No. 2/2 WBB Hosts Houston Baptist

Thursday, November 14

Waco, Texas

7:00 PM

Baylor

Houston Baptist

Photo by: Baylor Photography

No. 2/2 WBB Hosts Houston Baptist

11/13/2019 5:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Egbo to get first career start in place of injured Lauren Cox

By: Jery Hill, Baylor Bear Insider



	BAYLOR LADY BEARS (2-0) Location: Waco, Texas Conference: Big 12 Head Coach: Kim Mulkey (La. Tech, 1984) Roster \| Stats \| Game Notes	BAYLOR (2-0) VS. HOUSTON BAPTIST (2-0) November 14, 2019 • 7 p.m. CT Waco, Texas • The Ferrell Center (10,284) - LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast/1660 AM/92.3 FM WATCH: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ Talent: John Morris (PBP), Jim Haller (Analyst) LISTEN: Tune In Talent: Bruce Gietzen (PBP), Maggie Davis-Stinnett (Color) Baylor Social Media:

	HOUSTON BAPTIST HUSKIES (2-0) Location: Houston, Texas Conference: Southland Head Coach: Donna Finnie (Heriot Watt, 1998, 7th Year) Roster \| Stats \| Game Notes

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            When Kim Mulkey looks at Houston Baptist, all she sees is Baylor.
            "We have looked at film and we will guard them, but you're going to see the same stuff you've seen in the previous games," said Mulkey, whose second-ranked Lady Bears (2-0) will host the Houston Baptist Huskies (2-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ferrell Center.
            "We will be bigger, we will be more athletic. Nothing any different than what you've seen in the previous games we've played. What we've worked on is us, and that's what we will do (Thursday night)."
            The Lady Bears, who beat New Hampshire and Grambling by an average margin of 71 points, will be without 6-4 senior All-American forward Lauren Cox for Thursday's game. She will go through rest and rehab with the Baylor Athletics medicine staff after sustaining a stress reaction to the second metatarsal on her right foot, and her return will be determined based on her symptoms.
            Cox was one of a program-record eight players who scored in double figures in Baylor's 120-46 win over Grambling last Friday. Sophomore forward NaLyssa Smith is averaging 21 points and 13.5 rebounds per game and was named the Big 12 Co-Player of the Week.
            Replacing Cox in the starting lineup will be either 6-6 grad transfer Erin DeGrate (15.5 ppg, 5.0 rebounds) or 6-3 sophomore Queen Egbo (14.0 ppg, 5.5 rebounds).
            Because of the blowout victories, Mulkey said she can't get a "true picture" of this year's team yet. But, because of the team's depth, "I think from practices I'm getting a better picture."
            "Our practices are pretty intense when they go against each other," she said. "And I've always thought that if you have depth, your practices are going to be harder than games. And up to this point, I think that is true."
            Sophomore forward Caitlin Bickle said the players are so competitive in practice and "just want to win every single play in practice that it really pushes us so that potentially our practices are harder than every game we're going to face."
            While Baylor's top four scorers are all inside players, the perimeter trio of Juicy Landrum, DiDi Richards and grad transfer point guard Te'a Cooper have combined to average 29.5 points and 15.5 assists per game.
            Cooper, who assumed point guard duties from Final Four MVP Chloe Jackson, is helping freshman Jordyn Oliver transition from shooting guard and goes against her every day in practice.
            "Jordyn is a great player," Cooper said. "She wants to learn. She's doing something that she really hasn't had to do, which is play the point guard position. She asks me questions, and I talk to her off the court, so we have a good relationship. . . . Even though she's more comfortable at (shooting guard, I think if she stays the course she's going to be great."
            Houston Baptist was just 9-19 under coach Donna Finnie last year, but the Huskies opened with a 67-44 win over LSU-Shreveport and then blew out Paul Quinn, 63-44, on Tuesday. In the only two previous meetings between the two Baptist schools, Baylor rolled to a 100-57 win on Dec. 13, 2013, and followed that up with an even more dominant 118-43 victory three years ago, both in Waco.
            "You focus on you," Mulkey said. "We've got three more at home before (the Paradise Jam in) the Virgin Islands. And if we will focus on getting better in practice, I think we'll get a truer picture."
            Finishing up a five-match home stand, the Lady Bears will play 25^th-ranked South Florida on Tuesday and then Lamar next Thursday, Nov. 21, before trekking to the Virgin Islands for the Thanksgiving Day holiday break.
            Thursday's game will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+, with "Voice of the Bears" John Morris and former Baylor men's basketball head coach Jim Haller calling the action.

