Saturday, February 4
Ames, Iowa
5 p.m.
Baylor
at
#12 Iowa State
WBB Takes on No. 12 Iowa State Saturday on ESPNU
2/3/2023 12:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Cyclones are the final Big 12 team the Bears haven’t faced this season yet
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
Caitlin Bickle has visited plenty of hostile venues over the last five years at Baylor, but nothing that compares to the atmosphere at Iowa State's 14,000-seat Hilton Coliseum.
"Obviously, the fans aren't rooting for you there," Bickle said, "but it's always fun to play in, because you don't get that very often. Every year, people are always like, 'What's your favorite gym to play in?' I think (Iowa State) has such a great atmosphere."
Riding a two-game winning streak, Bickle and the Bears (15-6, 6-3) will play 12th-ranked Iowa State (15-5, 7-3) at 5 p.m. Saturday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames.
"We know they're going to have a really good crowd," Baylor coach Nicki Collen said. "Poise will be the biggest question. Are we prepared to be poised in an environment that's going to be probably unlike anything we've played in so far."
While Iowa State regularly draws more than 13,000 to games, Collen said the closest the Bears have seen this year was a crowd of 8,235 at Texas Tech's United Supermarkets Arena. Five players scored in double figures, with Bickle and freshman Darianna Littlepage-Buggs both recording double-doubles, in Baylor's dominant 79-59 win.
"Certainly, our returners played in there last year," Collen said of an 87-62 win over the Cyclones before a Senior Day crowd of 13,907. "There was a good crowd at Texas Tech, but they didn't really have much of a chance to really impact the game. I never felt like I couldn't get a play call to my team. I don't think our new guys have any idea."
That includes Littlepage-Buggs (9.9 ppg, 9.0 rebounds), who posted her team-high ninth double-double of the year with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the Bears' 77-73 win over Kansas on Wednesday.
"I think the biggest thing we've talked about is all being on the same page," Bickle said. "Even (Thursday), we practiced with a ton of noise in the gym, because obviously that affects your communication. That affects energy levels for certain people, so I think that was just the big focus for us."
After struggling with her mid-range shot earlier in the year, Littlepage-Buggs has scored in double figures in five of the last seven games and is shooting 63.5% in conference play (40-of-63).
"I think the last two games, Buggs has made more jump shots than she's made all season, combined," Collen said. "I feel like that's trending in the right direction, because I do think she's a good, little mid-range shooter and struggled through the early part of the season. But I think that makes her a lot harder to guard and our team more dynamic."
While Baylor has had a balanced scoring attack, particularly the last two games, Iowa State features the league's leading scorer in 6-1 senior guard/forward Ashley Joens (20.0 ppg, 9.3 rebounds).
Since 6-6 senior center Stephanie Soares (14.4 ppg, 9.9 rebounds suffered a season-ending ACL injury, the Cyclones have leaned more on the backcourt duo of Lexi Donarski (12.4 ppg0 and Emily Ryan (11.4 ppg, 6.9 assists).
"I think the dynamics of their team have shifted, but not in an uncomfortable place for most of those guys," Collen said, "because now they ultimately look the same as they did a year ago before they got Stephanie. But Joens and Donarski take 50% of their shots. . . . The big difference in their wins is that Emily Ryan scores more. It's about making their scorers more inefficient and doing a good job on the players that are efficient but take fewer shots."
The Bears have a chance to move up in the Big 12 standings and potentially back into the top 25 with games against 12th-ranked Iowa State on Saturday and No. 20 Oklahoma on Tuesday at the Ferrell Center.
"We're trying to control the game in front of us," Collen said. "Any win you can steal on the road is really, really important. But I don't know that any one game is bigger than the others right now, except for the one directly in front of you."
Saturday's game will be broadcast by ESPNU, with John Brickley and Brooke Weisbrod calling the action.
AMES, Iowa – The Baylor women's basketball team hits the road for another tough test at No. 12 Iowa State on Saturday. The contest is set to air nationally at 5 p.m. on ESPNU inside the Hilton Coliseum.
