Baylor
Texas Southern
WBB Awaits Texas Southern at Foster Pavilion Wednesday Evening
12/3/2024 4:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball
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RV/23 BAYLOR BEARS (7-2, 0-0 Big 12) Location: Waco, Texas Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Nicki Collen (Marquette, 1998) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF) |
RV/23 BAYLOR (7-2, 0-0 Big 12) vs. TEXAS SOUTHERN TIGERS (1-4, 0-0 SWAC) Dec. 4, 2024 • 7:00 p.m. CT Waco, Texas • Foster Pavilion (7,500) LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast WATCH: ESPN+ Talent: Pete Sousa (pxp), Jordan Lewis (analyst), Jim Haller (analyst) LISTEN: Baylor Sports Media Network via FOX Sports Radio 93.9FM in Central Texas and worldwide at centexsportsfan.com. Talent: Derek Smith (pxp), Lori Fogleman (analyst) Baylor Social Media:    |
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TEXAS SOUTHERN TIGERS (1-4, 0-0 SWAC) Location: Houston, Texas Conference/Affiliation: SWAC Head Coach: Vernette Skeete (Alcorn, 2005) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF) |
Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Without a doubt, the Baylor women (7-2) have the potential to be a top-10 team by the end of the year.
Particularly adding Aliyah Matharu at midyear, a 5-7 transfer from Florida who was second in the SEC last year with 19.0 points per game.
"Aliyah can really add to the mix at both ends of the floor," said Baylor coach Nicki Collen, whose Bears will host Texas Southern (1-4) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the middle game of a five-game homestand at Foster Pavilion.
"We could use another defensive-minded player (who) is capable of making a play, scoring, getting hot and have a 30-point game, if you need it. Excited to add her to the mix and see what she adds, besides spice."
Collen does see the potential in the Bears, but they had "two opportunities to prove why we should be ranked (against Oregon and Indiana), and we didn't get it done."
"I think we've got plenty of games on our schedule that can prove that we belong in the top 25, the top 15, the top 10," Collen said. "Do I think we've played like a top-10 team in the first nine games? No, I think that's what we have to prove. Whether it's Texas Southern, UNLV, Utah Tech or Kansas, to start Big 12 play, we've got to be Baylor and we've got to figure out what that looks like and what it feels like."
What Baylor looks like is a balanced team with six players averaging between 9.7 and 15.2 points per game and a deep rotation that can go as much as 10-deep.
Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (15.2 ppg, 9.7 rebounds) is averaging close to a double-double, 6-3 Colorado transfer Aaronette Vonleh (14.2 ppg) gives BU a strong inside presence and Jada Walker (12.9 ppg, 5.9 assists) and Sarah Andrews (9.9 ppg, 5.1 assists) form an experienced and talented backcourt.
Bella Fontleroy (9.7 ppg, 6.2 rebounds), a defensive specialist who leads the team with 17 blocks, is also second on the team with 17 made 3-pointers and is shooting 31.5% from distance.
"I wouldn't say that it's a point of emphasis," said Fontleroy, who had a career-high five blocks in last month's 65-42 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, "but I think I've learned how to track the ball better. Usually, (assistant coach Tony Greene) tells us to kind of wall up, and we stay down. Lately, i feel like, 'Okay, I'm in position.' As long as I go up after the shot's left her hands and just get a piece of it, I'll be all right.' But I think (blocking shots) is fun."
First off the bench are 5-8 senior guard Yaya Felder (11.3 ppg), who was named to the Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament Team; and 6-3 junior center Kyla Abraham, who's grabbed 16 offensive boards and ranks second on the team with 12 blocks.
"Kyla's just got to build confidence in doing what she does," Collen said, "and be okay with saying, 'Okay my game isn't the same as Nettie (Vonleh).' We're not going to play the same with her in the game, but I can be really good in these areas and really give us energy and transition bucket . . . but her being really committed to being elite defensively is going to go a long way towards how many minutes she gets."
The Bears can also turn to 6-1 freshman forward Kayla Nelms, 6-3 grad forward Madison Bartley and 5-9 juco transfer guard Waiata Jennings, another defensive spark who has also hit five 3-pointers.
"I think Wise (Jennings) is pretty fiery," Fontleroy said. "But instead of getting hyped and talking and chirping to people, she just always has that big smile on her face. Even offensively, she'll always stick her tongue out at the bench or do something."
Texas Southern, coming off a 119-27 blowout of College of Biblical Studies, is led by Division I transfers Courtlyn Loudermill from North Texas (16.2 ppg), Aaliyah Henderson from SMU (11.8 ppg) and Aylasia Fantroy from Ohio University (10.0 ppg). Baylor leads the all-time series 8-2, but the Bears haven't played the Tigers since a 119-30 rout in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
"They do force turnovers, so we want to take care of the ball," Collen said. "Because they play fast, you can get into that mode of playing in a hurry. We always want to play fast, too, but we don't want to play in a hurry."
The game will be streamed by ESPN+, with Pete Sousa, former Baylor men's basketball coach Jim Haller and 2022 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Jordan Lewis calling the action.
Game notes
• Baylor faces Texas Southern at 7 p.m. on Wednesday for the first time since the 2017 NCAA Tournament.
• Sunday's game is the third of a five-game homestand that will wrap up non-conference play before the Big 12 slate kicks off at Kansas on Dec. 21.
• The remainder of the non-conference slate is packed full of promotions, including: the annual Holiday Hoops game and Cub Christmas Party against UNLV on Dec. 8 and Future Bears Day, held for the first time at Foster Pavilion, against Utah Tech on Dec. 18.
• Sarah Andrews set the program record of 3-pointers made against LA Tech and is now the sole owner of 3-pointers made and attempted.
• Texas Southern and Baylor will face off for the 11th time on Wednesday, last seeing each other in the 2017 NCAA Tournament, where BU took the first-round win in a dominating, 119-30, performance.
• The Bears have never given the Tigers a win in Waco. They lead 7-0 with the first meeting in Central Texas during the 1990-91 season.
• Courtlyn Loudermill averages 16.2 points per game after a season-best performance of 23 points against the College of Biblical Studies (Houston).
• Jaida Belton averages 9.0 boards per game, 19 total this season off the offensive glass.
• It was the first time since Feb. 18, 2023, that Baylor ended the evening with three double-doubles: Jada Walker (14p/10a), Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (13p/12r) and Bella Fontleroy (10p/10r).
• Walker's double-double was only the second of her career, dating back to Nov. 13 2022 when Kentucky played Coastal Carolina.
• A 19-0 run in the second quarter put the Bears out of reach from LA Tech, their best run of the season, after the Lady Techsters brought the game within three with an eight-point run.
• Andrews is hit her 259th-career 3-pointer for the program record against LA Tech breaking Odyssey Sims' figure that set in the 2010-14 seasons. Sims' previous record of 258 3-pointers came in 145 games while Andrews hit her 259th in the 141st game.
• Andrews already set the record for 3-pointers attempted, hit last season 659.
