No. 3/3 WBB Concludes Nonconference Play Thursday
12/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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| Baylor vs. Winthrop Dec. 15, 2016 | 12:05 p.m. CT Waco, Texas | Ferrell Center (10,284) TV: FS+ |
 Watch |  Listen | |  Notes | Tickets |
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| MEDIA INFORMATION | |
| Date | Thursday, Dec. 15 | 12:05 p.m. CT |
| Location | Waco, Texas | Ferrell Center |
| Tickets | Purchase Tickets Online |
| TV | FS+ (Watch Online) |
| Radio | Baylor Sports Network - IMG College (1660AM) |
| Radio Talent | Rick May (pxp), Lori Fogleman (color) |
| Live Stats | |
| Notes | Baylor Notes |
| @BaylorWBB | |
| 3/4 BAYLOR LADY BEARS | |
| Record | 10-1 |
| Ranking | 3/4 (AP/ESPN) |
| Head Coach | Kim Mulkey |
| Career: 483-93 (17th season) | |
| BU Record: 483-93 (17th season) | |
| NR/NR WINTHROP EAGLES | |
| Record | 1-8 |
| Ranking | NR/NR (AP/ESPN) |
| Head Coach | Kevin Cook |
| Career: 114-123 (9th season) | |
| Winthrop Record: 67-68 (5th season) | |
NONCONFERENCE FINALE...
The No. 3/4 Baylor Lady Bears (10-1) play the final nonconference game of the regular season on Thursday, Dec. 15 against Winthrop (1-8). Tipoff is set for 12:05 p.m. (CT).
FOLLOW ALONG...
Fans can watch Thursday's game online on Fox Sports Plus with John Morris (play-by-play) and Jim Haller (analyst) calling the action. Live audio is also available on the Baylor Sports Network, IMG College and ESPN 1660 AM. Rick May (play-by-play) and Lori Fogelman (analyst) are on the call.
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE...
- For the first time in program history, Baylor women's basketball has played five ranked opponents in its first 11 games of a season, three of which were included in the top 10 at game time.
- For a stretch of three seasons in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13, head coach Kim Mulkey guided her team through four matchups against ranked opponents. Of the four ranked opponents, two were ranked in the top 10 in 2010-11, three in 2011-12 and four in 2012-13.
- The strength of schedule paid off for the Lady Bears, who went on to win their second NCAA Championship in 2012, compiling a historic 40-0 season.
- This season, the Lady Bears are 4-1 against ranked foes, including a 2-1 mark against those ranked in the top 10.
- After opening the regular season with a win against Houston Baptist, Baylor played consecutive games against top 10 opponents. The Lady Bears defeated No. 9/9 UCLA, 84-70, before recording their only loss at No. 2/3 Connecticut, 72-61. It was the Huskies first home game of the regular season and they dropped the NCAA Championship banner that night in Storrs, Conn.
- To earn the Gulf Coast Showcase team title, the Lady Bears registered wins over No. 18/17 DePaul, 104-72, and a third top 10 opponent in No. 8/8 Ohio State, 85-68.
- Baylor picked up its fourth win over a ranked foe on the road in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge at No. 22/15 Tennessee, 88-66, handing the Lady Vols their worst home court loss ever.
FIRST TIME FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK...
- Natalie Chou earned the first conference weekly honor of her career, as she was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week on Dec. 12, for her role in the Lady Bears' win over Texas State.
- The 6-1 guard came off the bench to score a career-high 15 points, which tied for the team lead, in a career-high 24 minutes of action.
- All of Chou's points came via the three-point basket, as she netted 5-of-6 (..833) from long range. Her five three-point field goals made also marked a career-high, topping her previous career-high of two three-pointers made against Mississippi Valley State.
TOP OF THE HEAP...
- As of Dec. 13, the Lady Bears lead the nation in three major categories.
- There are 347 NCAA Division I women's basketball teams, and Baylor paces them all with 254 assists (23.1 per game), 565 rebounds (51.36 per game) and 86 blocked shots (7.8 per game).
