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Baylor Women's Basketball

Gameday Thread: No. 17 Baylor Looks For Revenge against No. 8 TCU in Big 12 Tourney Final

March 8, 2025
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri – No. 17 Baylor women’s basketball (27-6, 15-3) will look to avenge its two regular season losses to No. 8 TCU (30-3, 16-2) in the championship of the Big 12 Tournament. Tipoff from T-Mobile Center is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 9, and will be televised on ESPN.

  • Spread: TCU -2.5
  • Baylor Massey Rating: No. 13
    • Baylor NET Ranking: No. 15
  • TCU Massey Rating: No. 8
    • TCU Net Ranking: No. 8

Coaches

Baylor (Nicki Collen): 101-34 Record; 3 NCAA Tournaments; Sweet 16

TCU (Mark Campbell): 90-38 Record; NCAA Tournament

Baylor Starters

  • Guard Jada Walker (5’7, Sr.): 11 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.7 APG, 43% FG, 38% 3-PT, 75% FT
  • Guard Sarah Andrews (5’6, Sr.): 11.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5 APG, 37% FG, 38% 3-PT, 56% FT
  • Guard Yaya Felder (5’8, Sr.): 10.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.8 APG, 45% FG, 40% 3-PT, 73% FT
  • Forward Bella Fontleroy (6’0, Jr.): 9.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 40% FG, 33% 3-PT, 55% FT
  • Center Aaronette Vonleh (6’3, Sr.): 13.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 60% FG, 61% FT

Baylor Bench

  • Guard Aliyah Matharu (5’7, Sr.): 7.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 43% FG, 39% 3-PT, 57% FT
  • Guard Waiata Jennings (5’9, Jr.): 2.2 PPG, 45% FG, 37% 3-PT, 100% FT
  • Forward Kyla Abraham (6’3, Jr.): 2.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 46% FG, 36% FT
  • Forward Kayla Nelms (6’1, Fr.): 2.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 45% FG, 22% 3-PT

*Stats last updated on March 6*

TCU Starters

  • Guard Hailey Van Lith (5’9, Sr.): 18.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.9 APG, 45% FG, 31% 3-PT, 83% FT
  • Guard Madison Conner (5’11, Sr.): 15.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.2 APG, 43% FG, 47% 3-PT, 85% FT
  • Guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu (5’11, Sr.): 5.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 37% FG, 38% 3-PT, 60% FT
  • Guard Donovyn Hunter (6’0, So.): 5.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 46% FG, 32% 3-PT, 72% FT
  • Center Sedona Prince (6’7, Sr.): 19.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.5 BPG, 61% FG, 72% FT

TCU Bench

  • Guard Taylor Bigby (6’1, Jr.): 7.6 PPG, 3 RPG, 44% FG, 35% 3-PT, 44% FT
  • Forward Aaliyah Roberson (6’2, Jr.): 5.3 PPG, 3 RPG, 54% FG, 46% 3-PT, 78% FT

*Stats last updated on March 1*

TCU Notable Opponents

  • No. 3 Notre Dame (76-68 Win)
  • No. 3 South Carolina (85-52 Loss)
  • Oklahoma State (60-59 Loss)
  • Baylor (80-75 Win)
  • No. 12 Kansas State (59-50 Loss)
  • No. 17 West Virginia (71-50 Win)
  • No. 17 Baylor (51-48 Win)
  • No. 16 West Virginia (71-65 Win)
Discussion from...

Gameday Thread: No. 17 Baylor Looks For Revenge against No. 8 TCU in Big 12 Tourney Final

7,389 Views | 125 Replies | Last: 4 hrs ago by IowaBear
Johnny Bear
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6:12p, 3/9/25
This game was lost in the first half. You can't let a team with 14 TO's walk into the locker room up by double digits no matter who they are.
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Big12Fan2024
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6:13p, 3/9/25
We played them 3 times. They beat us 3 times. We're a good team. They are just a tad better.

Let's get Littlepage-Buggs back and see what we can do in the NCAAs.
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Guitarbiscuit
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In reply to historian • 6:15p, 3/9/25
Well my guess is she generally plays better than this and I just caught her on a day when she didn't have it. Who knows.
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Big12Fan2024
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In reply to Guitarbiscuit • 6:17p, 3/9/25
Your eyes didn't deceive you. She has a ton of positive attributes but her main weakness displayed throughout the year has been physical hand strength (holding on to the ball). And TCU used that to their advantage on both plays. But the other poster is correct, without her scoring and soft touch (two of her strengths) we basically aren't close enough to have a shot to win.
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Guitarbiscuit
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In reply to Big12Fan2024 • 6:17p, 3/9/25
Big12Fan2024 said:
We played them 3 times. They beat us 3 times. We're a good team. They are just a tad better.

Let's get Littlepage-Buggs back and see what we can do in the NCAAs.


Yep 0-3 is a solid indication. We are good but man I wish we had the same quality players we used to have.
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BubbaBear
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6:17p, 3/9/25
THE THING I LIKE THE MOST ABOUT THIS YEARS TEAM....IT IS THE LAST YEAR I HAVE TO PUT UP WITH JADA WALKER AND ALL OF HER OFF BALANCE LOW PERCENTAGE LAYUP ATTEMPTS.
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LTBear19
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In reply to LTBear19 • 6:19p, 3/9/25
LTBear19 said:
If we get the ball again down by 2, I like setting up for a 3 on that possession. If we hit that and finally take the lead, I think it stuns TCU and might be what gets us across the finish line.
Well, that would have called for the coach calling one of her remaining 3 timeouts to settle the troops down and set up said play.

Obviously, that didn't happen.

