Saturday, March 30
Portland, Ore.
4:30 PM
Baylor
vs
USC
WBB Set to Face USC in Sweet 16 Saturday
3/28/2024 3:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The five-seeded Bears square off with the top-seeded Trojans at 4:30 p.m. CT on ESPN
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
PORTLAND, Ore. – Emblazoned on sophomore guard/forward Bella Fontleroy's sweatshirt are the words that this Baylor women's basketball team lives by: Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us.
"When your name is called, when your number's called, you've got to be ready," said Fontleroy, who's averaging 9.3 points and 5.1 rebounds going into Saturday's 4:30 p.m. CT matchup between the fifth-seeded Bears (26-7) and top-seeded USC (28-5) in the Portland 3 region semifinals at the Moda Center.
"Just being ready for the moment. Your teammates are going to feed you the ball when you have the hot hand. You're going to crash (the boards), you're going to do all those things. And you're going to feed off the energy everyone gives you. So, just being prepared."
That was the case for Kentucky transfer and Richmond, Va., native Jada Walker, who scored a career-high 28 points in the Bears' 75-72 second-round win at fourth-seeded Virginia Tech. She scored 26 points in the second half, including 14 of Baylor's 20 fourth-quarter points.
"Just being confident, honestly," Walker said of replicating that kind of performance against the Trojans. "Not forcing it, just knowing when the shots come to me, they'll come to me. And then in the fourth quarter, if I need to go off like I did again, then I'll have to. But hopefully, it can start off earlier, and our team can get going to where we can get a comfortable lead or however the game may go.
"It's March, so you never know what could happen. But anyone can hit shots, can make plays, so that's really exciting."
Unlike USC, which leans heavily on 6-2 freshman All-American JuJu Watkins (26.9 ppg, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists), the Bears rely on a balanced attack that features seven players averaging between 7.4 and 11.7 points per game.
A returning first-team All-Big 12 player, senior guard Sarah Andrews (11.3 ppg, 3.9 assists) was a second-team pick this season and Baylor's only selection on the coaches' All-Big 12 first or second team.
"I think it's hard to scheme for us because we have so many people that can score," said Andrews, who scored 14 of her 16 points in the first half against Virginia Tech, when Walker was in foul trouble. "Whoever's our top leading scorer doesn't have to have a great night every night, because we have so many people that can go anywhere else and be a top scorer. That's the beauty about this team."
To that point, 6-0 senior forward Dre'Una Edwards (11.7 ppg, 6.2 rebounds) is the team's leading scorer for the season and has come off the bench for eight of the last nine games. She matched her season high with 20 points off the bench in a late-season win over Kansas.
"I'm super proud of my team," said Edwards, a transfer from Kentucky who had to sit out last season. "We've come a long way. We had hit a rough patch in the season, but I think we overcame that. But I'm super proud of this team because we didn't lose (our) fight, we didn't lose hope. And we've been coming out just having great energy, great vibes.
"This is a great team to have in the Sweet 16, and I know we're going to go farther than that. I'm just super-excited to be here."
Although Baylor is the clear underdog in this Sweet 16 matchup, Andrews said she sees "that team that started out 14-0," which included wins over Utah and Texas. The Utes handed USC two of its five losses, while the Longhorns won the Big 12 tournament title and advanced to the Elite Eight with a 69-47 blowout of Gonzaga on Friday.
"Actually, I'm kind of glad we hit that adversity then rather than now," Andrews said of a stretch when the Bears lost six of 10 games in January and February. "I'd rather learn from those mistakes early on in the season rather than coming into March, losing the first game.
"I think we've grown as a team. I'm starting to see that team that came out and went 14-0. Most of all, we grew. We could have folded, been done . . . we could have folded in the first game coming into March Madness."
Instead, the Bears have a Sweet 16 date on Saturday against USC, with a chance to make it to the Elite for the 11th time overall and their first under third-year head coach Nicki Collen.
"I think anytime you're hired into a position like Baylor, this is the expectation," Collen said. "I think it's about meeting expectations. But my expectations aren't really driven necessarily by what people think they should be. It's more about wanting to be considered one of the best at what I do and how we do it.
"I think it's just special to be with this group that's truly ours. These are not a bunch of inherited players that I'm winning with great players. These are players that believed in Baylor, believed in me, believed we could still be Baylor with Nicki Collen in charge."
