#2/1 BAYLOR LADY BEARS (20-1, 9-0) Location: Waco, Texas   Conference: Big 12 Head Coach: Kim Mulkey (La. Tech, 1984) Roster | Stats | Game Notes	#2/1 BAYLOR (20-1, 9-0) at KANSAS STATE (10-10, 4-5) February 8, 2020 | 2 PM Manhattan, Kan. | Bramlage Coliseum (12,528) LIVE STATS: KStateSports.com RADIO: 1660 AM/92.3 FM WATCH: ESPN App Talent: Brian Smoller (PBP), Missy Hendrick (Color), Anna Christianson (Sideline) LISTEN: Tune In Talent: Bruce Gietzen (PBP), Maggie Davis-Stinnett (Color) Baylor Social Media:
	KANSAS STATE WILDCATS (10-10, 4-5) Location: Manhattan, Kan. Conference: Big 12 Head Coach: Jeff Mitte Roster | Stats | Game Notes

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Outside of Geno Auriemma and Pat Summitt, no coach in women's basketball has put together the consistency that has marked Kim Mulkey's program at Baylor. 
            Having already clinched her 20^th-consecutive 20-win season, Mulkey can become the fastest to get to 600 wins – men's or women's basketball – by winning four of her next seven games. Faster than Auriemma, Summitt, John Wooden, Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, Roy Williams and John Calipari. 
            Mulkey, whose No. 2/1 Lady Bears (20-1, 9-0) play Kansas State (10-10, 4-5) at 2 p.m. Saturday in Manhattan, said consistency is "probably the measuring stick for me personally."
            "I think it tells a story about an administration and a school that gives you the resources needed to stay up there, a coaching staff that stays with you, great players that continue to come," said Mulkey, who enters Saturday's game with a career record of 596-100. "To me, that's the hardest part. It's hard to ever win one (championship), but gosh it's harder to win another one and stay up there and keep doing it."
            By comparison, Texas and West Virginia have the second-longest active streaks in the Big 12 with six-consecutive 20-win seasons. 
            Mulkey credits her staff stability – Bill Brock, Jennifer Roberts and Johnny Derrick were on her first staff in 2000-01 – for the 20-year run of consistency. 
            "I don't have coaches coming and going a lot," said Mulkey, who added Sytia Messer seven years ago and promoted Kaylin Rice last year when Toyelle Wilson left for a position at Michigan. "I take good care of them and they take care of me, they recruit great players here.
            "I don't know that I'm a lifer, I don't know how much more I've got in me. But, as long as my health is good and I have good players and we're competitive, we'll keep trying to do that."
            Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie probably won't hit that 20-win plateau this year, with the Wildcats sitting at 10-10 overall, but he's won at least 20 in 16 of his 27 seasons in stops at Missouri Western, Arkansas State, TCU and the last five seasons in Manhattan. 
            Their record this season "is not indicative of how good they are," Mulkey said. Seven of the Wildcats' 10 losses have been by single digits, and they have the top two rebounders in the league in 6-4 senior forward Peyton Williams (15.6 ppg, 11.8 rebounds) and 6-5 redshirt freshman center Ayoka Lee (15.7 ppg, 10.7 rebounds). 
            "We've got our hands full (at the two inside positions)," Mulkey said. "And then you add (Angela) Harris who transferred from Houston, she's a very confident point guard. (Christianna) Carr has been there, a tremendous shooter."
            K-State has wins over Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Tech at Bramlage Coliseum and nearly pulled out a big win on the road at second-place TCU last Saturday. The Wildcats had a lead in the final minute before the Frogs closed on a 6-0 run to win, 65-61. 
            "They have a really strong presence inside," said 6-4 senior All-American Lauren Cox, who is averaging 11.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. "They have good post players, really good rebounding, they can score. Peyton Williams can go inside-out and score. So, we're definitely going to have a challenge against them."
            After shooting at better than a .500 clip for each of the last two seasons, Cox has struggled this season. She was 2-for-8 from the field and scored a season-low four points in Wednesday's 97-44 win over Kansas, dropping her shooting percentage down to 43.9. 
            "I know what I'm doing wrong. I just have to try to fix it," said Cox, who missed three games earlier this year with a stress reaction in her foot after recovering from the knee injury she suffered in last year's national championship game. "It's not anything where I have to go back and look at film. I know exactly what I'm doing, it's just doing it right and fixing it."
            Mulkey said she's not worried about Cox, "she's her own worst critic."
            "You don't mess with Lauren, you let her figure it out," Mulkey said. 'Who am I to correct her shot. Who am I to correct her at the foul line? She's an All-American, she's one of the best players in the country. She'll be fine. Her defense is tremendous, she helps everybody."
            A big factor in the record-setting win over Kansas was the return to form of 6-2 sophomore forward NaLyssa Smith. After scoring a combined 27 points in the previous six games while dealing with a high ankle sprain, she recorded her team-high eighth double-double of the season with 23 points and 10 rebounds against the Jayhawks. 
            "It's good just to see her get back in the flow," Cox said of Smith, who is averaging 15.1 points and 7.6 rebounds. "It's always hard coming back from an injury, so it was good to see her do so well in that game, because we're going to need her when the tournament comes around. . . . Once everybody starts playing their best, we're going to be pretty good."
            Saturday's game will be streamed by Big 12 Now on ESPN+, with Brian Smoller, Missy Hendrick and Anna Christianson calling the action. 
 

