Gameday Thread: Baylor Prepares For Friday Face-off against Houston

WACO, Texas – Baylor (15-3, 5-1) will look to continue its winning ways with a matchup against the Houston Cougars (5-12, 1-5) on Friday, Jan. 17. Tipoff at Foster Pavilion is slated for 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.

• Massey Prediction: Baylor 78, Houston 52
• Baylor Massey Rating: No. 15
• Houston Massey Rating: No. 149

Coaches

Baylor (Nicki Collen): 85-31 Record; 3 NCAA Tournaments; Sweet 16

Houston (Ronald Hughey): 140-182 Record

Baylor Starters

• Guard Jada Walker (5’7, Sr.): 12.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 5.9 APG, 46% FG, 44% 3-PT, 76% FT
• Guard Sarah Andrews (5’6, 5Sr.): 11.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 5.3 APG, 37% FG, 36% 3-PT, 59% FT
• Forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (6’1, Jr.): 14.4 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 53% FG, 73% FT
• Forward Bella Fontleroy (6’0, Jr.): 9.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 36% FG, 29% 3-PT, 59% FT
• Center Aaronette Vonleh (6’3, Sr.): 14 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 61% FG, 59% FT

Baylor Bench

• Guard Yaya Felder (5’8, Sr.): 11.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 50% FG, 41% 3-PT, 75% FT
• Guard Aliyah Matharu (5’7, Sr.): 4.2 PPG, 2 RPG, 40% FG, 40% 3-PT, 50% FT
• Forward Kyla Abraham (6’3, Jr.): 2.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 47% FG, 40% FT
• *Forward Madison Bartley (6’3, 5Sr.): 2.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 52% FG, 77% FT

*questionable with injury*

Houston Starters

• Guard Kierra Merchant (5’7, So.): 9.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 42% FG, 40% 3-PT, 67% FT
• Guard Laila Blair (5’8, Sr.): 12.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, 35% FG, 34% 3-PT, 83% FT
• Guard Gigi Cooke (5’8, So.): 11.9 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.7 APG, 35% FG, 26% 3-PT, 69% FT
• Guard Leilani Augmon (5’11, Sr.): 5.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 37% FG, 62% FT
• Forward Peyton McFarland (6’4, Sr.): 6.8 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 53% FG, 80% FT

Houston Bench

• Guard Ashley Chevalier (5’7, Sr.): 3.5 PPG, 2.6 APG, 31% FG, 31% 3-PT, 65% FT
• Guard Eylia Love (6’1, Sr.): 11 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 32% FG, 73% FT

Houston Notable Opponents

• No. 12 Kansas State (74-55 Loss)
• Arizona State (69-60 Loss)
• No. 22 Utah (69-42 Loss)
• No. 24 Oklahoma State (79-76 Win)

Top Quotes

Head coach Nicki Collen on playing Houston after the Cougars upset No. 24 Oklahoma State on Tuesday night:

• “Here’s what I like: we lose a tie-breaker with Oklahoma State, so if they want to take some losses, that’s fine by me. But I also think it’s a dogfight night in and night out in this league. Do I like that Houston’s coming in here with a little swagger? No, but [Ronald] Hughey’s a great coach. He’s always going to have them ready. It’s always going to be a battle of Texas teams. One way or the other, I think the advantage to it is your team’s like, ‘Oh, wow. They beat Oklahoma State. Oklahoma State smacked us. We better be ready to go.’ Whatever it takes when it comes to motivation, that’ll catch their attention more than anything I can say. They have four guards who can make shots. There are certain things about them that are going to bother us, but beating Oklahoma State will speak to [the team] because I think after what they did to us, we have a lot of respect for Oklahoma State.”