- With the third-ranked scoring offense in the country (91.2 points per game), the Lady Bears also possess the nation's top scoring margin (+39.8).
- In the Big 12 Conference, Baylor leads the way in an impressive 14 categories, most notably scoring offense (91.2), scoring margin (+39.8), rebounds (51.36 per game), field goal percentage (50.1), assists (23.1 per game), blocked shots (7.8 per game), free throws made (175) and free throws attempted (264).
WATCHING THE EAGLES...
- Baylor and Winthrop meet for the first time on Thursday.
- The Eagles roster is a young one, consisting of eight freshmen -- two of which are sitting out this season, one sophomore, two juniors and two seniors.
- Winthrop head coach Kevin Cook is in his fifth season with the program. He is 67-68 with the Eagles and 114-124 overall in his career.
- The Eagles were picked to finish 10th in the Big South Conference standings with senior Erica Williams earning preseason first-team all-conference recognition. She is a two-time All-Big South performer.
EARLY PROJECTIONS...
In the latest release of ESPN Bracketology by Charlie Creme, the Lady Bears are one of four No. 1 seeds in the country, along with Connecticut, Notre Dame and Maryland. He lists five Big 12 Conference teams in his projections, including Baylor, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kansas State.
HOME SWEET HOME WIN STREAK...
- Baylor has won 173 consecutive home games vs. non-ranked opponents, dating back to an April 4, 2003, homecourt loss to Auburn in the WNIT finals. BU is 161-4 (.976) in non-league home games under Kim Mulkey.
- Baylor owns a 47-game home win streak overall dating back to March 2, 2014, when it lost to 11th-ranked West Virginia, 71-70.
IN THE POLLS...
- Baylor is ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25 and is No. 4 in the USA Today Coaches Poll in week six.
- Baylor has been included in the USA Today's Top 10 for 44-consecutive releases, including 34 Top 5 rankings, and in the AP's Top 5 for 15-straight polls. The Lady Bears have been ranked in the Top 5 in the final release of the AP poll in each of the last six seasons.
- All told, Baylor has been ranked in 288 AP polls which ranks No. 21 on the all-time list.
- Baylor has been ranked in a school-record 247 straight AP polls dating back to week nine of the 2003-04 listing when it broke in at No. 24.
SHARING IS CARING...
- The Lady Bears, who are third nationally in points per game (91.2), have had four or more players score in double figures in nine of 11 games this season.
- Six netted double figures against both Houston Baptist in the season opener and against Texas State, five reached double figures against Mississippi Valley State, No. 18/17 DePaul and No. 8/8 Ohio State, and four scored double figures against No. 9/9 UCLA, at No. 3/2 UConn, Southeastern Louisiana and Kent State.
- Five Lady Bears average double figure scoring on the season, including senior Alexis Jones (16.6), sophomore Kalani Brown (13.2), senior Nina Davis (12.2), senior Alexis Prince (10.5) and sophomore Beatrice Mompremier (10.2).
- Assists and offense go hand in hand and Baylor is the national leader in assists, dishing out 23.1 per contest.
- Jones and Wallace lead the Lady Bears, averaging 5.3 and 5.1 distributions per game, respectively.
OFFENSIVE FIRE POWER...
- The Lady Bears have the nation's third-highest scoring offense heading in to this week with an average of 91.2 points per game.
- Baylor, a team that has played five ranked opponents including three rated in the Top 10, trails only Northern Illinois (92.6), which hasn't played a ranked opponent, and Maryland (92.5), a team that has played one ranked opponent (Louisville).
- The Lady Bears are also the only team in the country to score more than 100 points against a ranked opponent, netting 104 against No. 18/17 DePaul on Nov. 26, at the Gulf Coast Showcase.
- Accomplishing four 100-point games in the first 11 games of the season has only happened one other time in Baylor women's basketball history in 1977-78.
BENCH CONTRIBUTIONS...
