WACO, Texas - Top-ranked Baylor keeps rolling and winning. The gap in the standings between first place and the rest of the Conference keeps growing. And the Lady Bears' deep and talented roster has gained another contributor.

When a team wins by 35 points, the focus for the game report widens to include all facets. The Lady Bears made sure the outcome was never in doubt, dispatching No. 23 Kansas State, 76-41, Saturday. Baylor limited the Wildcats (13-5, 4-2) to 24.6 percent shooting and compiled a dominant 60 to 32 edge in rebounding.

But deep in the box score was the line that should send shivers through the other nine coaches in the Big 12. Shanay Washington, a 6-1 sophomore, had six points in six minutes. Modest numbers, for sure. But Washington, who was a major contributor as a freshman, has missed 18 months after four ACL surgeries on her left knee.

After Baylor (19-0, 6-0) took the lead for good on a three-point play by Brittney Griner,  Washington scored five points on consecutive possessions to give the Bears a 19-11 lead. It was the first snow flake in the avalanche that engulfed the visitors.

"I'm trying to ease her back but she's ready to play," Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. "She gives us another player on the perimeter. I'm proud of her for having the heart to keep working through four surgeries and get back on the floor and to score her first points of the season in front of the home crowd."

Baylor's third-ranked men's team lost an 89-88 decision to Missouri earlier in the day before a sold out Ferrell Center. The building filled up again for the Lady Bears. And Mulkey spent much of her day watching the Bears lose at home, watching Duke lose at home, watching Syracuse lose on the road.

Mulkey delivered a fired-up halftime speech before the game.

"Coach's pre-game speech got me going," said Kimetria Hayden, who had 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

"I wanted them to understand the importance of winning tonight," Mulkey said. "I told them that you better defend and you better rebound. This crowd is ready to see you do that."

As Mike Tyson liked to say of his boxing victims, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the nose. Kansas State's plan was to use its zone and the shot clock to limit Baylor's offensive options and force bad shots. Two problems: Griner scored easily (22 points) despite the crowd around the basket and the Lady Bears' defense was impressive in its dominance.

"That was a dominant performance by Baylor," Kansas State coach Deb Patterson said. "They just gobble you up. If you don't match their toughness and intensity, that's what's going to happen. They just pummeled in every aspect."

Baylor has the best defense in women's college basketball, limiting opponents to 30 percent field goal accuracy. Kansas State was like a small animal in the coils of an anaconda. The squeezing was effective and lasted 40 minutes and continued even when Baylor's reserves were on the floor for the final eight minutes

Brittany Chambers, Kansas State's leading scorer (16 per game), finished with 16 points but needed 22 shots. Second-leading scorer Jalana Childs (15 per game) had just four points. Baylor had 24 offensive rebounds, approaching the Wildcats' rebounding total of 32.

There are four teams tied for second in the Big 12 with 4-2 records. Baylor has a two-game lead after a week that saw victories at Lubbock and at home against Kansas State.

"We had a chance to take a two-game lead and I'm glad we didn't leave the chance on the table," Mulkey said. "It's pretty simple ... just keep winning."