Baylor Women's Basketball

Game Thread: No. 6 Seed Baylor WBB Looks to Upset No. 3 Seed Duke in Round of 32

No. 6 seed Baylor women’s basketball (25-8) takes on the No. 3 seed Duke Blue Devils (25-8) in the Round of 32.
March 22, 2026
28k Views
127 Comments
Story Poster
Photo by Baylor Athletics

DURHAM, N.C. – No. 6 seed Baylor women’s basketball (25-8) prepares for a rematch against the No. 3 seed Duke Blue Devils (25-8) in the Round of 32. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 22, at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Baylor and Duke faced off in Paris in both teams’ opening game of the season. Taliah Scott’s 24-point performance led Baylor to a 57-52 win in a game in which both defenses found success.


  • Baylor Barttorvik Rank: 34
    • Baylor Massey Rating: 21
  • Duke Barttorvik Rank: 7
    • Duke Massey Rating: 10
  • Barttorvik Prediction: 69-58 Duke
    • Massey Prediction: 70-61 Duke

Coaches

  • Nicki Collen (Baylor): 127-44 record; 5 NCAA Tournaments, Sweet 16
  • Kara Lawson (Duke): 122-49 record; 4 NCAA Tournaments, Elite 8, Sweet 16

Projected Lineups

Baylor Starters

  • Guard Jana Van Gytenbeek (5’7, 6Sr.): 7.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 37% FG, 36% 3-PT, 74% FT, 32 MPG
  • Guard Taliah Scott (5’9, RSo.): 19.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 38% FG, 33% 3-PT, 89% FT, 32 MPG
  • Forward Bella Fontleroy (6’0, Sr.): 9.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 34% FG, 26% 3-PT, 81% FT, 26 MPG
  • Forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (6’1, Sr.): 10.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 53% FG, 30% 3-PT, 61% FT, 29 MPG
  • Forward Kiersten Johnson (6’4, Sr.): 4.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.6 APG, 1.8 BPG, 48% FG, 41% 3-PT, 64% FT, 19 MPG

Baylor Bench

  • Guard Yuting Deng (6’2, So.): 6.8 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 0.9 APG, 43% FG, 37% 3-PT, 74% FT, 17 MPG
  • Forward Kyla Abraham (6’3, RJr.): 4.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.4 APG, 1.5 BPG, 58% FG, 50% FT, 16 MPG
  • Forward Kayla Nelms (6’1, So.): 4.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 56% FG, 27% 3-PT, 72% FT, 9 MPG
  • Guard Ella Brow (5’8, RJr.): 0.5 PPG, 0.4 RPG, 0.9 APG, 40% FG, 25% 3-PT, 50% FT, 6 MPG

Projected Lineups

Duke Starters

  • Guard Taina Mair (5’9, Sr.): 11.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.4 SPG, 41% FG, 35% 3-PT, 88% FT, 34 MPG
  • Guard Ashlon Jackson (6’0, Sr.): 11.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 35% FG, 32% 3-PT, 83% FT, 34 MPG
  • Guard Riley Nelson (6’2, RSo.): 9.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 40% FG, 35% 3-PT, 75% FT, 29 MPG
  • Forward Delaney Thomas (6’3, Jr.): 10.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.8 SPG, 61% FG, 73% FT, 27 MPG
  • Forward Toby Fournier (6’2, So.): 17.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.2 APG, 2.3 BPG, 54% FG, 33% 3-PT, 56% FT, 29 MPG

Duke Bench

  • Forward Jordan Wood (6’4, Jr.): 5.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.3 BPG, 38% FG, 40% 3-PT, 75% FT, 19 MPG
  • Center Arianna Roberson (6’4, RFr.): 8.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 1.1 BPG, 42% FG, 33% 3-PT, 61% FT, 18 MPG
  • Guard Anna Wikstrom (5’11, FR.): 1.4 PPG, 0.6 RPG, 0.5 APG, 43% FG, 27% 3-PT, 40% FT, 10 MPG
127 Comments
Discussion from...