- Depth has been a strength for the Lady Bears so far this season with 409 of their 1003 overall points (40.8 percent) coming from the reserves. At least eight players have logged minutes in all 10 games, with all 13 players seeing time in three games and 12 players seeing action in four games.
- Sophomore Kalani Brown has been a force off the bench, averaging 13.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. She is also second on the team in blocks, posting 1.5 stuffs per game.
- Freshman Lauren Cox is averaging 7.1 points and 3.8 boards off the bench in 11.3 minutes per contest.
- Freshman Natalie Chou is averaging 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.8 steals in 12.5 minutes per game.
HEIGHT ADVANTAGE...
- Seven of 13 Baylor women's basketball players are over 6-0 tall.
- The starting lineup is comprised of 5-9 senior point guard Alexis Jones, 5-11 junior guard Kristy Wallace, 6-2 senior guard Alexis Prince, 5-11 senior forward Nina Davis and 6-4 sophomore post Beatrice Mompremier.
- Off the bench, the Lady Bears have 6-7 sophomore post Kalani Brown, 6-4 freshman forward Lauren Cox, 6-3 senior post Khadijiah Cave, 6-2 junior forward Dekeiya Cohen and 6-1 freshman guard Natalie Chou.
- With a high-low offense, height is key to the Lady Bears' success and winning the battle in the paint keys their success.
- Through 11 games, 56.7 percent of Baylor's offense (568-1003) has been recorded in the paint.
- The Lady Bears also hold a +24.0 rebounding advantage over their opponents, outdoing Houston Baptist, 62-27, No. 9/9 UCLA, 52-25, No. 3/2 Connecticut, 39-29, Mississippi Valley State, 59-30, Southeastern Louisiana, 43-14, Kent State, 49-23, No. 18/17 DePaul, 55-24, No. 8/8 Ohio State, 52-29, Abilene Christian, 40-29, No. 22/25 Tennessee, 56-48, and Texas State, 59-23, on the glass.
DISHING IT OUT...
- Baylor leads the nation in assists, averaging 23.1 per game, due primarily to its stellar guard play of redshirt senior Alexis Jones and junior Kristy Wallace.
- Wallace has distributed a team-high 56 assists (5.1 per game) and Jones has tallied 53 assists (5.3 per game).
- Both players have distributed 10 or more assists in a game so far, with Wallace tallying a career-high 15 assists against No. 18/17 DePaul and Jones notching 10 assists at No. 22/25 Tennessee.
- Freshman Calveion Landrum joined the club, distributing a career-high 11 assists to lead Baylor against Texas State.
- Wallace's 15 assists are the sixth-highest single-game assist total in program history. Niya Johnson holds the school record with 19 assists against McNeese State on Dec. 13, 2015.
ROLLING IN ROCKYTOP...
- The Lady Bears rolled the No. 22/25 Lady Vols in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge matchup, 88-66. It matched the largest margin of defeat in Tennessee women's basketball history at home and its worst defeat in Thompson-Boling Arena.
- Baylor, which led by as much as 35 points in the second half, never trailed in the contest to record its fourth win over a ranked opponent in 2016-17.
- Senior Alexis Jones recorded the third 30-point, 10-assist performance in program history, joining Sheila Lambert (37 points, 10 assists vs. Kansas on Jan. 6, 2001) and Odyssey Sims (39 points, 10 assists vs. West Virginia on March 2, 2014).
- Jones added nine rebounds, one shy of recording the first triple-double of her career. Had she accomplished the feat, she would be the only player in Baylor history to record a triple-double in points, rebounds and assists.
- Senior Nina Davis came on strong in her home state, recording her first 20-point game of the season and the 34th of her career. She pulled down nine rebounds, one shy of a double-double.
- Senior Khadijiah Cave netted double figures for the second consecutive game, tallying 10 points off the bench on a 5-for-5 performance from the floor in 15 minutes.
- Junior Kristy Wallace continued her solid play compiling nine points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the game. She also led the Lady Bears with a career-high three blocks.
BREAKING OUT...
