Despite Amber Battle’s 23-point performance, the No. 6 Baylor Bears defeated Texas Tech 75-65 in the regular-season finale for both teams Monday at the Ferrell Center in Waco.

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Texas Tech (15-15, 5-13) takes a five-game losing streak to its Big 12 tournament opener Friday in Dallas.

''I didn't like our execution at all in the first half. I thought we were really timid'' Tech coach Candi Whitaker said. ''When we went to the rim, we looked like we were looking for someone to block our shot instead of going and finishing it.''

Nina Davis scored 22 points for Baylor (27-3, 16-2) and Niya Johnson broke the Big 12 single-season record for assists

Kristy Wallace added 14 points for the Lady Bears who were coming off losses at Oklahoma and Iowa State since clinching their fifth consecutive Big 12 title in their last home game Feb. 21. Alexis Prince and Imani Wright each had 12 points.

Johnson, who came in the national leader with 8.7 assists per game, had 12 to push her season total to 255. The junior guard broke her school record of 244 set last year, and soon after halftime surpassed the league record 250 that Angel Goodrich set at Kansas three years ago.

Kelsi Baker add 13 points for the Lady Riaders.

Baylor had as much as a 27-point lead before the Lady Raiders made things interesting with a 16-1 run. They were within 67-60 on two free throws by Battle with 3:29 left.

The Lady Bears are the No. 1 seed as they go for their fifth consecutive Big 12 tournament championship. They play a quarterfinal game Saturday.

Texas Tech plays Friday in the first round of the Big 12 tournament in the American Airlines Center in Dallas against either West Virginia or Kansas State.

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