Gameday Thread: No. 5 Baylor vs No. 1 USC - Sweet Sixteen

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Baylor women’s basketball team continues its run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament on Saturday when it faces USC at the Moda Center. 

The Sweet 16 matchup between the Bears (26-7) and the Trojans (28-5) is set for 4:30 p.m. CT and airs nationally on ESPN with Beth Mowins and Debbie Antonelli on the call. 

A live radio broadcast will be available on ESPN Central Texas (1660 AM/92.3 FM) and live in-game updates will be provided via Twitter and live stats. 

STARTING FIVE

Baylor is playing in its 20th-straight NCAA Tournament in 2024. The Bears hold the fourth-longest active streak in the country in consecutive appearances behind Tennessee (42), Stanford (36) and UConn (35).

The Bears are making their first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2021 and first under the direction of head coach Nicki Collen.

Baylor is 57-18 all-time in the NCAA Tournament with three national championships, four Final Four appearances, 10 trips to the Elite Eight and 16 Sweet 16 appearances. BU’s 16 Sweet 16 appearances are the third-most in the last two decades behind only UConn and Stanford.

The Bears rank ninth nationally in three-point percentage defense, holding their opponents to 26.2% from behind the arc this season. Baylor has held its opponent to below 20% shooting from 3-point range in five of the last eight games.

Baylor is an impressive 21-1 this season when outrebounding its opponents. The Bears have recorded 50-plus rebounds in six contests this season, eclipsing 60 boards in wins over McNeese (68) and Delaware State (64).

QUEENS OF THE CASSELL

No. 5-seeded Baylor outlasted the No. 4 seed Virginia Tech Hokies, 75-72, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

The win by the Bears snapped a 26-game home winning streak for the Hokies, which was a program record. Virginia Tech dropped to 32-2 at Cassell Coliseum in the last two seasons.

Jada Walker paced the Baylor offense with a career-high 28 points, going a team-leading 9-for-10 from the charity stripe. She notched 26 of her 28 points in the second half, including 14 in the fourth quarter. Additionally, she went without a turnover and dished out three assists in the outing.

Team captains Sarah Andrews (16) and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (10) joined Walker in double figures while Bella Fontleroy led the Bears on the boards for the second-straight game, grabbing nine.

FIGHTING IN THE FIRST ROUND

Baylor earned the 80-63 victory over Vanderbilt in its opening-round game on March 22.

The game marked the 100th career game for head coach Nicki Collen. She holds a 74-27 record at the helm of the Bears.

The Bears have won their opening-round game 21 times in 22 showings in the Big Dance.

Bella Fontleroy turned in her third double-double of the year, and sixth of her career, with a 19-point, 11-rebound performance to lead the Bears in both categories.

Baylor’s 80 points marked the 11th time this year that the Bears have put up at least 80 and first time since scoring 83 at Houston on Feb. 4.