- After averaging below double figures in the first six games, senior forward Nina Davis has hit her stride scoring in double figures in each of the last five games.
- Since Nov. 26, Davis is averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.2 assists per game. She is also shooting an exceptional 72.3 percent from the floor and is perfect from the free throw line (8-8).
- The two-time consensus All-American kicked off the stretch with 16 points, all in the second half, four boards and three steals against No. 18/17 DePaul, and added 10 points and three rebounds against No. 8/8 Ohio State to help the Lady Bears to a Gulf Coast Showcase championship.
- Davis led the Lady Bears to victory over Abilene Christian with a team-high 18 points. She completed her line with five rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block in 26 minutes.
- Playing in her home state at No. 22/25, Davis recorded her first 20-point game of the season and the 34th of her career. She finished the game with 20 points, nine rebounds and one block in 25 minutes played.
- In just 14 minutes against Texas State, Davis compiled 12 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE BREAKDOWN...
- Three Lady Bears have notched double-doubles this season through 11 games, three against ranked teams.
- Senior Alexis Jones recorded her seventh career double-double against No. 18/17 DePaul with 15 points and 10 rebounds. She was just shy of a triple double with eight assists.
- Jones added her second double-double of the season and eighth overall at No. 22/25 Tennessee, compiling a career-high 30 points and 10 assists. She is the third player in program history to score 30 points and dish out 10 assists in the same game (Sheila Lambert, Odyssey Sims). Jones finished one rebound short of a triple-double, finishing the game with nine.
- Sophomore Beatrice Mompremier posted the fifth double-double of her career with 11 points and 15 rebounds against Mississippi Valley State and added her sixth with 13 points and 14 rebounds against No. 8/8 Ohio State.
- Sophomore Kalani Brown tallied her second career double-double against No. 9/9 UCLA with 25 points and 19 rebounds. Both were career-highs, and 19 rebounds tied for 10th-most in a single game. She added her third with 15 points and a team-high 11 boards against Abilene Christian.
2,000 POINTS & COUNTING...
- Senior forward Nina Davis became the sixth Lady Bear to surpass the 2,000 career points mark on Nov. 20, against Mississippi Valley State.
- The Memphis, Tenn., native, netted a jumper in the paint at the 4:42 mark in the fourth quarter to accomplish the feat. Davis ended the game with 15 points.
- Through 11 games this season, Davis has scored 2,087 career points.
APPROACHING MILESTONES...
- Senior Nina Davis is now in fifth on Baylor's all-time scoring list with 2,087 points. She is 393 from tying Sophia Young (2002-06), who is fourth with 2,480 career points.
- Davis is also 83 rebounds from recording 1,000 in her career with 917. Only five other Baylor women's basketball players have compiled 1,000 or more career rebounds.
- If Davis reaches both milestones, she will become the sixth Lady Bear to compile 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
- With 917 career rebounds, Davis is eighth on Baylor's all-time list. She is 19 boards from moving in to seventh (Steffanie Blackmon - 936).
- Seventeenth-year head coach Kim Mulkey is 17 wins from tallying her 500th victory. She has guided the Lady Bears to 483 wins.
- Senior Khadijiah Cave is 158 points from reaching the 1,000-point club. She has scored 842 career points, averaging 261 points per season.
- Senior Alexis Prince is 225 points from scoring 1,000 points in her career with 775. She is averaging 10.5 points per game this season, the best average of her career.
- Redshirt senior Alexis Jones is 264 points from netting 1,000 points at Baylor with 746. After scoring 586 points in 2015-16, she has the potential to become the seventh player in Baylor women's basketball history to reach the 1,000 career points mark in just two seasons played.
- Including her numbers from Duke, Jones has compiled 1,444 points and 482 rebounds in her career.
PRODUCTION IN THE PAINT...
- Through 11 games, Baylor has recorded 56.7 percent (556-1003) of its offense in the paint.
