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Baylor Women's Basketball

The 1-3-1: Baylor (13-5, 4-2) vs No. 25 Texas (13-6, 4-2)

January 21, 2023
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After getting back in the win column in deciding fashion on Wednesday night, Baylor (13-5, 4-2) will look to knock off No. 25 Texas (13-6, 4-2) at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday in the Ferrell Center. In an attempt to spread the word to “Fill the Ferrell”, Jaden Owens and Caitlin Bickle took to campus to spread the word.

“Jaden and I had an opportunity to go around campus and promote a previous game with a dunk contest, so this time we went around playing pig — or in this case bear — with some students which was really fun,” said Bickle. “It’s really important for our fellow students to come out and show support. The men obviously get a strong showing from the student section, and we’re looking for that same energy on Sunday.”

Head coach Nicki Collen also expressed the importance of having the fans show up in full force to help create the type of home-court advantage that she and the team have faced on the road this season.

“I just hope they come to the game. You know, I think it's great to say you want to beat Texas and this game is a big deal, but if you really want us to beat them, then we need you in the building cheering us on,” said Collen. “I think you're talking about two really good basketball teams and the edge could go to the team with home-court advantage.”

“We need that and we're seeing across the board Michigan's had back-to-back games where they've had 10,000 people in the building, you're seeing these huge crowds in women's basketball and we need to continue to grow ours.”

Fans in attendance can also stop by the marketing tables on the concourse to get an exclusive “Greater Than” T-shirt while supplies last.

So as you get set to show up and show out, here is the 1-3-1 on the Bears vs Horns.


One Player:

Sophomore sensation Rori Harmon has been the catalyst for Texas’ success this season. The Houston native missed the first five games of the season with an injury, but since her return, the Horns are 11-3. 

Harmon secured her spot in the record books earlier this season against TCU, as she became just the fourth player in Texas history to record a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. During Big 12 play this season, Harmon is averaging 11.5 points, 9.2 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals.


Three Nuggets:

●      Last season, the Bears topped Texas twice in three days during the month of February, before the Longhorns responded with a 67-58 victory in the Big 12 Championship game in Kansas City.

●      Texas holds the 59-48 advantage in the all-time series with Baylor, as the teams are knotted at 24 wins apiece in Waco

●      The Longhorns are forcing 22.0 turnovers per game. In the last nine games, they hold a 224-81 advantage over opponents in points off turnovers.


One Concern:

While it’s been nice to see Aijah Blackwell back on the court in a limited capacity during the past two games, Baylor has still yet to play a game this season with everyone available. Texas is very talented and if they force the Bears into relying on their bench, then things could be very difficult.

Baylor has found itself in difficult situations when forced into foul trouble, which is something that the Longhorns are fully aware of. As for Blackwell getting more minutes on the court, it’s a day-by-day situation that the team will have to navigate.

“There are no specific expectations or timetable when it comes to Aijah, which is the biggest challenge,” said Collen. “I think she has grace with herself. This idea that I've never been injured before. I've never come back from an injury before and I can't get overly frustrated with myself, and I am just trying to guard her against this idea that there will come a point in time when she is tired of not being herself.”

“I think the more repetitions she gets the more she's going to get better. But then you know we're trying to protect long term and, and so it's just a tough situation,” continued Collen, “I just want her to keep kind of giving herself that grace that she's gonna bring something to us. She is gonna bring something, but I don't know what it's gonna look like from game to game.”


Watch/Listen

The contest between the Bears and Horns can be seen nationally on ESPN2, while the live radio broadcast is also available for fans on the Varsity Network App. Live in-game updates will also be provided via Twitter or live stats.

 

 

Discussion from...

The 1-3-1: Baylor (13-5, 4-2) vs No. 25 Texas (13-6, 4-2)

11,316 Views | 88 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by Olympia3
Baylorkid
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RSBear said:

Font Leroy and Little page Bugs need to be on the food together in my opinion.

I say get rid of asberry in the starting lineup and have Fontleroy in
BaylorTaxman
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Malbec said:

Does anybody here actually know HCNC's coaching record and history? It doesn't seem so the way so many incorrect references are made to it.


Baylor is her first head coching job at the collegiate level. She was head coach for the Atlanta Dream from 2018 to 2020. She was assistant at Colorado State, Ball State, Louisville, Arkansas, Florida Gulf Coast and the Connecticut Sun (WNBA). She was 38 - 52 for rhe Dream, although they advanced to the WNBA semifinals (via a bye) one season with her.
BUgolfbear
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Awesome! But this is very, very (very) nice and my daughter tells me her hair and makeup is perfect for every game
Malbec
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BaylorTaxman said:

Malbec said:

Does anybody here actually know HCNC's coaching record and history? It doesn't seem so the way so many incorrect references are made to it.