Saturday's game will be broadcast by ESPN, with Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli and Angel Gray calling the action. The winner advances to Monday's Portland 3 region final against either third-seeded UConn (31-5) or seventh-seeded Duke (22-11), who play at 7 p.m. Saturday in the late semifinal.
"If you don't use it as fuel, you don't need to be out there," said Missouri transfer Aijha Blackwell (8.4 ppg, 8.3 rebounds), who is playing in her first NCAA Tournament games. "I think that's what's going to motivate us is just to compete and just get a win, pull out a win."
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Baylor women's basketball team continues its run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Saturday when it faces USC at the Moda Center.
The Sweet 16 matchup between the Bears (26-7) and the Trojans (28-5) is set for 4:30 p.m. CT and airs nationally on ESPN with Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli on the call.
A live radio broadcast will be available on ESPN Central Texas (1660 AM/92.3 FM) and live in-game updates will be provided via Twitter and live stats.
STARTING FIVE
To stay up to date on all things Baylor women's basketball, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorWBB.
Baylor Bear Insider
PORTLAND, Ore. – Emblazoned on sophomore guard/forward Bella Fontleroy's sweatshirt are the words that this Baylor women's basketball team lives by: Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us.
"When your name is called, when your number's called, you've got to be ready," said Fontleroy, who's averaging 9.3 points and 5.1 rebounds going into Saturday's 4:30 p.m. CT matchup between the fifth-seeded Bears (26-7) and top-seeded USC (28-5) in the Portland 3 region semifinals at the Moda Center.
"Just being ready for the moment. Your teammates are going to feed you the ball when you have the hot hand. You're going to crash (the boards), you're going to do all those things. And you're going to feed off the energy everyone gives you. So, just being prepared."
That was the case for Kentucky transfer and Richmond, Va., native Jada Walker, who scored a career-high 28 points in the Bears' 75-72 second-round win at fourth-seeded Virginia Tech. She scored 26 points in the second half, including 14 of Baylor's 20 fourth-quarter points.
"Just being confident, honestly," Walker said of replicating that kind of performance against the Trojans. "Not forcing it, just knowing when the shots come to me, they'll come to me. And then in the fourth quarter, if I need to go off like I did again, then I'll have to. But hopefully, it can start off earlier, and our team can get going to where we can get a comfortable lead or however the game may go.
"It's March, so you never know what could happen. But anyone can hit shots, can make plays, so that's really exciting."
Unlike USC, which leans heavily on 6-2 freshman All-American JuJu Watkins (26.9 ppg, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists), the Bears rely on a balanced attack that features seven players averaging between 7.4 and 11.7 points per game.
A returning first-team All-Big 12 player, senior guard Sarah Andrews (11.3 ppg, 3.9 assists) was a second-team pick this season and Baylor's only selection on the coaches' All-Big 12 first or second team.
"I think it's hard to scheme for us because we have so many people that can score," said Andrews, who scored 14 of her 16 points in the first half against Virginia Tech, when Walker was in foul trouble. "Whoever's our top leading scorer doesn't have to have a great night every night, because we have so many people that can go anywhere else and be a top scorer. That's the beauty about this team."
To that point, 6-0 senior forward Dre'Una Edwards (11.7 ppg, 6.2 rebounds) is the team's leading scorer for the season and has come off the bench for eight of the last nine games. She matched her season high with 20 points off the bench in a late-season win over Kansas.
"I'm super proud of my team," said Edwards, a transfer from Kentucky who had to sit out last season. "We've come a long way. We had hit a rough patch in the season, but I think we overcame that. But I'm super proud of this team because we didn't lose (our) fight, we didn't lose hope. And we've been coming out just having great energy, great vibes.
"This is a great team to have in the Sweet 16, and I know we're going to go farther than that. I'm just super-excited to be here."
Although Baylor is the clear underdog in this Sweet 16 matchup, Andrews said she sees "that team that started out 14-0," which included wins over Utah and Texas. The Utes handed USC two of its five losses, while the Longhorns won the Big 12 tournament title and advanced to the Elite Eight with a 69-47 blowout of Gonzaga on Friday.
