As of a week ago, no player in Division I college basketball history — men’s or women’s — had ever tallied 2,000 career points and 500 career blocks. Not Tim Duncan. Not Shaquille O’Neal. Not Rebecca Lobo. Not Courtney Paris.
Saturday against Kansas State, Baylor junior Brittney Griner became the first to accomplish that combination, breaking the 2,000-career-point mark as she dropped in 29 points and helped the No. 1-ranked Lady Bears improve to 23-0 on the season. The 6-foot-8 post had tallied her 500th career block just over a week earlier when she rejected seven shots in a win over Oklahoma.
Griner is the sixth player in Baylor history to tally 2,000 career points, joining Lady Bears Suzie Snider Eppers (3,861 points between 1973-77), Sophia Young (2,480 points, 2002-06) and Maggie Davis-Stinnett (2,027 points, 1986-91) and men’s players LaceDarius Dunn (2,285 points, 2007-11) and Terry Teagle (2,189, 1978-82).
No Baylor player has ever blocked as many shots as Griner; Danielle Wilson previously held the women’s record with 249, while Brian Skinner holds the school men’s mark with 346. Griner now ranks second in NCAA women’s history with 513 career blocks, exactly 150 behind record-holder Louella Tomlinson of St. Mary’s (CA).
Considering Griner still has nearly a season and a half left in her college career, there will likely be quite a few more marks shattered before she’s done. The Lady Bears are back in action tonight, hosting Oklahoma at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.
Sic ’em, Brittney and the Lady Bears!
