19/22 BAYLOR BEARS (24-5, 14-2 Big 12) Location: Waco, Texas  Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Nicki Collen (Marquette, 1998) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF)	19/22 BAYLOR (24-5, 14-2 Big 12) vs KANSAS STATE WILDCATS (25-4, 13-3 Big 12) Feb. 24, 2025 • 6 p.m. CT Manhattan, Kan. • Bramlage Coliseum (11,000)  LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast WATCH: ESPN2 Talent: Brenda VanLengen (pxp), Andrea Lloyd (analyst) LISTEN: Baylor Sports Media Network via FOX Sports Radio 93.9FM in Central Texas and worldwide at centexsportsfan.com. Talent: Derek Smith (pxp), Lori Fogleman (analyst) Baylor Social Media:
	12/15 KANSAS STATE WILDCATS (25-4, 13-3 Big 12) Location: Manhattan, Kan. Conference/Affiliation: Big 12 Head Coach: Jeff Mittie (Missouri Western, 1989) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF)

Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
 
MANHATTAN, Kan. – After locking up one of the four double-byes for the Big 12 Tournament that starts next week in Kansas City, the 17^th-ranked Baylor Bears (24-5, 14-2) continue their chase for a conference title with a matchup versus No. 14 Kansas State (25-14, 13-3) at 6 p.m. Monday at Bramlage Coliseum.
 
Controlling their own destiny, the Bears can win an outright championship by sweeping its last two games against K-State on Monday and No. 10 TCU (26-3, 14-2) at 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the regular-season finale at Foster Pavilion.
 
"Our motivation, especially for our seniors, this is our last go-around," said senior guard Jada Walker, who is averaging 11.1 points and 5.5 assists per game. "So really, just giving our all, because this is the last time we're going to play Kansas State, unless we play them in the tournament, obviously. But the last time we're going to see these teams at home, in our gym, or at their game. Just taking it personal and being intentional about it."
 
Baylor extended its season-long winning streak to eight with Saturday's 67-52 win at home over Iowa State, snapping a four-game losing streak in the series with the Cyclones. The Bears also won their second-straight and third game this season without junior forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, who suffered a knee injury in the Feb. 15 game at Texas Tech.
 
In each of those games, 6-0 junior guard/forward Bella Fontleroy (9.9 ppg, 5.8 rebounds) has filled in at the "4" position and responded with double-digit scoring games. On Saturday, she was 6-of-8 from the floor and scored 14 points to go with six rebounds and a career-high-tying five steals.
 
"Bella is really good between the lane lines, so it actually puts her in position where she's in a more natural space for her," said Baylor coach Nicki Collen, who is trying to win her second Big 12 title in four years. "But I think she's had to step up and carry more of a load. She's spent more time as a spot-up shooter at the 3, and we try to post her a little bit against mismatches. But this puts her in space against less athletic players."
 
For the second-straight game, 6-3 Colorado transfer Aaronette Vonleh will be matched against one of the league's best "bigs." After more than holding her own against the Cyclones' Audi Crooks, "Nettie" faces arguably a stiffer test against 6-6 Ayoka Lee (15.5 ppg, 6.1 rebounds), at least when she's healthy.
 
Lee missed eight games with a fractured foot before returning to the court on Saturday, playing just five minutes and scoring six points with two rebounds in a 90-60 win over in-state rival Kansas.
 
K-State coach Jeff Mittie said Lee's foot was "more sore than we liked before the game, so we knew that we weren't going to go long."
 
"It was sore at halftime, so hopefully (Sunday) is better and we're making that progress," he said.
 
Collen said 6-2 senior guard Serena Sundell has had a "player of the year kind of season" for the Wildcats, averaging 13.3 points, 7.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game.
 
"Sundell has been so good for them, the way she shares the basketball, the way they utilize her, the way she posts up smaller people," Collen said. "You put someone bigger on her, she drives by them or shoots 3's. She's one of the few players in the league that legit can go get a triple-double regularly. Not that she has, but she's always hovering."
 
A 6-2 senior transfer from Tulsa, where she was the AAC Player of the Year last season, Temira Poindexter has "filled in for Gabby Gregory" by averaging 12.7 points and shooting 41.6% from 3-point range (72-of-173). Sophomore guard Taryn Sides gives the Wildcats a fourth double-figure scorer at 10 points per game while knocking down a team-best 74 from 3-point range.
 