- The Lady Bears also hold a +21.6 rebounding advantage over their opponents, outdoing Houston Baptist, 62-27, No. 9/9 UCLA, 52-25, No. 3/2 Connecticut, 39-29, Mississippi Valley State, 59-30, Southeastern Louisiana, 43-14, Kent State, 49-23, No. 18/17 DePaul, 55-24, No. 8/8 Ohio State, 52-29, Abilene Christian, 40-29, No. 22/25 Tennessee, 56-48, and Texas State, 59-23, on the glass.
TRIO OF LADY BEARS MAKE NAISMITH TROPHY LIST...
- Sophomore post Kalani Brown, senior forward Nina Davis and senior guard Alexis Jones were included on the Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, released by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Nov. 30.
- Baylor leads the Big 12 with three selections and is one of four teams to have at least three players in consideration for the award.
- The award is one of the most prestigious player of the year honor in collegiate basketball. The list of 50 players will narrow to 30 on Feb. 8, 2017.
DAVIS EARNS OFF THE COURT RECOGNITION...
- Senior Nina Davis was named a 2017 Allstate WBCA Good Works Team nominee on Nov. 30, as announced by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
- The esteemed award honors an outstanding group of student-athletes who represent the sport's finest in the areas of community service and leadership among their peers.
- The 5-11 forward gives back each year, reading at elementary schools, speaking to youth at prisons, sharing her love for Christ through Fellowship of Christian Athletes, visiting patients in the hospital and NICU and even going on summer mission trips to Brazil.
- No matter where she goes after graduation, Davis plans to continue to give back. She has been inspired to make a difference in the lives of youth since receiving guidance of her own as a young person in her hometown of Memphis, Tenn.
WADE TROPHY CONSIDERATION...
- Senior Lady Bears Nina Davis and Alexis Jones are two of 25 players in consideration for the 2017 Wade Trophy.
- Davis has been a finalist for the honor twice (2015, 2016), while Jones is recognized for the first time in her career.
- The Lady Bears are the only Big 12 representatives on the list of 25, and Baylor is one of six teams in the country to have two players included.
- The Wade Trophy -- now in its 40th year -- is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women's basketball, is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade.
3 GAMES IN 3 DAYS FOR A TITLE...
- The Lady Bears challenged themselves with three games in three days, two against ranked opponents, last weekend and prevailed to win the Gulf Coast Showcase title.
- Baylor opened with an 84-42 win over Kent State and defeated No. 18/17 DePaul, 104-72, to reach the championship game against No. 8/8 Ohio State, where the Lady Bears recorded an 85-68 victory.
- Junior Kristy Wallace was named most valuable player and to the all-tournament team after averaging 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, a team-high 8.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game. She set a career-high with 15 assists against No. 18/17 DePaul, which also marked the sixth-highest single game assist total in program history. Baylor graduate Niya Johnson holds the school record, distributing 19 assists against McNeese State on Dec. 13, 2015.
- Sophomore Beatrice Mompremier was also named to the all-tournament team after averaging 13.3 points, a team-best 8.7 rebounds and a team-high 2.3 blocks per contest. She paced the offense, netting 69.6 percent of her field goals in the three-game stretch. She led the Lady Bears to a championship with a double-double (13 points, team-high 14 rebounds), the sixth of her career and second of the season.
- Senior Alexis Jones had a strong three-day stretch as well, averaging a team-best 15.7 points per game. She also averaged 6.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 steals per contest, while sinking 47.4 percent of her shots from the floor and 50 percent from beyond the arc.
THE MULKEY FILE...
- In her 17th season, Kim Mulkey has posted an impressive 483-93 (.839) record which ranks her No. 2 nationally in winning percentage among active coaches behind Connecticut's Geno Auriemma (.877).
- Kim Mulkey's 34 seasons as a player and coach have resulted in 34 postseason trips, including 33 to NCAA/AIAW Tournaments.
- In 563 of 576 games under Kim Mulkey, the Lady Bears have held their opponent at or below 50 percent field goal shooting with only five of those efforts coming in the last 14 years.
SUSTAINED SUCCESS...