Game Thread: No. 6 Seed Baylor WBB Looks to Upset No. 3 Seed Duke in Round of 32

23,746 Views | 127 Replies | Last: 4 mo ago by bawitdaball
IowaBear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
This is/was supposed to be a culmination season. Roster is entirely made up of Collens recruits. The roster is also heavy upperclassmen. This is by in large a failure if a season
True Grit
How long do you want to ignore this user?
There will be celebrations that we finished in the final 32. The Nebraska win was our game of the year. If you think it can't get any worse... just wait until next year. How many more Texas and Big 12 programs will pass us up?
gbfell
How long do you want to ignore this user?
29% from the field. 0-14 from deep. 23 turnovers to 5 assists. In no universe is this acceptable.
74Bear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
True Grit said:

There will be celebrations that we finished in the final 32. The Nebraska win was our game of the year. If you think it can't get any worse... just wait until next year. How many more Texas and Big 12 programs will pass us up?

If she had a clue, she would use her salary for nil.
Adriacus Peratuun
How long do you want to ignore this user?
gbfell said:

29% from the field. 0-14 from deep. 23 turnovers to 5 assists. In no universe is this acceptable.

In UT or TCU universe it is not only acceptable to me but also to be encouraged.

LTBear19
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Guess CNC didn't think to call a timeout or have a player commit a foul so that the seniors could at least get one final curtain call.
Quinimmo
How long do you want to ignore this user?
She needs to get back to the office and cash her paycheck.
Brusinbear2001
How long do you want to ignore this user?
honestly who would you guys prefer as the coach? When we have interviews any coach you think we should have will laugh at the amount of NIL we give to our program. So not sure who the savior is y'all have in mind.
LTBear19
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Brusinbear2001 said:

honestly who would you guys prefer as the coach? When we have interviews any coach you think we should have will laugh at the amount of NIL we give to our program. So not sure who the savior is y'all have in mind.


After what we've witnessed these last 2 seasons, you could probably do better with some of the folks posting here on Sicem365.

And I'm not even kidding.

At this point, you could probably let AP coach the team and get better results.
True Grit
How long do you want to ignore this user?
CNC isn't going anywhere. The payout is too big. We just need to be prepared to see the program drop even further into total suckage. I will never understand why she was extended through 2030.
BUFan10
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I agree with that assessment..
ImABearToo
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Our boy Mack again. Hand out extensions like candy.
“Life is short, eat desert first!”
74Bear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Brusinbear2001 said:

honestly who would you guys prefer as the coach? When we have interviews any coach you think we should have will laugh at the amount of NIL we give to our program. So not sure who the savior is y'all have in mind.

Wouldn't take a lot to beat this mess.
BU82EX
How long do you want to ignore this user?
The way her teams play is on par with middle school B team. Terrible turnovers, no basketball IQ, poor fundamentals, leaving your feet on defense, poor shooting. Name one thing we do well?

After 4/5 years can anyone tell me what a CNC team's identity is?
Brusinbear2001
How long do you want to ignore this user?
So does that mean we all just stop watching and supporting because i'm so sure recruits in the portal which we will HAVE to rely on will love to see the message board. And feel all the love from the fans. Yes we can be upset but we simply need more NIL given to Wbb. We have worked with NONE compared to the teams we have lost to in the tournament the past 4 years.

We had no options will ball handling, love Jana and her spirit but she is a not a starter that hurt us a lot this season because we could not get into any action. Taliah is a SG and we put the pressure to carry our team and get us into actions. We made it extremely easy for teams to make her a none factor.

We have to have a better Center to take pressure off of our guard play. We saw how that helped our players last season with Netty.

We will have a lot of holes to fill in the off season, our staff will have to get out and work to get players that can do the things we need. I feel we had the roster of a 7-9 seed but won more games than we deserved.
Kkybear09
How long do you want to ignore this user?
We are not going to fire a coach who won 25 games nor should we. That said, a wish list:

1) Changes in strength and conditioning. We are not physical enough compared to the top of the sport.

