Fontleroy Scores Career-high 29 in Baylor's 98-59 Rout of Cincinnati

Sunday, February 2

Waco, Texas

2 PM

Baylor

18-5,8-2Big 12

Cincinnati

13-7,5-5Big 12

Cincinnati

Baylor

Fontleroy Scores Career-high 29 in Baylor's 98-59 Rout of Cincinnati

2/2/2025 4:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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WBB ties program record with 17 made 3-pointers, most ever in Big 12 game

Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

WACO, Texas – Going back to her first year with the WNBA's Atlanta Dream, Baylor coach Nicki Collen can remember her team having "the game," where "everything came together, and they see what they're capable of."

The Bears (18-5, 8-2) got a glimpse of what they can be, riding the hot hand of Bella Fontleroy with a career-high 29 points and the team knocking down a school record-tying 17 3-pointers in blowing out the Cincinnati Bearkats, 98-59, Sunday afternoon at Foster Pavilion.

"I don't think this team had had that game," Collen said, "and I think this was a little glimpse of that. I thought we did it a little bit last year in three quarters against Houston when they played here, and we were free flowing and making shots and sharing the basketball. But that's the kind of night where when Bella gets hot, it's good to see your teammates feed her. Because another night, it's (Darianna Littlepage-Buggs) or it's Sarah (Andrews)."

That's the crazy thing. On a day when the program's all-time career leader in 3-pointers made (Andrews) goes 1-for-7 from distance, the rest of the team shoots a mind-boggling 76% from 3-point range (16-of-21) and ties the school record with 17 made 3-pointers.

The bulk of that was done by Fontleroy and Florida transfer Aliyah Matharu, who combined to knock down 12-of-14 from outside the arc. Scoreless in the first half, Matharu hit her first five 3-point attempts before missing and finished with a season-high 17 points.

Fontleroy, a dismal 2-of-17 in her last four games and shooting a career-low 26.7% coming into the game, made a career-high seven 3-pointers – missing only once – and was 10-for-12 overall from the floor. She easily topped her previous career high of 21 points that she set in the Foster Pavilion opener last year against TCU.

"It's always in me. It's always in all of us," Fontleroy said. "Obviously, I haven't shot it as well as I wanted to the past few games, or really even this season. But we just continue to rep it. We rep it after practice. We get shots up. I get shots up on my own. So, I knew some were due to fall. Didn't know if it was going to be today. But once I saw the first one go in, I was like, 'Okay, they feel good, so I'll keep taking them.' And my teammates found me whenever I was open."

Yes, they did. That helped Andrews and Jada Walker rack up 12 and seven assists, respectively, as Baylor assisted on 31 of its 37 made field goals for the game.

"That girl sees the court like nobody I've ever played with before," Fontleroy said of Andrews. "No matter where you are, if you're getting to your spots where you need to be. . . you're going to get a look."

After Sunday's games, Baylor sits in third place alone in the Big 12 standings at 8-2 and just a game back of ninth-ranked TCU (20-2, 9-1) and No. 11 Kansas State (19-2, 9-1). Cincinnati, which had won four of its last five, drops to 13-7 overall and 5-5 in league despite a 26-point outing from Duncanville freshman Chloe Mann in just her third start of the year.

"We absolutely build on this game," Fontenot said. "This momentum is going to be huge from an offensive perspective, from shooting the ball, to our drives, to getting touches to (Aaronette Vonleh), to our posts offensive rebounding and putting the ball back in the basket. I think there are so many things we did well."

Strong out of the blocks, the Bears led by as many as 16 in the first quarter and were up 42-25 when Andrews drained a deep 3-pointer to end the first half. Fontleroy and Yaya Felder combined for 23 points in the first half alone, with Baylor going 6-of-13 from 3-point range.

Matharu, who had scored just three points through the first three quarters, exploded for 14 in the final period and hit her first five shots in the game before missing a late 3-point attempt. Fontleroy was a perfect 4-fof-4 from the field and scored 10 points in the fourth quarter before exiting with 5:18 left in the game.

"There is frustration," Fontleroy said of her season-long struggles. "But my identity doesn't like in just my 3-point capabilities. I contribute a lot defensively to this team, my voice and just energy and effort. I feel like whenever I continue to do those things and bring that consistently every day, whether I make a short or I miss a shot, it doesn't matter."

Despite playing just four minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, Vonleh chipped in with 16 points in 15 minutes, while Yaya Felder hit three 3-pointers and scored 13 points. Littlepage-Buggs finished well below her averages with seven points and eight boards, but the junior forward knocked down the record-tying 17^th 3-pointer with 28 seconds left in the game.

"For us to make 17 threes, and for Sarah to be the only one to not really shoot it well, is really crazy," Collen said. "Imagine if she makes two of those, we're setting even more records. I think it can do a lot for a team's confidence. I don't think there's any doubt it does for Bella's confidence, Aliyah's confidence."

Jillian Hayes was Cincinnati's only other double-figure scorer with 15 points, but she was just 7-of-13 from the line. As a team, the Bearkats were 0-for-12 from 3-point range, compared to Baylor shooting over 60% from outside the arc (17-of-28).

The Bears, who have won seven of their last eight in conference play, go back on the road to face Houston (5-17, 1-10) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Fertita Center. Baylor won the first meeting with the Cougars, 70-51, 16 days ago in its last home game.