A live radio broadcast of the game between the Bears (15-6, 6-3 Big 12) and the Cyclones (15-5, 7-3 Big 12) is available for fans. Live in-game updates will also be provided via Twitter or live stats.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bears completed the series sweep of Kansas with a 77-73 win on Wednesday night inside the Ferrell Center. Four Bears reached double figures led by junior Sarah Andrews who turned in her sixth 20-plus point performance of the season, finishing with 23. She has reached double digits in the scoring column in all but three games this season and nine straight after Wednesday's outing.
Fifth-year Caitlin Bickle finished with 16 points – her second-highest output in a Big 12 game this season – while rookie Bella Fontleroy added 14 in her second-straight start. Ja'Mee Asberry joined Andrews with three steals of her own marking the fourth-straight outing the graduate has recorded a swipe.
APPLYING PRESSURE
The Bears have forced their opponents to turn the ball over 20-plus times in seven games this season, most recently forcing 20 turnovers by Kansas on Feb. 1. A total of 376 points by BU this season have been scored off opponent turnovers.
Baylor is holding its opponents to just 26.5% shooting from behind the 3-point arc, which is the lowest shooting percentage from range in the league. Additionally, the Bears are holding their opponents to just 58.2 points per game which is the third fewest points allowed by teams in the Big 12.
SCOUTING IOWA STATE AND THE SERIES
Baylor holds the 32-9 advantage in the all-time series with Iowa State and has won 12 of the last 14 meetings dating back to the 2015-16 season.
Iowa State carries a 15-5 record into Saturday's game and is a perfect 10-0 at home this season. In Big 12 play, the Cyclones are tied for second in the league standings with a 7-3 ledger. The Cyclones are coming off a 78-77 loss at Kansas State on Wednesday night.
Iowa State has four players averaging double figures, led by Ashley Joens' 20 points per game, and its roster is upperclassman-heavy with five seniors and a trio of juniors.
Baylor Bear Insider
Caitlin Bickle has visited plenty of hostile venues over the last five years at Baylor, but nothing that compares to the atmosphere at Iowa State's 14,000-seat Hilton Coliseum.
"Obviously, the fans aren't rooting for you there," Bickle said, "but it's always fun to play in, because you don't get that very often. Every year, people are always like, 'What's your favorite gym to play in?' I think (Iowa State) has such a great atmosphere."
Riding a two-game winning streak, Bickle and the Bears (15-6, 6-3) will play 12th-ranked Iowa State (15-5, 7-3) at 5 p.m. Saturday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames.
"We know they're going to have a really good crowd," Baylor coach Nicki Collen said. "Poise will be the biggest question. Are we prepared to be poised in an environment that's going to be probably unlike anything we've played in so far."
While Iowa State regularly draws more than 13,000 to games, Collen said the closest the Bears have seen this year was a crowd of 8,235 at Texas Tech's United Supermarkets Arena. Five players scored in double figures, with Bickle and freshman Darianna Littlepage-Buggs both recording double-doubles, in Baylor's dominant 79-59 win.
"Certainly, our returners played in there last year," Collen said of an 87-62 win over the Cyclones before a Senior Day crowd of 13,907. "There was a good crowd at Texas Tech, but they didn't really have much of a chance to really impact the game. I never felt like I couldn't get a play call to my team. I don't think our new guys have any idea."
That includes Littlepage-Buggs (9.9 ppg, 9.0 rebounds), who posted her team-high ninth double-double of the year with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the Bears' 77-73 win over Kansas on Wednesday.
"I think the biggest thing we've talked about is all being on the same page," Bickle said. "Even (Thursday), we practiced with a ton of noise in the gym, because obviously that affects your communication. That affects energy levels for certain people, so I think that was just the big focus for us."
After struggling with her mid-range shot earlier in the year, Littlepage-Buggs has scored in double figures in five of the last seven games and is shooting 63.5% in conference play (40-of-63).