Baylor is her first head coching job at the collegiate level. She was head coach for the Atlanta Dream from 2018 to 2020. She was assistant at Colorado State, Ball State, Louisville, Arkansas, Florida Gulf Coast and the Connecticut Sun (WNBA). She was 38 - 52 for rhe Dream, although tkey made WNBA finals one season with her.
Even this is wrong. The Dream qualified for the playoffs with a BYE to the semi-finals as the 2-seed and then lost the series to the 3-seed Mystics. She never won a playoff series in the WNBA. She was never on the staff of any college team that ever made it past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. She may become a truly outstanding college basketball coach one day, but at this point, her hire was based on potential and other factors.
BaylorTaxman
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Thanks for pointing that out….I have now corrected.
BU82EX
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I said this on another post, but I think it is a noteworthy point about this team and maybe CNC's strategy, but we only made ELEVEN 2-pt baskets against Texas. Think about that....11! If you are going to have an NBA system whereby you live and die by the 3pt shot, then you darn well better have some girls who can shoot it very well. We don't have anyone reliable in that area and as a result our offense is an unmitigated disaster, especially when you throw in the fact we don't have a true point guard or a true post player.
lookin4awin
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I agree with your comments, and if I may add a couple of comments to yours.

We have a real problem that affects both offense and defense--which is that in addition to no true post player, our present guards and forwards (other than Bickle) are really small in height and in body. We have Owens at 5-8, Asberry at 5-5, Andrews at 5-6, and Van G. at 5-7. And, they are all very small in body size.

Compare that with the size and strength of some of our most recent guards and forwards to include N. Smith, Didi Richards, D. Carrington and T. Cooper and Jordan Lewis- who were all very strong on the boards. Moon could jump out of the gym, and even Trinity Oliver was somewhat of a big body. And, all of these teams also had a dominant center.

We just are a very small team.

So, unless we are playing a really weak opponent, or a good one in an off night, we are going to have to just scorch the three point shots to even stay in the game and Bickle as our best inside player has to stay out of any foul trouble.

Where before, we knew we could always lose in the tourney to some of the other equally great teams, I honestly don't see how we compete on a top tier level being as small as we are. How can we realistically expect to compete at an Elite 8 or Even a Sweet 16 level, considering our size?

This is not meant to be criticism of our players or even staff. And, I realize Blackwell and Dre were supposed to pick up the slack in our strength and muscle department. But we just aren't a physically strong team and you can't teach size.
Bear3
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I agree with your comments on our size. It is going to be difficult to go very far with our current size. Unfortunately Kendra is out. She did provide good minutes in some of our games and was good size around the basket.

Nicki seems to be trying to recruit more size. All of our freshmen are over 6 feet and we have 6-7 post coming next fall. I think the only short player Nicki brought in this year was Jana. Hopefully size issue will improve next year and beyond. Dre will also be playing and that will be big help.

That being said, short guards can be great players but we just need more size to help them under basket.
Eball
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Malbec said:

BaylorTaxman said:

Malbec said:

Does anybody here actually know HCNC's coaching record and history? It doesn't seem so the way so many incorrect references are made to it.


Baylor is her first head coching job at the collegiate level. She was head coach for the Atlanta Dream from 2018 to 2020. She was assistant at Colorado State, Ball State, Louisville, Arkansas, Florida Gulf Coast and the Connecticut Sun (WNBA). She was 38 - 52 for rhe Dream, although tkey made WNBA finals one season with her.
Even this is wrong. The Dream qualified for the playoffs with a BYE to the semi-finals as the 2-seed and then lost the series to the 3-seed Mystics. She never won a playoff series in the WNBA. She was never on the staff of any college team that ever made it past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. She may become a truly outstanding college basketball coach one day, but at this point, her hire was based on potential and other factors.
I appreciate you and your desire to be factual. CNC is a good person and likely a decent Head coach given time to mature. Kim walked away no doubt about that but let's face it Mack let her walk for a lot of the reasons already mentioned. Trying to fill the spot presented opportunities and challenges for Mack. CNC was a calculated gamble as all hires are in fact, but he was trying to hit a homerun when it came to potential and salary savings, He was banking on just a new way forward with all the NIL, WNBA, style of offense etc. social media...CNC checked a whole lot of boxes. To be honest maybe he still turns out to be a genius in the coming years but for right now...we just are not in a good spot and in the area of quick turnarounds the portal has just not been kind to CNC to date. The comparisons to Kim are just a problem she and Mack always new would be there. The pressure is on, and I hope we give her time to prove herself but not sure anyone giving her 5 years 3 for sure maybe 4 but next year needs to be much better. Our one recruit at 6'7" is exciting but it is only 1, we must be banking on the portal, and we better get a better return than we got this year.
BBWCBear
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Eball said:

Malbec said:

BaylorTaxman said:

Malbec said:

Does anybody here actually know HCNC's coaching record and history? It doesn't seem so the way so many incorrect references are made to it.