- The Lady Bears have made 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and 15 overall. Those appearances have resulted in two national championships (2005, 2012), three Final Fours (2005, 2010, 2012), seven Elite Eights and 11 Sweet Sixteens.
- Baylor has won six consecutive Big 12 regular season and tournament titles. Overall the program has won seven regular season and eight tournament conference championships, most among all Big 12 programs.
- Baylor is 219-17 (.928) over the past six seasons, 34-3 in 2010-11, 40-0 in 2011-12, 34-2 in 2012-13, 32-5 in 2013-14, 33-4 in 2014-15, 36-2 in 2015-16, and 10-1 in 2016-17. In that same span, BU is 118-6 (.952) in Big 12 play -- 100-6 in the regular season and 18-0 in Big 12 Tournament play. - 189 of Baylor's 219 wins since 2010-11 have been by 10 or more points, and only 13 times in that span has its winning margin been five or fewer points (most recently five, 69-64, vs. West Virginia, Jan. 12, 2016).
- In Baylor's last 376 games, only two opponents (Stanford, .509 & West Virginia, .500) have shot 50 percent or above. In the 2012-13 season, the Cardinal broke BU's 217-game streak of holding an opponent to 50 percent or less shooting from the floor. BU's current string is 90 straight games holding its foe to .500 or below from the field.
BIG 12 PRESEASON HONOR ROLL...
- For the second consecutive year and the seventh time in conference history (2006, `10, `11, `12, `13, `15, `16), Baylor is favored to win the Big 12 women's basketball regular season title according to a vote of league head coaches previewing the 2016-17 regular season.
- The squad has won or tied for seven regular season championships, including the last six in a row. Baylor has also hoisted the last six Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship trophies.
- The Lady Bears received nine of 10 first place votes in the poll (coaches are not allowed to vote for their own teams). Texas received one first place vote and was listed second followed by Oklahoma in third place.
- For the second-straight season, senior Nina Davis was selected as the conference's Preseason Player of the Year. It marks the seventh time a Baylor player has been named Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year (Nina Davis -- 2015-16, 2016-17; Odyssey Sims - 2013-14; Brittney Griner - 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13; Sophia Young - 2005-06).
- Freshman Lauren Cox, who is rated No. 1 in her class by ESPN Hoopgurlz and All Star Girls Report (ASGR), was tabbed Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
- Senior Nina Davis and redshirt senior Alexis Jones, the 2016 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, received Preseason All-Big 12 Team distinction.
- Sophomore Kalani Brown, a Big 12 All-Freshman Team selection in 2016, was an Honorable Mention Big 12 selection.
JONES MAKES 2017 NANCY LIEBERMAN AWARD WATCH LIST...
- Redshirt senior Alexis Jones is one of 20 watch list candidates for the 2017 Nancy Lieberman Award. The award, now in its 17th year, recognizes the top point guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
- Candidates exhibit the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills of Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman.
- Jones is a Preseason All-Big 12 selection after collecting 2015-16 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year recognition as a junior.
- Jones started 34-of-38 games in her first season with the Lady Bears after transferring from Duke. She averaged 15 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and recorded 30 double-digit scoring performances en route to 2016 All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player honors.
- A WBCA Honorable Mention All-American in 2016, Jones also earned All-Tournament Team recognition at the NCAA Dallas Regional, was named a Junkanoo Jam All-Star and collected WBCA All-Region honors.
- Prior to her arrival at Baylor, Jones earned All-ACC Second Team accolades in 2013 and 2014 and was named ACC Freshman of the Year in 2013.
- By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2017 Lieberman Award will be narrowed to just 10. Guards can play their way on or off the watch list throughout the year.
DAVIS EARNS SECOND PRESEASON AP ALL-AMERICAN RECOGNITION...
- Nina Davis earned Associated Press Preseason All-American recognition for the second consecutive season on Nov. 3.
- The 5-11 senior forward is one of four Lady Bears named to the AP's elite preseason squad, including Sophia Young (2005-06), three-time honoree Brittney Griner (2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13) and two-time honoree Odyssey Sims (2012-13, 2013-14).
