes, eight points supplied by Chery during the final push.
Beyond Chery's contributions on the scoreboard, Baylor badly out-rebounded Kentucky, 41-25, including 18 offensive boards.
The 8-1 Bears won't be hitting the hardwoods for nearly two weeks, when they host Northwestern State on December 18. Kentucky will get little rest, as they play Boise State on the 10th and travel to Chapel Hill to meet the North Carolina Tar Heels on December 14.