"I think everything they do starts with their defense," Collen said, "but they stretch you out a lot like Iowa State. We're going to face three teams in a row that are all about . . . they've got a little post presence; they've got shooters all over; and they've got great spacing. Being able to disrupt their spacing will be really important."
 
Monday's game will be broadcast by ESPN2, with Brenda VanLengen and Andrea Lloyd calling the action.



Game notes-

• Baylor is on the road for the final time in the 2024-25 regular season, facing a big test at No. 12/15 K-State on Monday evening. The 6 p.m. tipoff will be broadcast on ESPN2 and the Baylor Sports Media Network. 

• The Bears are the winners of their last eight games in a league-best streak that began January 29 at UCF. Included in the seven is a ranked upset over then-No. 18 West Virginia.

• Eying her final home stretch of collegiate hoops, Sarah Andrews broke the Big 12 Conference record for career games played at Texas Tech. The new record of 161 (and counting) bests Iowa State's Ashley Joens, who took the top spot after the 2023 season.  

• The Bears remain the leading rebounding team in the Big 12 Conference, averaging 42.41 per game, enough for 12 in the NCAA, and hold an average margin of 9.7 boards over their opponents. 

• Back in the AP Top 25, the Bears reentered the rankings on Monday, February 10. Placed at No. 19 in its sixth appearance of 2024-25 (week of Feb. 10), BU received votes in eight editions while being left out twice. 

• Entering the 55th all-time meeting between the Bears and the Wildcats, Baylor holds the series lead at 43-11, but has dropped the last pair of contests. 

• Baylor was 0-1 against K-State in 2023-24, as the Wildcats handed Baylor its first loss in Foster Pavilion. In a game decided by just three points, Serena Sundell, Gabby Gregory and Eliza Maupin each scored 16 points with Maupin leading at the boards with nine. 

• Kansas State enters at 24-5 on the season after a bounce-back win over Kansas, 90-60. West Virginia last defeated K-State in Morgantown, 70-57, but the Wildcats have not lost at home this season.  

• Returning from injury, Ayoka Lee is K-State's leading scorer at 15.5 points per game in 19 games played. Serena Sundell (13.3), Temira Poindexter (12.7) and Taryn Sides (10.0) each average double-digit points. 

• Through games on Feb. 22, Baylor is ranked 18th in the NET, going 2-4 against Quad 1 programs and 4-1 over Quad 2. 

• BU's highest-ranked NET win is over No. 12 West Virginia. The Bears upset the Mountaineers, 75-65, led by 21 points from Aaronette Vonleh and 13 rebounds from Darianna Littlepage-Buggs. 

• Remaining in the Big 12 regular season slate, BU is set to face two Q1 teams.

• Kansas State enters the contest at No. 7, with a NET-best win over No. 9 TCU. 

• Fifth-year senior Sarah Andrews, who has spent all five years in a Baylor uniform, is No. 2 all-time in games played for Baylor, the most in the NCAA era, and No. 4 in games started.  

• Taking the floor at K-State, Andrews will tie the program record at 162 games played, a mark held by Suzie Snider Eppers from 1973-77 while the Bears competed in the AIAW. 

• 129 games started puts her fourth in program history behind Odyssey Sims' 132. National champion Brittney Griner holds the games started record at 148.

• Andrews is also hit her 259th-career 3-pointer against LA Tech for the program record, breaking Odyssey Sims' figure that set in the 2010-14 seasons. Sims' previous record of 258 3-pointers came in 145 games while Andrews hit her 259th in the 141st game. 

• Andrews already set the record for 3-pointers attempted, hit last season 659. 

• The Irving, Texas, native also recorded her 500th-career assist against Villanova, becoming one of five to reach that milestone completely in a Baylor uniform. Against the Houston Cougars in Waco, Andrews is moved past Didi Richards for lone possession of third-most assists in program history. 

• BU got its first win over the Cyclones in two years in a 67-52 decision at Foster Pavilion. 

• Holding Audi Crooks to just 14 points, and just two in the first half, the Bears quieted the Cyclones to just 34.0% shooting. 

• Baylor sunk nine 3-pointers, including back-to-back daggers from Yaya Felder in the second quarter that gave BU a double-digit lead. 

• Aaronette Vonleh, Bella Fontleroy and Kyla Abraham each had six rebounds, the team high. Fontleroy tied her career best steals mark at five and Abraham tied her career best blocks mark at three. 

• The Bears had a 20-point lead heading into the final frame, but slowed the pace in the fourth quarter. 

• BU scored 26 points off turnovers, the highest tally through conference play.