- Davis, a two-time consensus All-American, led the program in scoring as a junior, averaging 16.3 points per game, and shared the rebounding award with post Beatrice Mompremier, averaging 6.1 boards per contest.
- The Memphis, Tenn., native was picked 2017 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 first team. In her career, Davis is a three-time All-Big 12 First Team selection.
UP NEXT...
Following time off to spend Christmas with their families, the Lady Bears open Big 12 Conference action at home against Kansas State on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. (CT). Baylor will play its second conference game on Jan. 1 against Kansas at 2 p.m., inside the Ferrell Center.
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation
With four wins over ranked opponents, a 10-1 record and No. 3 national ranking, the Baylor Lady Bears hardly seem like they need to be fixed.
But heading into Thursday's noon tipoff against Winthrop (1-8), coach Kim Mulkey says, "We have to fix some things before conference starts."
The Big 12 opener against Kansas State (9-1) is still two weeks away, but this is Baylor's last tune-up. After today's game, the players will disperse for Christmas and won't be back until the 26th.
"It's definitely a big a break for Christmas that Coach Mulkey has given us," said junior guard Kristy Wallace, who ranks seventh nationally with a 3.73-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. "I think we've worked hard for it, but she's definitely reiterated to us that we need to work as much as we can during the break."
The question, though, is what's broken with a team that's 10-1? OK, maybe not broken, more like just a little bit off.
"Let's start with the freshmen: Get rid of the timidness, get rid of the softness," Mulkey said of the freshman trio of Lauren Cox, Natalie Chou and Juicy Landrum. "Get them physically and mentally tougher. And what better place to do it than against your teammates every day?"
The No. 1-ranked class nationally, most of their production to date has come against the softer spots in the schedule. Cox was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week after a 15-point outing against Kent State and pumped in 21 versus Southeastern Louisiana, but was scoreless in three of the five games against ranked opponents.
Chou was an even bigger enigma, taking just three shots combined in the first four matchups against ranked foes. But, she hopes to build off her performance in last Tuesday's 90-24 win over Texas State, when she drained five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 15 points.
"She hit some big shots in the last game, and we know she can do it," Wallace said of Chou. "It's just a matter of being consistent. She's definitely growing and gelling with the team and just learning how to play with everyone."
As far as her veteran plays, Mulkey says the key is to not "let them become complacent."
"You just kind of play all those little matchups in games and in practice, different scenarios," she said. "You're down 10, this much time to go, I need you in the game. Can you do this? And if they can't do it, then bring another one in there. I'm just trying to see who can give me what during certain parts of the game."
Five players are averaging double figures, led by senior guard Alexis Jones with 16.6 points and 5.3 assists per game. She took last week's game off and could sit out Thursday's game as well to give her surgically repaired knees some rest.
Sophomore post Kalani Brown is scoring 13.2 points per game off the bench, while Nina Davis (12.2), Alexis Prince (10.5) and Beatrice Mompremier (10.2) are also providing double-digit points.
Winthrop has dropped eight in a row since a season-opening win over North Carolina Wesleyan and is coming off an 80-59 loss at home to Akron. The Eagles are led by 5-10 senior forward Erica Williams (14.6 ppg, 5.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists), a preseason All-Big South Player who missed the last 12 games a year ago with a broken foot.
A part of four WNBA championships as an assistant with the Houston Comets, Kevin Cook has a 67-68 record in his fifth season at Winthrop and led the Eagles to a Big South title and their first NCAA Tournament appearance three years ago. Two-time Olympian and former Kansas All-American Lynette Woodard is one of his assistant coaches.
More than 2,500 elementary school students from Waco will be bused in for Thursday's game, which will be televised by FOX Sports Plus.
"I'm focused on our kids, and it's been that way even when we played Tennessee," Mulkey said of the Lady Bears' 88-66 win at No. 2 Tennessee on Dec. 4. "We've got to take care of us."
