Fontleroy Scores 21 as Bears Dominate Buffs in Boulder, 84-62

BOULDER, Colo. – No. 19 Baylor women’s basketball (23-5, 13-2) extended its winning streak to seven games with a dominating 84-62 road victory over the Colorado Buffaloes (17-9, 8-7) on Wednesday night at CU Events Center.

Forward Bella Fontleroy (Jr.) led the Bears with a team-high 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc while adding six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block to her stat sheet. Guard Jada Walker (Sr.) scored 17 points and dished out six assists.

Baylor shot 42% (27-of-65) from the floor, 45% (14-of-31) from deep and forced 20 Colorado turnovers. The Buffaloes shot slightly better from the floor at 44% (23-of-52) but made 11 fewer 3-point field goals and shot 21% (3-of-14) from deep.

Colorado entered the contest 13-1 at home on the season but was missing four key players on Wednesday evening —- guard Frida Formann (Sr.), forward Lior Garzon (Sr.), guard Kindyll Wetta (Sr.) and guard Sara-Rose Smith (Sr.) —- who combine to average over 33 points per game.

Meanwhile, Baylor was missing its star forward and the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (Jr.), who appeared to injure her ankle toward the end of Saturday’s win over Texas Tech, 66-60.

After scoring the Bears’ first five points, Walker exited the contest with an apparent ankle injury of her own but re-entered the game with a few minutes remaining in the first quarter and immediately made an impact with a successful half-court heave to close the period.

Baylor’s offensive explosiveness continued into the second quarter, with the Bears out-scoring the short-handed Buffaloes 25-to-10. Center Aaronette Vonleh (Sr.) added five points in the period and helped guide Baylor to a 47-24 lead going into halftime.

Against her former school, Vonleh scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and hauled in eight rebounds in just 17 minutes of action.

Baylor continued its offensive onslaught in the third quarter and shot 6-of-9 from beyond the arc in the period, with Fontleroy going 3-for-3 from 3-point range by herself. In two games this season without Littlepage-Buggs, Fontleroy has stepped up in her absence, averaging 25 points and 4.5 rebounds across those two contests. 

Guard Sarah Andrews (Sr.) contributed 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting and handed out five assists; she led the team with a plus-minus of +36.

Colorado out-scored the Bears in the fourth quarter, 24-to-8.

No. 19 Baylor (23-5, 13-2) remains tied atop the Big 12 and will return home for a big matchup against Iowa State (19-9, 10-5). Tipoff from Foster Pavilion is slated for 1:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 22, and will be televised on FOX.