SENIOR FORWARD LAUREN COX TO MISS TIME WITH RIGHT-FOOT INJURY
Baylor All-American senior forward Lauren Cox sustained a stress reaction to the second metatarsal on her right foot and is expected to miss time beginning with Thursday night's contest with Houston Baptist.

Cox will rest and rehab with the Baylor Athletics medicine staff, and will treat the injury aggressively to ensure further progression. Her return will be determined based on her symptoms.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT: LADY BEARS INK TWO TOP-10 RECRUITS FOR 2020
Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey announced the signing of two of the top 10 players in the country Wednesday, with Irving MacArthur standouts Sarah Andrews and Hannah Gusters signing national letters of intent to join the Lady Bears in 2020.

Gusters was the first to verbally commit to Baylor in May. The 6-4 post player is the No. 9 overall ranked player in the 2020 class and the No. 2 center by espnW's Hoopgurlz. The Dan Olson Collegiate Basketball Report ranks her ninth and second, respectively as well. After helping Duncanville High School win a state championship as a freshman, Gusters averaged 14.5 points per game as a sophomore in leading the Pantherettes to a 39-2 record and the Class 6A region finals. Gusters played AAU ball for Nike ProSkills, and her maternal grandfather, Dewey Turner, played football for the University of Texas.

Andrews verbally committed to Baylor on social media Nov. 2 during an official visit. The 5-7 point guard is ranked No. 7 overall and the No. 2 point guard by espnW's HoopGurlz recruiting rankings and carries the same ranking from the Dan Olson Collegiate Basketball Report. Among Andrews' honors as a point guard for Irving MacArthur High School, she was a two-time TGCA 6A All-State selection in 2018 and 2019. USA Today named Andrews to the second-team All-Texas team in 2019 as well. The Dallas Morning-News named Andrews the top recruit in Texas. As a junior, she was the District 6-6A MVP after averaging 15.1 points, 7.0 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals for a MacArthur team that went 29-9. Andrews played AAU ball for Nike ProSkills.

BROCK GETS SURPRISED AT GRAYSON COLLEGE ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
Friday, associate head coach Bill Brock had to miss Baylor's contest with Grambling State because he was among the first two inductees to the Grayson College Athletics Hall of Fame. He was inducted in a ceremony over the weekend, and during halftime of a basketball game Saturday night, the school surprised Brock in a ceremony by naming the school's basketball floor "Bill Brock Court."

SMITH NAMED BIG 12 CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK; BU SETS RECORDS IN EACH OF ITS FIRST TWO GAMES
Baylor sophomore forward NaLyssa Smith earned Big 12 co-Player of the Week Monday after averaging 21.0 points and 13.5 rebounds in Baylor's blowout wins over New Hampshire and Grambling State. Nearly one year to the day after earning Big 12 co-Freshman of the Week (Nov. 12, 2018), Smith's 21 points in each game along with 14 and 13 rebounds, respectively, vs. New Hampshire and Grambling earned her the nod.

In Baylor's 97-29 win over New Hampshire Nov. 5, the Lady Bears set a program record by allowing just three first-half points to the Wildcats. The three points also was a Big 12 record and one off the NCAA record of two set by Western Kentucky. In the Lady Bears' 120-46 win over Grambling State Friday, Baylor set a single-game record by having eight players score in double figures. The previous record of seven players had been accomplished three times, twice last season.

I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE, SOMEBODY'S WATCHIN' ME
Winning a national title puts a lot of extra eyes on a program, and the Baylor Lady Bears have been honored entering the 2019-20 season with several acknowledgments from national entities for individual awards. The WBCA/Naismith Hall of Fame has an annual Starting Five, which honors the best player at each position. Te'a Cooper (Nancy Liberman Award), Juicy Landrum (Ann Meyers Drysdale Award), DiDi Richards (Cheryl Miller Award), Lauren Cox (Katrina McLain Award) and Queen Egbo (Lisa Leslie Award) were all honored as a part of the preseason watch lists.

