TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona women's basketball mounted a valiant comeback but fell just short in an 81-76 overtime loss to Baylor on Wednesday night at McKale Center.

Trailing by 17 points late in the second quarter, the Wildcats stormed back in the second half, with Isis Beh delivering a buzzer-beating layup to tie the game and force overtime. However, Baylor's rebounding dominance and timely scoring secured the victory for the Bears in the extra period.

Beh led the Wildcats with a season-high 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while Breya Cunningham recorded her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Lauryn Swann contributed 16 points in her second consecutive career start, and Jada Williams also tallied 16 points. Paulina Paris provided a spark off the bench with 14 points.

Arizona outshot Baylor from the field, converting 46.6% overall and 45.5% from beyond the arc. Despite their efficiency, the Wildcats struggled to match Baylor's presence on the boards, as the Bears held a 46-30 rebounding advantage and capitalized with 15 second-chance points.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Wildcats struggled to find their footing early, falling behind 39-26 at halftime. In the third quarter, a 4-0 run ignited by baskets from Cunningham and Beh began to chip away at the deficit. Arizona carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, where they outscored Baylor 22-15. Swann's clutch free throws and Paris' key layup in the final seconds of the third quarter set the stage for the late-game dramatics.

Beh's buzzer-beating layup on an in-bound pass from Mailien Rolf capped off regulation, tying the game at 71 to send it into overtime. In the extra period, Baylor's rebounding and efficient free-throw shooting proved decisive as the Bears outscored the Wildcats 10-5.

NOTABLES

• The Wildcats are now 11-6 overall and 2-2 in Big 12 play, holding a 3-1 all-time record against Baylor.

• Isis Beh reached 431 career points and 319 rebounds, marking her second double-figure scoring game this season.

• Paulina Paris reached 451 career points and is three assists away from 100 career assists and recorded her seventh double-figure scoring game of the season.

• Breya Cunningham tallied her 14th double-figure game this season and now has 467 career points, 274 rebounds, and 93 blocks.

• Jada Williams and Lauryn Swann recorded their 11th and sixth double-figure games of the season, respectively.

The Wildcats return to action on Saturday, January 11, against Iowa State for their Dark Mode game at 2 p.m. MST.