Gameday Thread: Baylor Continues Home Stand against Texas Southern

WACO, Texas – Baylor (7-2) will continue its five-game home stand against Texas Southern (1-4) on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Tipoff at Foster Pavilion is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT, and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.

Massey Prediction: Baylor 94, Texas Southern 41

Coaches

Baylor (Nicki Collen): 78-30 Record; 3 NCAA Tournaments; Sweet 16

Texas Southern (Vernette Skeete): 10-53 Record

Baylor Starters

• Guard Jada Walker (5’7, Sr.): 12.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.9 APG, 46% FG, 38% 3-PT, 73% FT
• Guard Sarah Andrews (5’6, 5Sr.): 9.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 5.1 APG, 33% FG, 30% 3-PT, 64% FT
• Forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (6’1, Jr.): 15.2 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 51% FG, 29% 3-PT, 77% FT
• Forward Bella Fontleroy (6’0, Jr.): 9.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 39% FG, 32% 3-PT, 44% FT
• Center Aaronette Vonleh (6’3, Sr.): 14.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 65% FG, 54% FT

Baylor Bench

• Guard Yaya Felder (5’8, Sr.): 11.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 56% FG, 47% 3-PT, 70% FT
• Forward Kyla Abraham (6’3, Jr.): 3.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 48% FG, 50% FT
• Guard Waiata Jennings (5’9, Jr.): 2.3 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 47% FG, 39% 3-PT
• Forward Kayla Nelms (6’1, Fr.): 2.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 47% FG
• Forward Madison Bartley (6’3, 5Sr.): 2.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 50% FG, 72% FT

Top Quotes

Head coach Nicki Collen on facing Texas Southern:

• “I want to see us play well and, quite frankly, do what we do well. … They are going to challenge us on the defensive end; they get you hung up on some screens. It’ll be a chance for us to really work on getting through screens and communicating.”

Head coach Nicki Collen on the play of guard Yaya Felder (Sr.):

• “I like the way Yaya [Felder] is playing off the bench. When we can keep her 20-25 minutes, that’s the sweet spot for her to stay rested enough that she’s uber-productive when she plays.”

Head coach Nicki Collen on finishing the non-conference schedule:

• “I want to see us execute our stuff better. We’ve done a better job of understanding the pieces and who we are, but as the opponents continue to get better, we have to do what we do better. We have to shore up our defensive transition and things that have hurt on the defensive end. … Offensively, it’s taking care of the basketball. Nothing drives me more crazy, and we still turn it over too much.”

Head coach Nicki Collen on not being ranked:

• “I would rather face the adversity earlier in the season and say, ‘We’re not as good as we think we are and that we have to keep working.’ We’re going to have each of these tests ahead of us, and we have to pass them. We have plenty of games on our schedule that can prove we belong in the top 25, top 15 and top 10. I think we have the potential to be a top-10 team. Do I think we’ve played like a top-10 team in the first eight games? No, but I think that’s what we have to prove.”

Forward Bella Fontleroy (Jr.) on not being ranked:

• “We just have to continue doing things the right way. I think the past two wins at home, since the trips to The Bahamas and then our first loss at Oregon, we have started to do things the right way again. I don’t think there was ever a time that we didn’t do things the right way, but I don’t think we did them the right way collectively. There are moments when Coach Tony [Greene] in film would pause, and he’d be like, ‘I understand what you guys are doing, and you’re working really hard, but you’re not working smart or together.’ We have to have all of those things together so we can do it the right way. ”