Saturday, December 21
Lawrence, Kan.
4 PM
Baylor
11-2,1-0Big 12
86
at
66
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Kansas
10-2,0-1Big 12
1
2
3
4
F
Baylor
16
24
29
17
86
Kansas
9
18
16
23
66
WBB Dominates Kansas to Begin League Play
12/21/2024 6:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Andrews went off from the three point line in Allen Fieldhouse
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
LAWRENCE, Kan. – In what she labeled a "trap game," opening conference on the road before Christmas, Nicki Collen wanted to see her Baylor Bears "ace our last final."
They definitely passed with flying colors, winning their seventh in a row and avenging last year's 21-point road loss with a dominant 86-66 road victory over the Kansas Jayhawks in Saturday's Big 12 opener at Allen Fieldhouse.
"We talked a lot about this being our last final in a semester that we just had our best GPA in women's basketball, outside of COVID," said Collen, whose Bears improved to 11-2 overall and 17-6 in their 23rd trip to Allen Fieldhouse.
"I thought the cushion that we built by playing really good (defense), outside of probably a few too many fouls, allowed us to withstand their pressure and aggression in the fourth quarter when we were in foul trouble. Proud of our group, excited about what's next. Anytime you win on the road in this league, you're really happy."
Sarah Andrews knocked down five of Baylor's 12 made 3-pointers and led five double-figure scorers with 19 points. Yaya Felder and Aaronette Vonleh scored 16 points apiece, Jada Walker added 15 points and seven assists and Bella Fonlteroy chipped in with 10 points and eight boards.
"That's what's so special about this team," said Andrews, who scored 14 of her 19 points in the second half, hitting 4-of-6 from distance. "(Vonleh) came out and killed them. We had the old (Darianna Littlepage-Buggs) and Bella playing the 4 and 5. I think everybody came in and contributed. That's what we need in the Big 12. People are going to stop certain things."
And while the Bears had third, fourth, fifth and even sixth scorers – Littlepage-Buggs narrowly missed a double-double with eight points and 13 rebounds – Kansas (10-2, 0-1) got most of its points from its Big Two of S'Mya Nichols and Elle Evans with 25 and 13 points, respectively.
"When you look at the numbers, it's about the others," Collen said. "(Sania) Copeland making big 3's in the fourth quarter against Penn State. It's (Brittany) Harshaw, scared of her getting going from 3. I know she hasn't shot it well since coming back, but she had big games early in the season before she got hurt. All those guys make plays for them that create the separation with all their wins. They've played in a lot of close games and won them all."
Unlike last year's trip, when Baylor lost a nine-point second-quarter lead in getting blown out, the Bears stretched a seven-point first-quarter lead to as many 19 before giving up a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Evans after a turnover by Walker. A closing 6-0 run cut the Jayhawks' deficit to 40-27 at the break.
"What we talked about in the locker room is we still had a 13-point lead at halftime on the road in the Big 12," Collen said. "And if you had said before the game, would you be happy with a 13-point lead at halftime? Absolutely. But now our goal is to be up 20 at the end of the third, and our goal is to finish the game up by 30 at this point because you know you can."
In a dominant third quarter, Baylor went up by 30, 69-39, on back-to-back treys by Andrews. But Kansas used an extended 11-0 run at the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth to pull back within 69-50 on a three-point play by Nichols.
Another 7-0 run got the Jayhawks as close as they had been since the end of the first half, closing the gap to 76-62 on a pair of Nichols free throws.
"Sometimes, you've got to be physical with players like that," Andrews said of Nichols, who scored 11 of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter. "I think we got her in foul trouble early. That had something to do with it. She couldn't be as aggressive coming off ball screens. She didn't want to pick up that fourth and fifth foul. I think that's the only reason she got going in the second half, and she was a little more aggressive versus what she was in the first half."
The Bears shot 45.9% overall, including 12-of-28 from 3-point range, had a 23-to-8 assist-to-turnover ratio and blocked 11 shots.
Following a 10-day break for Christmas, the Bears will return home to host Oklahoma State (11-1, 1-0) at 3 p.m. on New Year's Day at the Foster Pavilion. The Cowgirls held on to defeat Iowa State, 81-75, in their conference home opener on Saturday in Stillwater.