2) A taller athletic guard who can drive.

3) A 5 who can post up.

I think Ella is probably capable of running point next year, so I don't think we need to chase top dollar on that position in the portal, I'd rather look for a younger backup at that spot to develop.

Scott, Deng, and Johnson all can grow. Scott is capable of an All American type season if we have a great post and some extra help on the wing. Nelms is capable of being in the rotation and if she can continue to develop in the high post.

Disappointing end to the season. The defensive scheme largely worked this year, but not enough offense when teams keyed in on Scott.

See yall next fall.
canoso
How long do you want to ignore this user?
BU82EX said:

The way her teams play is on par with middle school B team. Terrible turnovers, no basketball IQ, poor fundamentals, leaving your feet on defense, poor shooting. Name one thing we do well?

After 4/5 years can anyone tell me what a CNC team's identity is?

Whatever it is, it's identical to what a CDA team's ID is. And to a growing extent, what a CSD team's ID is.
Brusinbear2001
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Johnson most likely will just have to redshirt next season due to the ACL. We need some play making guards BIG TIME. We need some players to play that 3 and 4 spot for us and a starting center.
BaylorBears_254
How long do you want to ignore this user?
As i state ALL the time. She needs to recruit better. I dont know if she's allergic to recruiting the 5 position but boy does it always seem like it .

People keep saying we don't need a legit post player at the 5 spot…YES we do lol. Unless you have consistent guards/wings that can score at will, you need a post to bang down low that causes double teams and take pressure of the ball handlers up top. The WBB game has not changed in many YEARS, idk what made NC think she was going to implement a style of play that would break the league lol.

Bear3
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I would also like to know who people think we can get in with same NIL and have a team that will substantially better.
bawitdaball
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Kkybear09 said:

We are not going to fire a coach who won 25 games nor should we. That said, a wish list:

1) Changes in strength and conditioning. We are not physical enough compared to the top of the sport.

2) A taller athletic guard who can drive.

3) A 5 who can post up.

I think Ella is probably capable of running point next year, so I don't think we need to chase top dollar on that position in the portal, I'd rather look for a younger backup at that spot to develop.

Scott, Deng, and Johnson all can grow. Scott is capable of an All American type season if we have a great post and some extra help on the wing. Nelms is capable of being in the rotation and if she can continue to develop in the high post.

Disappointing end to the season. The defensive scheme largely worked this year, but not enough offense when teams keyed in on Scott.

See yall next fall.


What have you seen from Ella that shows her as a primary point guard for a Top 15 program? Is there actual footage you can share? I simply don't see it without huge advancement - which would be a unique situation given CNC's prior development at the position.
Bear3
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I am not familiar with Vandy but TCU has made a financial commitment to WBB. Sources say Olivia Miles earns over $1 Mil in NIL. Dallas Executives have launched initiatives such as the Boulevard collection to help generate NIL for SMU. It seems that SMU and TCU have really focused on improving NIL
Kkybear09
How long do you want to ignore this user?
It's a limited sample size, but if you expand her stats per 40 minutes her assist to turnover ratio is better than JVG's was this year and she'd be at a little over 6 assists and 2 steals per 40 minutes. Those would be solid numbers for a Power conference point guard. I can't find reliable +/- data but there's a reason she's been getting minutes here at the end of the season, which was true even before the Johnson injury.


She also seems to understand what Collen is asking for on both sides of the ball, and when she's been on court late this year she's played with good energy.

An offseason of practice at the one and I think she'd be serviceable. Not all American, but we don't need her to be.
Adriacus Peratuun
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Kkybear09 said:

It's a limited sample size, but if you expand her stats per 40 minutes her assist to turnover ratio is better than JVG's was this year and she'd be at a little over 6 assists and 2 steals per 40 minutes. Those would be solid numbers for a Power conference point guard. I can't find reliable +/- data but there's a reason she's been getting minutes here at the end of the season, which was true even before the Johnson injury.