Cox earned a trifecta when she was named to the John Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and Wade Trophy watch lists for collegiate player of the year. Landrum and Richards were each named to the Wooden Award watch list as well and Cooper earned a look from the Naismith Trophy.

MULKEY PASSES HER COLLEGE HEAD COACH, FORMER BOSS AND FORMER BU ASSISTANT COACH IN ALL-TIME WINS
Leon Barmore coached Kim Mulkey in college at Louisiana Tech, hired her to be an assistant coach when she was done playing, and later rejoined his pupil as an assistant coach at Baylor. In 19 seasons as head coach at Louisiana Tech, Barmore won 576 games and the 1988 NCAA national title with Mulkey as an assistant. Baylor's 97-29 win over New Hampshire Tuesday at the Ferrell Center gave Mulkey 577 career wins.

I GOTTA REALLY BIG TEAM AND WE NEED SOME REALLY BIG RINGS
Prior to the New Hampshire contest Nov. 5, Baylor celebrated its 2019 NCAA National Championship with a presentation of national championship rings and the reveal of a third NCAA Championship banner in a pregame ceremony. Staff, administrators, managers, coaches and players were all presented with rings in front of a Ferrell Center crowd of 7,606 people before Baylor dropped its third national championship banner joining the 2005 and 2012 national championships. The NCAA also provided a championship ring, and the program was presented a third ring for its 2019 Big 12 regular season and tournament title.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING
50-40-30. Baylor won its 50th straight non-conference game at the Ferrell Center vs. New Hampshire Tuesday, its 40th consecutive win at the Ferrell Center overall and its 30th win overall, which is the longest active streak in the NCAA. The 30-game streak is tied for the 21st longest win streak in NCAA history and tied for the third longest Baylor streak with the 2005-06 team.

HANGIN' WITH MISS-TE'A COOPER
Te'a Cooper got familiar with Baylor last year when the Lady Bears defeated her South Carolina Gamecocks twice by 25 points in each contest. One came on SC's home floor and the other gave Baylor a berth to the Elite 8. Cooper, the Gamecocks' shooting guard, averaged 16.5 points per game in each of those losses to the Lady Bears and finished the year leading SC with 11.9 points per contest. The second-team All-SEC selection will be the second-straight shooting-turned-point guard from the SEC to transfer to Baylor to take over point guard. After Chloe Jackson's success from LSU last year, Cooper elected to use her final year of eligibility at Baylor, a team that needed a point guard. Cooper is no stranger to the one position having started for Tennessee as a freshman in 2015-16. Cooper joined Lauren Cox as a preseason all-America selection by Street & Smith's and was named Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. Cooper is engaged to Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard and the couple plans to be married in the summer of 2020.

DEGRATE COMES HOME, OLIVER THE LONE-FISH
The only other newcomers to join the Lady Bears are 6-6 post Erin DeGrate and guard Jordyn Oliver. DeGrate is on her third college, like Cooper, having spent her freshman season with Louisville, her second and third seasons of eligibility with Texas Tech, and she'll return to her hometown to play alongside former high school teammate Juicy Landrum. DeGrate and Landrum won a state title at La Vega High School in Waco in 2014. In 86 college games, DeGrate has averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and has shot 49.8 percent from the floor.

Oliver was the lone signee from the 2019 recruiting class, joining Baylor from Prosper High School. The five-star recruit was ranked as high as No. 12 in the nation for the 2019 recruiting classes. She averaged 20 points and nine rebounds as a senior and amassed 2,000 career points at Prosper High School.

SCORING IS TOUGH VS. THE LADY BEARS
Baylor ranked tops in the nation in 2018-19 in the following categories: Assists (850), Assists Per Game (22.4), Blocked Shots (274), Blocked Shots Per Game (7.2), Defensive Rebounds Per Game (32.0), Rebound Margin (+17.0), Rebounds (1,790), and won-lost percentage (97.4). However, the Lady Bears ranked first in field goal percentage defense (.318) marking the third-straight year to lead the nation. Baylor has also ranked in the top five in eight of the last nine years.