Baylor is her first head coching job at the collegiate level. She was head coach for the Atlanta Dream from 2018 to 2020. She was assistant at Colorado State, Ball State, Louisville, Arkansas, Florida Gulf Coast and the Connecticut Sun (WNBA). She was 38 - 52 for rhe Dream, although tkey made WNBA finals one season with her.
Even this is wrong. The Dream qualified for the playoffs with a BYE to the semi-finals as the 2-seed and then lost the series to the 3-seed Mystics. She never won a playoff series in the WNBA. She was never on the staff of any college team that ever made it past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. She may become a truly outstanding college basketball coach one day, but at this point, her hire was based on potential and other factors.
I appreciate you and your desire to be factual. CNC is a good person and likely a decent Head coach given time to mature. Kim walked away no doubt about that but let's face it Mack let her walk for a lot of the reasons already mentioned. Trying to fill the spot presented opportunities and challenges for Mack. CNC was a calculated gamble as all hires are in fact, but he was trying to hit a homerun when it came to potential and salary savings, He was banking on just a new way forward with all the NIL, WNBA, style of offense etc. social media...CNC checked a whole lot of boxes. To be honest maybe he still turns out to be a genius in the coming years but for right now...we just are not in a good spot and in the area of quick turnarounds the portal has just not been kind to CNC to date. The comparisons to Kim are just a problem she and Mack always new would be there. The pressure is on, and I hope we give her time to prove herself but not sure anyone giving her 5 years 3 for sure maybe 4 but next year needs to be much better. Our one recruit at 6'7" is exciting but it is only 1, we must be banking on the portal, and we better get a better return than we got this year.


It appears ADMR and CNC are comfortable with letting her contract play out financially. She'll be making relatively good money and ADMR is surely comfortable with things for the duration of her contract. $$$$$ and the Primary Sports are more pressing to him. As long as Women's BB makes a decent season (more wins than losses) all will be happy. We are potentially teetering on the Bowers, Hogg years. Hogg would be tolerable Bowers would put ADMR in a "working" position.
lookin4awin
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I don't have any background information to agree or disagree with your comments about the Administration's and the AD's frame of mind toward spending money to keep our top program in place. But, if what you say is true, and it may be, it is very disappointing to me.
baylorbear33
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Hogg might be tolerable to ADMR, but there's no way she would be able to retain any talent. Her coaching skills were negligible even back then, and no one, and I mean no one, would put up with her daily pettiness and antics when it is so easy to transfer these days.
BBWCBear
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baylorbear33 said:

Hogg might be tolerable to ADMR, but there's no way she would be able to retain any talent. Her coaching skills were negligible even back then, and no one, and I mean no one, would put up with her daily pettiness and antics when it is so easy to transfer these days.


McDonald AA's and 5* ladies won't darken our door.
"Baylor is a Destination Job"… will soon have cobwebs clinging.

Hogg and Bowers were simply analogous as to what to expect.
Dcheetah
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I think you are wrong but we will see.
We may have to get more NIL support too.
Olympia3
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Hard times coming.

We have 1 recruit for next year. She's 6'7. Ranked 36th

No shooters. If Sarah cones back it will be better. No other point guards. No shooters. Wow. Bella isn't a shooter. But, can grow into it.

No point outside Sarah. Serious weird roster if Sarah doesn't come back. Jana is a depth guard/wing. Nothing more.

Sad days to come for this program. If we don't get more guards coming in. Ones that can shoot.
Dr. J
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Baylorkid said:

RSBear said:

Font Leroy and Little page Bugs need to be on the food together in my opinion.

I say get rid of asberry in the starting lineup and have Fontleroy in
I would agree with this statement.

We need more size in the game. Currently very undersized in guard position and if they are not going to help rebound (That was CLEARLY evident in the Texas game where their guards crushed us on the boards for second chance ops) then we need to get someone who will help rebound.

Good news is that the B12 is the strongest conference in both MBB and WBB and this year is going to be a dogfight. I predict the conference winner will have no less then 4 losses. So long as we don't take days off (like we did in the OSU and WVU games, we have a chance.
3rdgenbear
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We definitely still have a shot at this conference title as well as a successful season, but we'll need to make some adjustments. Our offensive passing scheme has to have a priority of generating high percentage shots.
Drive, draw, and dish. Bella, LPB, Bickle and Blackburn have to be scoring on the half court within 10ft of the basket, preferably closer, much more often. The guards need to take care of the ball and knock some shots down from outside. For the most part, we are a reasonably good defensive team.

If we can refine it just a bit, I like our chances.
Olympia3
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The main issue is with next to no offense from inside the wings have to shoot at a high rate fir us to win.

With the on ball issues on defense and inside post defense issues we are a limited team. If we can shoot well every game and not turn it over so much, we will be a tourney team and will be solid. If not, we'll we see what happens.
 
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