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LADY BEARS PUT SEVERAL STREAKS ON THE LINE AT KANSAS STATE
   Whether on the home court or on the road, the Baylor women's basketball team has plenty of streaks going. Saturday vs. Kansas State, the Lady Bears will aim for their 51^st straight Big 12 win in the regular season. A 51^st-straight conference win would be the eighth-best streak in NCAA history. In addition, Baylor will look to extend its school record streak on the road vs. conference opponents in the regular season. A win over the Wildcats Saturday would be Baylor's 41^st-straight win on the road in regular-season conference play. That is the third-best streak in NCAA history and the second-longest active streak behind UConn in the AAC.
   Finally, a win over K-State Saturday would be Baylor's 33^rd-straight win over the Wildcats, its longest winning streak over a Big 12 opponent. K-State last beat Baylor Jan. 27, 2004
 
MULKEY GOES 20 FOR 20; HONING IN ON THE FASTEST COACH (MAN OR WOMAN) TO REACH 600 VICTORIES
   Baylor's win vs. Kansas Wednesday in Waco gave the Lady Bears 20 wins. Head Coach Kim Mulkey is in her 20^th season at the helm, and Baylor has won at least 20 games in all 20 seasons.
   In addition, Mulkey's career record moved to 596-100 with the win over the Jayhawks. If she can get to 600 before she coaches in her 704^th game, she will be the fastest coach in NCAA Division I history, man or woman, to reach the milestone. Baylor would need to win 4 out of their next seven games to help Mulkey accomplish the feat. She would get to 600 faster than names including Adolph Rupp, Geno Auriema, Pat Summit, Roy Williams, John Wooden, Dean Smith and John Calipari.
 
LANDRUM CRACKS THE TOP FIVE
   Baylor senior guard Juicy Landrum hit two 3-point field goals vs. Kansas Wednesday to help her move past Kristy Wallace for fifth place on the all-time BU list for 3-point field goals. Entering Saturday's game she has 160 3-point field goals. A run for the career record would be lofty with a maximum of 18 games left, and Odyssey Sims' mark of 258, but she could put the No. 2 spot in her cross hairs. Jennifer King hit 195 treys from 1989-93. The next spot on the ladder is at 164 where two Lady Bears are tied: Angela Tidsdale (2004-08) and Kristin Mayberry (1991-95).
 
NCAA SELECTION COMMITTEE PUTS LADY BEARS AS NO. 2 OVERALL SEED, NO. 1 IN DALLAS REGIONAL
   Monday night at halftime of the UConn vs. Oregon game on ESPN2, the NCAA Women's Basketball Selection Committee had its first reveal of the Top-16 teams. The committee picked South Carolina as the No. 1 overall seed and Baylor as the No. 2 overall seed. Joining SC and BU as No. 1 seeds were Louisville and Oregon with South Carolina headed to the Greenville regional, Baylor to the Dallas regional, Oregon to the Portland regional and Louisville to the Fort Wayne Regional.
   South Carolina lost to No. 17 Indiana for its only loss of the season Nov. 29 while Baylor's only loss came to the No. 5-ranked Gamecocks Nov. 30 without Lauren Cox.
   The committee will reveal its updated Top 16 March 2 at halftime of the South Florida vs. UConn game on ESPN2, which tips at 7 p.m. ET. Then, the NCAA Committee will have the entire bracket on the ESPN Selection Show at 7 p.m. ET, March 16.
 