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saucebob
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6:22p, 3/9/25
We're definitely a different team with Buggs
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Big12Fan2024
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In reply to saucebob • 6:23p, 3/9/25
saucebob said:
We're definitely a different team with Buggs
L-B is a tough one not to have against someone like TCU because she has a good feel for rebounding and knows how to use her frame to get around someone like Prince.
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Bear3
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In reply to saucebob • 6:25p, 3/9/25
Losing your top scorer and rebounder most definitely hurts. Hopefully she will be back for March Madness and we can host and make a deep run.
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LTBear19
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In reply to Johnny Bear • 6:26p, 3/9/25
Johnny Bear said:
This game was lost in the first half. You can't let a team with 14 TO's walk into the locker room up by double digits no matter who they are.
That and the coach playing it too safe and pulling Vonleh out for the remainder of the 2nd quarter when she picked up her 2nd foul.

That was when TCU went on their run and made it to where we had to claw and scratch the rest of the way just to get back in the game.

When you are constantly fighting an uphill battle, you tend to run out of gas later in the game.
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SirBearALot
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6:32p, 3/9/25
With LPB we wing the last 2 games against TcU
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oldbear69
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6:33p, 3/9/25
There's a new sheriff in town , mark Campbell and he owns niki….
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IowaBear
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In reply to SirBearALot • 6:33p, 3/9/25
There's nothing to support this. TCU beat BU with DLB.
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historian
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In reply to Guitarbiscuit • 7:08p, 3/9/25
Guitarbiscuit said:
Well my guess is she generally plays better than this and I just caught her on a day when she didn't have it. Who knows.

I agree
“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!”
Psalm 119:36
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historian
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In reply to Guitarbiscuit • 7:08p, 3/9/25
Guitarbiscuit said:
Big12Fan2024 said:
We played them 3 times. They beat us 3 times. We're a good team. They are just a tad better.

Let's get Littlepage-Buggs back and see what we can do in the NCAAs.


Yep 0-3 is a solid indication. We are good but man I wish we had the same quality players we used to have.

We probably would have won at least one of the last two with a healthy Buggs. Just saying
“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!”
Psalm 119:36
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blackie
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In reply to IowaBear • 7:10p, 3/9/25
IowaBear said:
There's nothing to support this. TCU beat BU with DLB.
Yes, there isn't. But the feeling probably comes from the infamous "eye test". Baylor when they played TCU the first time was not initially playing at the same defensive intensity at which they have been playing the last 5 or six weeks. And that ramped up intensity didn't show it self until well into the third quarter of that game where we cut the lead from 22 or so to a one-possession game by near the end. Buggs was there for that ramped up defense that made it a close game after being down by 22.

So, it reasons that the last two games with TCU could certainly have played out differently. Would it have resulted in a win or two? Impossible to know, only speculation. Point being that the defensive intensity of the latter part of that first game and what we have been playing mostly since against the best opponents caused us to outscore TCU by almost 20 points in the last parts of the first game when we ramped up our defensive intensity. The last two games we played without Buggs and could not match the effectiveness of our defense we saw at the end of the first game.

How many minutes in this game were we able to play a lineup that had spent adequate time together on the court? Because of fouls we were juggling who the five were on the court, even going to Vonleh and Abraham out there together. Why so many fouls? I think some of it was desire to be intent on defense (in the player's heads) because of likely frustration from poor shooting on the offensive end. I also would think that some of it also comes from an affect of playing two straight games where they had to go everything possible to get to today's game. You can call it laziness, lack of focus, or whatever you want to call it, but I think because of the fatigue it resulted in fouls not normally made. And then with that we are having to juggle the 5 on court all game breaking up any semblance of consistency.
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IowaBear
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In reply to blackie • 7:31p, 3/9/25
That would also be operating under the assumption TCU hasn't improved. I was there today and that's the best defensive team BU has played.
There's just simply no way in hell anyone can say with a straight face that BU wins with DLB as there's data to show otherwise. It's always silly to use that as an excuse imo. Reality is TCU is simply better. And the gap is incredibly small
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blackie
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In reply to IowaBear • 7:47p, 3/9/25
IowaBear said:
That would also be operating under the assumption TCU hasn't improved. I was there today and that's the best defensive team BU has played.
There's just simply no way in hell anyone can say with a straight face that BU wins with DLB as there's data to show otherwise. It's always silly to use that as an excuse imo. Reality is TCU is simply better. And the gap is incredibly small
Don't disagree with you. Too bad we can't get a "what if" game. Having her there is going to affect a lot. Whether that "a lot" means a better outcome no way to know what her presence (or anyone's for that matter) does to affecting other things....just like one changed play affects everything else that happens after it.

Agree with your last two statements, but in reality the only thing we know for sure is they are better when we don't have an all-conference player on the court. What would TCU be if Conner wasn't there? I think you have to put more weight on the previous two games versus the one that happened 6 weeks ago. Is that the only data on which you are relying -- the January game. Happy to hear other supporting data to support your opinion that TCU would still be unquestionably better with both teams at full strength.

It seems if you are of a mind that the gap is incredibly small wouldn't the presence of Buggs make any difference at all? If it would not then I don't think the gap is as small as you state.
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IowaBear
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In reply to blackie • 7:57p, 3/9/25
TCU also doesn't have Maddie Scherr (All SEC) who was supposed to be apart of their team this year. That's my basic point. You roll with who you got. Injuries happen to everyone unfortunately. Read this Am that Texas and LSU players last night and LSU was down 2 All American players. KSU is down Ayoka Lee, ISU is down a transfer who would have played a huge role. SC lost the Watkins girl who plays a huge role. I could go on and on. It's just disingenuous imo to keep seeing people guarantee Bu wins with DLB when we have an actual data point saying otherwise.
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