The Kansas University women’s basketball team knew Baylor had a strong inside game.

Ironically, the Bears were a momentum-crushing 9-of-16 from three-point range Saturday in a 77-61 victory over the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse.

Baylor’s perimeter offense had been dormant. In their last three games, the Bears (17-8 overall, 6-7 Big 12 Conference) were a dismal 5-of-36 from three-point range.

So, what happened Saturday?

“There were some shooters we knew we had to watch,” KU coach Marian Washington said, “and we lost them.”

Kansas University forward Tamara Ransburg (22) is fouled on a layup attempt. Ransburg scored a game-high 23 points and had nine rebounds in the Jayhawks' 77-61 loss Saturday to Baylor at Allen Fieldhouse.

The main culprit was Bears guard Jordan Davis, who sank six of eight three-pointers. After the Jayhawks cut an 18-point lead to 59-55, Davis scored 12 of her 18 points in the final 6:35 to halt the KU rally.

“The three-point line has hurt us all season long,” Washington said, “and it hurt us again.”

Kansas hung tight early and trailed, 42-34, at halftime. Baylor opened the second half on a 10-0 run, however, and Kansas was down by 18 and needed a furious rally.

It got one.

Highlighted by tremendous inside play by freshman forward Tamara Ransburg and equally effective long-range shooting by sophomore Stacey Becker, Kansas (10-14, 3-10) outscored Baylor 21-7 during the next 10 minutes and cut the deficit to four.

Ransburg finished with a game-high 23 points and added nine rebounds in her third straight solid game.

Kansas University guard Stacey Becker, right, tangles with Baylor's Stasha Richards in a scramble for a loose ball. The Bears beat the Jayhawks, 77-61, Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.

“It feels good,” Ransburg said. “The coaches have backed me up 100 percent.”

Ransburg was just one rebound shy of her third straight double-double, and her one blocked shot moved her past Lynette Woodard, a KU assistant, into fifth place on KU’s all-time single-season blocks list.

“Tay’s only going to get better,” Washington said. “She’s a lot smarter with shots that she goes after. She likes to be aggressive, but I think she’s smarter.”

Kansas Guard Aquanita Burras pops a short jumper over Baylor defenders Jessika Stratton, left, and Steffanie Blackmon. Burras scored seven points in KU's 77-61 loss.

Becker, meanwhile, drained four of eight three-pointers, including three during the 10-minute stretch. She finished with 12 points.

In the end, though, it was the lack of defense that doomed the Jayhawks.

Ransburg said KU’s guards would collapse inside and play help defense, leaving Baylor’s guards open from long range.

“Our guards and wings need to do a better job of trusting us,” Ransburg said.

Becker, a guard, agreed.

“We just need to stay on the same page,” she said. “We’ve got to stick to our game plan.”

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Jayhawks. A rematch with No. 5 Kansas State is slated for Wednesday, this time at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. K-State topped Kansas 88-49 at Allen Fieldhouse on Jan. 8.