LADY BEARS ON THE RUN
   Through 21 games the Lady Bears have 31 double-digit runs this season, including a season-high 37-0 run to begin the game vs. New Hampshire Nov. 5 and a Big-12 best 29-0 run at Oklahoma Jan. 4. In addition to the transition game on offense, Baylor's defense has allowed just 104 fast-break points on the season. Baylor is outscoring teams on the break by an average of 17.2-5.8.
 
50/50 – BAYLOR'S MAGIC NUMBER OFFENSIVELY & DEFENSIVELY
   Kim Mulkey coached teams at Baylor 232-1 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, while just 16 times in 19-plus seasons has an opponent shot 50 percent or better against the Lady Bears defense. Baylor's only loss when shooting 50 percent or better came vs. Mississippi State in the 2017 Elite 8.
 
COX NABS TWO MORE LATE-SEASON HONORS
   Lauren Cox was named a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award and was named to the late-season watch list for the John Wooden Award. The Senior CLASS Award narrowed its list of candidates to 10 women's players who exemplify excellence in competition, in the classroom, and in the community. The Wooden Award honors the top player in college basketball, and Cox was the only Big 12 representative out of 20 players.
 
COX & RICHARDS NAMED AS 15 FINALISTS FOR NAISMITH DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
   Lauren Cox is the 2-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, and DiDi Richards' reputation for her on-ball defense earned her First-Team All-Big 12 honors last year. This year, those performances have carried over to national recognition as the pair made the Naismith Defensive
Player of the Year Midseason Team, which includes just 15 players.
   Cox has missed time due to injury, but is still averaging 3.0 blocks and 1.1 steals per game while opponent's offensive scouting reports are scrambled when they face the Cox-led Lady Bears. Richards' steal numbers are up to 2.1 per game, she's added 15 blocks this season and still draws assignments for each opponent's top perimeter player thoughout the season.
 
LADY BEARS RANK NO. 1 IN THE NATION IN 7 STATISTICAL CATEGORIES
   The 20-1 Lady Bears rank in the top 10 nationally in 16 categories through games played through Feb. 5. Baylor ranks No. 1 in the nation in seven categories: Assists (484), Assists Per Game (23.0), Field Goal Percentage (.510), Field Goal Percentage Defense (.305), Rebound Margin (15.5), Scoring Margin (35.0), Scoring Offense (85.8), and Three-Point Field Goal Percentage (.418).
   In addition, Baylor ranks in the top five in four additional categories: Assists-to-Turnover Ratio (2nd, 1.71:1), Rebounds per Game (4th, 45.38), Scoring Defense (3rd, 50.8), and Three-Point Field Goal Percentage Defense (4th, .247)
   DiDi Richards ranks 4th nationally in assists-to-turnover ratio (3.29:1) while also cracking the Top 25 in assists per game at 17th (5.5) and assists at 22^nd (115). NaLyssa Smith's .597 shooting percentage ranks 11^th in the nation and first in the Big 12 while Queen Egbo is 12^th and second, respectively at .591 from the floor. Juicy Landrum's .464 3-point field goal percentage ranks 6th in the nation and first in the Big 12.
 
WRAPPING UP A NINE-YEAR RUN OF DOMINANCE FOR BAYLOR'S LADY BEARS
     Baylor closed 2019 with a 335-23 record between Jan. 2, 2010 and Dec. 30, 2019 for a .936 winning percentage. Last decade produced two national championships (2012, 2019), three Final Fours (2010, 2012, 2019), 10 Sweet 16s, 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, nine Big 12 regular season championships, and eight Big 12 Tournament titles. It also saw 11 players receive WBCA First-Team All-America honors, seven earned Associated Press All-Americans, eight were named USBWA First-Team All-Americans, Kim Mulkey earned seven different National Coach of the Year honors and six Big 12 Coach of the Year awards. Six players were named Big 12 Player of the Year and 22 players earned First-Team All-Big 12.
 
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). But perhaps the most consistent category the Lady Bears led the nation in, was field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to a .318 clip. That marked the third-straight year to lead the nation in that category while also ranking in the top five in eight of the last nine years.