Gameday Thread: No. 17 Baylor WBB Opens Big 12 Tournament against Iowa State

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – No. 17 Baylor women’s basketball (25-6, 15-3) will face Iowa State (22-10, 12-6) in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament. Tipoff from T-Mobile Center is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT on Friday, March 7, and will be streamed on ESPN+.

• Baylor Massey Rating: No. 13
  • Baylor NET Ranking: No. 16
• Iowa State Massey Rating: No. 29
  • Iowa State Net Ranking: No. 34

Coaches

Baylor (Nicki Collen): 99-34 Record; 3 NCAA Tournaments; Sweet 16

Iowa State (Bill Fennelly): 799-376 Record; 25 NCAA Tournaments; 6 Sweet 16s; 2 Elite Eights

Baylor Starters

• Guard Jada Walker (5’7, Sr.): 10.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 42% FG, 39% 3-PT, 75% FT
• Guard Sarah Andrews (5’6, Sr.): 10.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.9 APG, 36% FG, 37% 3-PT, 56% FT
• Guard Yaya Felder (5’8, Sr.): 10.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 44% FG, 39% 3-PT, 74% FT
• Forward Bella Fontleroy (6’0, Jr.): 9.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 39% FG, 33% 3-PT, 55% FT
• Center Aaronette Vonleh (6’3, Sr.): 13.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 59% FG, 61% FT

Baylor Bench

• Guard Aliyah Matharu (5’7, Sr.): 7.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 42% FG, 38% 3-PT, 56% FT
• Guard Waiata Jennings (5’9, Jr.): 2.1 PPG, 40% FG, 36% 3-PT, 100% FT
• Forward Kyla Abraham (6’3, Jr.): 2 PPG, 3 RPG, 46% FG, 36% FT
• Forward Kayla Nelms (6’1, Fr.): 2.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 44% FG, 21% 3-PT
• *Forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (6’1, Jr.): 14.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 54% FG, 73% FT

*doubtful with injury*

Iowa State Starters

• Guard Arianna Jackson (5’9, So.): 5.4 PPG, 3 RPG, 36% FG, 80% FT, 37% 3-PT
• Guard Kelsey Joens (5’10, So.): 5.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 44% FG, 45% 3-PT, 75% FT
• Guard Emily Ryan (5’11, Sr.): 9.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.2 APG, 45% FG, 40% 3-PT, 93% FT 
• Forward Addy Brown (6’2, So.): 14.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 5.2 APG, 49% FG, 34% 3-PT, 74% FT
• Center Audi Crooks (6’3, So.): 23 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 60% FG, 68% FT

Iowa State Bench

• Guard Sydney Harris (6’1, Jr.): 7.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 49% FG, 77% FT, 48% 3-PT
• Guard Reagan Wilson (5’8, Fr.): 2 PPG, 33% FG, 33% 3-PT, 73% FT

*Stats last updated on March 5*

Iowa State Opponents

• Texas Tech (71-58 Win)
• Utah (75-67 Loss)
• No. 20 West Virginia (82-68 Loss)
• No. 11 Kansas State (87-79 Loss)
• No. 9 TCU (82-69 Loss)
• No. 19 Baylor (67-52 Loss)
• No. 14 Kansas State (85-63 Win)

Top Quotes

Head coach Nicki Collen on potentially earning a hosting bid in the NCAA Tournament:

• “You don’t want your Senior Day memory or last game in a place that’s been so good to you to be painful. From that perspective, everyone would love to get a win in Foster to finish the year because if you get a win, that means we’re on to another Sweet 16. You can’t think too much about that. Once again, that builds pressure. We have to win one game at a time. In reality, we’re not in control. The NET is a mystery anyway, so I think it comes down to the fact that you have to continue to put Quad 1 wins on your resume, and I think that’s what the tournament does. If we make it to the championship, we’ll play three really good teams.”

Head coach Nicki Collen on being without star forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (Jr.), who is expected to miss the Big 12 Tournament but will be back for the NCAA Tournament:

• “The team has shown resilience. They have figured out how we’re going to win this game with these people. What are our advantages? … All of a sudden, we played TCU and ran into a buzzsaw. That was the first game that it was like, ‘Wow. We desperately miss Buggs.’ We missed that rim-run layup and four offensive rebounds and the way she's going to create opportunities for other people. She does those little things. That was the first game, and we always miss her because she’s that important to us, where the game itself was, and how it was played [called for Buggs].”

Guard Jada Walker (Sr.) on the team being prepared for the conference tournament:

• “We’re really ready. We have a lot to work on, but we’re really eager to win. It’s win or go home. We have a lot of seniors, and this is our last conference tournament and NCAA tournament, and we want to go out strong.”

Guard Jada Walker (Sr.) on playing Iowa State:

• “Just sticking to what worked the last time. We did a good job on Audi [Crooks], so continuing to do that and picking up on the slack on extra players who may have hit shots that we didn’t want to hit. Limiting 3-point attempts has been a main goal. Our 3-point defensive percentage has been high the past two [games], so continuing to get that going.”