"We need everyone at the Oklahoma State game after Christmas," Collen said. "Please be there at the Foster Pavilion. This team needs you."
Baylor Bear Insider
LAWRENCE, Kan. – In what she labeled a "trap game," opening conference on the road before Christmas, Nicki Collen wanted to see her Baylor Bears "ace our last final."
They definitely passed with flying colors, winning their seventh in a row and avenging last year's 21-point road loss with a dominant 86-66 road victory over the Kansas Jayhawks in Saturday's Big 12 opener at Allen Fieldhouse.
"We talked a lot about this being our last final in a semester that we just had our best GPA in women's basketball, outside of COVID," said Collen, whose Bears improved to 11-2 overall and 17-6 in their 23rd trip to Allen Fieldhouse.
"I thought the cushion that we built by playing really good (defense), outside of probably a few too many fouls, allowed us to withstand their pressure and aggression in the fourth quarter when we were in foul trouble. Proud of our group, excited about what's next. Anytime you win on the road in this league, you're really happy."
Sarah Andrews knocked down five of Baylor's 12 made 3-pointers and led five double-figure scorers with 19 points. Yaya Felder and Aaronette Vonleh scored 16 points apiece, Jada Walker added 15 points and seven assists and Bella Fonlteroy chipped in with 10 points and eight boards.
"That's what's so special about this team," said Andrews, who scored 14 of her 19 points in the second half, hitting 4-of-6 from distance. "(Vonleh) came out and killed them. We had the old (Darianna Littlepage-Buggs) and Bella playing the 4 and 5. I think everybody came in and contributed. That's what we need in the Big 12. People are going to stop certain things."
And while the Bears had third, fourth, fifth and even sixth scorers – Littlepage-Buggs narrowly missed a double-double with eight points and 13 rebounds – Kansas (10-2, 0-1) got most of its points from its Big Two of S'Mya Nichols and Elle Evans with 25 and 13 points, respectively.
"When you look at the numbers, it's about the others," Collen said. "(Sania) Copeland making big 3's in the fourth quarter against Penn State. It's (Brittany) Harshaw, scared of her getting going from 3. I know she hasn't shot it well since coming back, but she had big games early in the season before she got hurt. All those guys make plays for them that create the separation with all their wins. They've played in a lot of close games and won them all."
Unlike last year's trip, when Baylor lost a nine-point second-quarter lead in getting blown out, the Bears stretched a seven-point first-quarter lead to as many 19 before giving up a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Evans after a turnover by Walker. A closing 6-0 run cut the Jayhawks' deficit to 40-27 at the break.
"What we talked about in the locker room is we still had a 13-point lead at halftime on the road in the Big 12," Collen said. "And if you had said before the game, would you be happy with a 13-point lead at halftime? Absolutely. But now our goal is to be up 20 at the end of the third, and our goal is to finish the game up by 30 at this point because you know you can."
In a dominant third quarter, Baylor went up by 30, 69-39, on back-to-back treys by Andrews. But Kansas used an extended 11-0 run at the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth to pull back within 69-50 on a three-point play by Nichols.
Another 7-0 run got the Jayhawks as close as they had been since the end of the first half, closing the gap to 76-62 on a pair of Nichols free throws.
"Sometimes, you've got to be physical with players like that," Andrews said of Nichols, who scored 11 of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter. "I think we got her in foul trouble early. That had something to do with it. She couldn't be as aggressive coming off ball screens. She didn't want to pick up that fourth and fifth foul. I think that's the only reason she got going in the second half, and she was a little more aggressive versus what she was in the first half."
The Bears shot 45.9% overall, including 12-of-28 from 3-point range, had a 23-to-8 assist-to-turnover ratio and blocked 11 shots.
Following a 10-day break for Christmas, the Bears will return home to host Oklahoma State (11-1, 1-0) at 3 p.m. on New Year's Day at the Foster Pavilion. The Cowgirls held on to defeat Iowa State, 81-75, in their conference home opener on Saturday in Stillwater.
"We need everyone at the Oklahoma State game after Christmas," Collen said. "Please be there at the Foster Pavilion. This team needs you."
Team Stats
Baylor
KU
FG%
.459
.328
3FG%
.429
.313
FT%
.750
.767
RB
44
37
TO
8
11
STL
5
3
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
0
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballG
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