"Actually, I'm kind of glad we hit that adversity then rather than now," Andrews said of a stretch when the Bears lost six of 10 games in January and February. "I'd rather learn from those mistakes early on in the season rather than coming into March, losing the first game.
"I think we've grown as a team. I'm starting to see that team that came out and went 14-0. Most of all, we grew. We could have folded, been done . . . we could have folded in the first game coming into March Madness."
Instead, the Bears have a Sweet 16 date on Saturday against USC, with a chance to make it to the Elite for the 11th time overall and their first under third-year head coach Nicki Collen.
"I think anytime you're hired into a position like Baylor, this is the expectation," Collen said. "I think it's about meeting expectations. But my expectations aren't really driven necessarily by what people think they should be. It's more about wanting to be considered one of the best at what I do and how we do it.
"I think it's just special to be with this group that's truly ours. These are not a bunch of inherited players that I'm winning with great players. These are players that believed in Baylor, believed in me, believed we could still be Baylor with Nicki Collen in charge."
Saturday's game will be broadcast by ESPN, with Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli and Angel Gray calling the action. The winner advances to Monday's Portland 3 region final against either third-seeded UConn (31-5) or seventh-seeded Duke (22-11), who play at 7 p.m. Saturday in the late semifinal.
"If you don't use it as fuel, you don't need to be out there," said Missouri transfer Aijha Blackwell (8.4 ppg, 8.3 rebounds), who is playing in her first NCAA Tournament games. "I think that's what's going to motivate us is just to compete and just get a win, pull out a win."
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Baylor women's basketball team continues its run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Saturday when it faces USC at the Moda Center.
The Sweet 16 matchup between the Bears (26-7) and the Trojans (28-5) is set for 4:30 p.m. CT and airs nationally on ESPN with Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli on the call.
A live radio broadcast will be available on ESPN Central Texas (1660 AM/92.3 FM) and live in-game updates will be provided via Twitter and live stats.
STARTING FIVE
- Baylor is playing in its 20th-straight NCAA Tournament in 2024. The Bears hold the fourth-longest active streak in the country in consecutive appearances behind Tennessee (42), Stanford (36) and UConn (35).
- The Bears are making their first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2021 and first under the direction of head coach Nicki Collen.
- Baylor is 57-18 all-time in the NCAA Tournament with three national championships, four Final Four appearances, 10 trips to the Elite Eight and 16 Sweet 16 appearances. BU's 16 Sweet 16 appearances are the third-most in the last two decades behind only UConn and Stanford.
- The Bears rank ninth nationally in three-point percentage defense, holding their opponents to 26.2% from behind the arc this season. Baylor has held its opponent to below 20% shooting from 3-point range in five of the last eight games.
- Baylor is an impressive 21-1 this season when outrebounding its opponents. The Bears have recorded 50-plus rebounds in six contests this season, eclipsing 60 boards in wins over McNeese (68) and Delaware State (64).
- No. 5-seeded Baylor outlasted the No. 4 seed Virginia Tech Hokies, 75-72, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
- The win by the Bears snapped a 26-game home winning streak for the Hokies, which was a program record. Virginia Tech dropped to 32-2 at Cassell Coliseum in the last two seasons.
- Jada Walker paced the Baylor offense with a career-high 28 points, going a team-leading 9-for-10 from the charity stripe. She notched 26 of her 28 points in the second half, including 14 in the fourth quarter. Additionally, she went without a turnover and dished out three assists in the outing.
- Team captains Sarah Andrews (16) and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (10) joined Walker in double figures while Bella Fontleroy led the Bears on the boards for the second-straight game, grabbing nine.
- Baylor earned the 80-63 victory over Vanderbilt in its opening-round game on March 22.
- The game marked the 100th career game for head coach Nicki Collen. She holds a 74-27 record at the helm of the Bears.
- The Bears have won their opening-round game 21 times in 22 showings in the Big Dance.
- Bella Fontleroy turned in her third double-double of the year, and sixth of her career, with a 19-point, 11-rebound performance to lead the Bears in both categories.
- Baylor's 80 points marked the 11th time this year that the Bears have put up at least 80 and first time since scoring 83 at Houston on Feb. 4.
To stay up to date on all things Baylor women's basketball, follow the team on its official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorWBB.
- BaylorBears.com -
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