She also seems to understand what Collen is asking for on both sides of the ball, and when she's been on court late this year she's played with good energy.

An offseason of practice at the one and I think she'd be serviceable. Not all American, but we don't need her to be.

We have no player on the roster that has starting PG (on Top Ten caliber team) athleticism.
Especially with CNC steadfastly refusing to move beyond ball-screen dominant offense.
To be a NCAAT second weekend team (much less a 3rd weekend team) we must have a superior athlete and not merely someone serviceable.
Another weird item regarding the player in question…….name the last Aussie player that you recall being such a poor jump shooter. Players emerging from Oz that can't shoot are a HUGE red flag.
allybear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
For next year, We have 6'5" Lorena Awou from NC State who enrolled at BU in January and will have three years of eligibility. She redshirted this season. She should pair nicely with Kayla and Kyla.
allybear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
We have 6'5" Lorena Awou for next year. NC State transfer who redshirted this year. Three years remaining
canoso
How long do you want to ignore this user?
allybear said:

We have 6'5" Lorena Awou for next year. NC State transfer who redshirted this year. Three years remaining

Will her three-year trendline be up, level, or down?
True Grit
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Do you think these recruits you mention don't have access or the ability to review/see our play against Duke, Colorado, TCU (2x), Tech, and West Virginia just from the last few weeks? How about that awesome Texas game? Today's game was embarrassing. CNC is not it.
BUatbirth
How long do you want to ignore this user?
On the bright side…? Based on performance down the stretch…does Scott cost less to keep?
Brusinbear2001
How long do you want to ignore this user?
and who would you like to replace her?
bawitdaball
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Bear3 said:

I am not familiar with Vandy but TCU has made a financial commitment to WBB. Sources say Olivia Miles earns over $1 Mil in NIL. Dallas Executives have launched initiatives such as the Boulevard collection to help generate NIL for SMU. It seems that SMU and TCU have really focused on improving NIL


Every university in the country has done this. The NIL excuse has run its course. If Baylor is opting to not play the game, they wil be left in the dust. Miles didn't get $1 million. The sport doesn't warrant that and TCU doesn't have the returns to make that make sense. Baylor acts like it doesn't have deep pockets. As if none of their donors possess the ability to help the program out. It's hard to get behind a program that is failing. Especially one that isn't engaging with the community. I'm tired of hearing the NIL crap and how everyone else is just paying more. Figure it out. Learn how to build and develop. NIL is not the reason this program has fallen off a cliff. The person at the head of the bench bears that responsibility. We don't need a championship to be elite. Or fun to watch. But she has the resources to be competitive. She just isn't using them properly or doesn't have the skill set needed to win. Or both.
bawitdaball
How long do you want to ignore this user?
BUatbirth said:

On the bright side…? Based on performance down the stretch…does Scott cost less to keep?


She's exhausted from carrying the team for most of the year. She needs support around her. She deserves a program that will utilize her skills. Not one that will throw her the ball and require her to create her own shots every possession.
canoso
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Brusinbear2001 said:

and who would you like to replace her?

Somebody who teaches basic basketball and disciplines incorrigible players. There are a good number of coaches like that out there. By the way, your question never gets any less irrelevant or less tired.
BUatbirth
How long do you want to ignore this user?
canoso said:

Brusinbear2001 said:

and who would you like to replace her?

Somebody who teaches basic basketball and disciplines incorregible players. There are a good number of those out there. By the way, that question never gets any less irrelevant.

I'll play along…hypothetical, since CNC isn't going anywhere. Mark Cambell turned around Sacramento St…assistant at Oregon/Oregon State. Mark Kellogg…West Texas A&M, Ft Lewis College. I considered Molly Miller had earned her shot. Point is…people know who these coaches are, their reputations. It takes a AD who isn't lazy to do the work and find them.
Danielsjackson114
How long do you want to ignore this user?
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.