"I think the last two games, Buggs has made more jump shots than she's made all season, combined," Collen said. "I feel like that's trending in the right direction, because I do think she's a good, little mid-range shooter and struggled through the early part of the season. But I think that makes her a lot harder to guard and our team more dynamic."
While Baylor has had a balanced scoring attack, particularly the last two games, Iowa State features the league's leading scorer in 6-1 senior guard/forward Ashley Joens (20.0 ppg, 9.3 rebounds).
Since 6-6 senior center Stephanie Soares (14.4 ppg, 9.9 rebounds suffered a season-ending ACL injury, the Cyclones have leaned more on the backcourt duo of Lexi Donarski (12.4 ppg0 and Emily Ryan (11.4 ppg, 6.9 assists).
"I think the dynamics of their team have shifted, but not in an uncomfortable place for most of those guys," Collen said, "because now they ultimately look the same as they did a year ago before they got Stephanie. But Joens and Donarski take 50% of their shots. . . . The big difference in their wins is that Emily Ryan scores more. It's about making their scorers more inefficient and doing a good job on the players that are efficient but take fewer shots."
The Bears have a chance to move up in the Big 12 standings and potentially back into the top 25 with games against 12th-ranked Iowa State on Saturday and No. 20 Oklahoma on Tuesday at the Ferrell Center.
"We're trying to control the game in front of us," Collen said. "Any win you can steal on the road is really, really important. But I don't know that any one game is bigger than the others right now, except for the one directly in front of you."
Saturday's game will be broadcast by ESPNU, with John Brickley and Brooke Weisbrod calling the action.
AMES, Iowa – The Baylor women's basketball team hits the road for another tough test at No. 12 Iowa State on Saturday. The contest is set to air nationally at 5 p.m. on ESPNU inside the Hilton Coliseum.
A live radio broadcast of the game between the Bears (15-6, 6-3 Big 12) and the Cyclones (15-5, 7-3 Big 12) is available for fans. Live in-game updates will also be provided via Twitter or live stats.
LAST TIME OUT
The Bears completed the series sweep of Kansas with a 77-73 win on Wednesday night inside the Ferrell Center. Four Bears reached double figures led by junior Sarah Andrews who turned in her sixth 20-plus point performance of the season, finishing with 23. She has reached double digits in the scoring column in all but three games this season and nine straight after Wednesday's outing.
Fifth-year Caitlin Bickle finished with 16 points – her second-highest output in a Big 12 game this season – while rookie Bella Fontleroy added 14 in her second-straight start. Ja'Mee Asberry joined Andrews with three steals of her own marking the fourth-straight outing the graduate has recorded a swipe.
APPLYING PRESSURE
The Bears have forced their opponents to turn the ball over 20-plus times in seven games this season, most recently forcing 20 turnovers by Kansas on Feb. 1. A total of 376 points by BU this season have been scored off opponent turnovers.
Baylor is holding its opponents to just 26.5% shooting from behind the 3-point arc, which is the lowest shooting percentage from range in the league. Additionally, the Bears are holding their opponents to just 58.2 points per game which is the third fewest points allowed by teams in the Big 12.
SCOUTING IOWA STATE AND THE SERIES
Baylor holds the 32-9 advantage in the all-time series with Iowa State and has won 12 of the last 14 meetings dating back to the 2015-16 season.
Iowa State carries a 15-5 record into Saturday's game and is a perfect 10-0 at home this season. In Big 12 play, the Cyclones are tied for second in the league standings with a 7-3 ledger. The Cyclones are coming off a 78-77 loss at Kansas State on Wednesday night.
Iowa State has four players averaging double figures, led by Ashley Joens' 20 points per game, and its roster is upperclassman-heavy with five seniors and a trio of juniors.
- BaylorBears.com -
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's BasketballBaylor Basketball (W): Media Availability | September 22, 2025
Monday, September 22
The Sic 'Em Podcast (Ep. 78): Tez Dumars
Tuesday, September 16
The Sic 'Em Podcast (Ep. 77): Taliah Scott
Wednesday, September 10
Baylor Basketball (W): Nicki Collen Media Availability (June 10, 2025)
Tuesday, June 10
