Fontleroy, Walker post double-doubles in 70-61 win over #23 Utah

Tuesday, January 14

Waco, Texas

7 PM

Baylor

15-3,5-1Big 12

Utah

13-4,4-2Big 12

Utah

Baylor

Fontleroy, Walker post double-doubles in 70-61 win over #23 Utah

1/14/2025 9:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Game Book (PDF)

Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

WACO, Texas – Baylor coach Nicki Collen didn't even hesitate when she was asked who needed to pick up the slack with leading scorer and rebounder Dariana Littlepage-Buggs suspended for Tuesday's game against 23^rd-ranked Utah.

"Bella (Fontleroy) needs to step up," Collen said of the 6-foot junior forward. "Bella is capable of rebounding like Buggs."

Yes, she can.

With Littlepage-Buggs sidelined because of a fighting technical foul in the last game, Fontleroy recorded her second double-double of the season and eighth of her career with a season-high 17 points, 10 rebounds, a career-high five steals and two blocks to help the Bears defeat the visiting Utes, 70-61, at Foster Pavilion for their fourth-straight win.

"And I think with heavy expectations," Collen said. "To make the offensive plays that she made, the pull-up jump shot, the 3's, to draw five fouls, to be on the glass and get a double-double, she was outstanding. I did give her 34 seconds of rest."

Fontleroy, who previous career high was 37 minutes, logged 39 minutes and 26 seconds in the game, her only break coming when Collen subbed her out for the last 34 seconds of the first quarter.

"I told her, this is your bonus," Collen said. "You get these extra 34 seconds, and I'm putting you back in."

Senior point guard Jada Walker also had a double-double with 12 points and a career-high 12 assists with only one turnover in 37 minutes. Colorado transfer Aaronette Vonleh scored 13 of her game-high 19 points in the first half, while Yaya Felder scored 11 points in her first start of the season and just her second in two seasons at Baylor.

"Really, just pushing the pace," Walker said of what was working for her to get the career-high assists. "We watched a lot of film, and teams that had success with them really pushed in transition and excelled in that area. And then, knowing our strengths, getting into Nettie (Vonleh). No one could stop her today, her or Bella. So really, just getting it to them whenever we could, and they were just knocking down shots and making it easy."

Playing their first ranked opponent of the season and their third game in seven days, the Bears (15-3, 5-1) trailed for all of 28 seconds in this one and led by nine at the break, 35-26.

"Before the game, I looked at everybody and said, our advantage tonight is Nettie," Collen said. "We have to throw her the ball and throw her the ball and throw her the ball. 'Nettie, they have no one who can guard you.' And we have to play to her and through her. When we did, we were really effective."

By halftime, Fontleroy already had eight points, four rebounds, three steals and the two blocks, getting off to her best start in a while.

"I feel like I came out with the same energy that I always have," Fontleroy said, "but just a stronger emphasis on rebounding, because I know that gap that Buggs leaves. I just know it's really important for me to step up in the way that my team needs. Communication on the defensive end, too. Buggs is really good at communicating and knowing what we're doing in actions. So, we all had to kind of bring that."

Baylor built a double-digit lead, 43-32, when freshman Kayla Nelms scored off a dish from Walker with 6:14 left. But the Utes (13-4, 4-2) scored 11 straight to take a 48-47 lead on back-to-back treys by Maty Wilke, who shared team-high scoring honors with Gianna Kneepkens with 17 apiece.

Walker stemmed the tide with a layup that gave the Bears a one-point lead, 49-48, going into the final period.

"The way we collectively had to get it done was how we had to get it done," Collen said. "I thought we just had huge contributions from everybody."

Never trailing in the fourth quarter, Baylor took the lead for good on a Felder layup with 6:23 to go in the game. The Utes kept within striking distance, closing to within one, 60-59, on a driving layup by Ines Viera.

But the Bears went back to their bread and butter, going back to Vonleh for a pair of buckets in a 10-0 run that included four free throws by Walker and a backdoor layup by Felder off a sweet pass from Sarah Andrews.

The Utes matched their season high with 21 turnovers, including 15 in the first half, with Baylor finishing with a 25-16 edge in points off turnovers.

Baylor finishes off a two-game homestand with a matchup against Houston (5-12, 1-5) at 6 p.m. Friday. The Cougars ended a five-game losing streak with a 79-76 upset of 24^th-ranked Oklahoma State on Tuesday.