Baylor Women's Basketball

Game Thread: No. 18 Baylor WBB Plays at No. 11 TCU with a Share of the Big 12 on the Line

No. 18 Baylor women's basketball (24-6, 13-4) travels north to Fort Worth to seek revenge on the No. 11 TCU Horned Frogs (26-4, 14-3) and claim a share of the Big 12 title.
February 28, 2026
8.7k Views
59 Comments
Story Poster
Photo by Jack Mackenzie - SicEm365.com

FORT WORTH, Texas – No. 18 Baylor women’s basketball (24-6, 13-4) seeks to even the score against its rival, the No. 11 TCU Horned Frogs (26-4, 14-3), with a potential Big 12 Regular Season Championship on the line. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 1, at the Schollmaier Arena. The game will be televised on ESPN.

TCU downed Baylor in Waco in mid-February on the back of its star point guard Olivia Miles’ 40-point performance. The Horned Frogs used a huge third quarter to open the game and win 83-67. Baylor looks to return the favor in Fort Worth and get back to the top of the Big 12 for the first time since 2022.


  • Baylor Barttorvik Rank: 32
    • Baylor Massey Rating: 18
  • TCU Barttorvik Rank: 14
    • TCU Massey Rating: 13
  • Barttorvik Prediction: 69-61 TCU
    • Massey Prediction: 69-63 TCU

Coaches

  • Nicki Collen (Baylor): 126-42 record; 4 NCAA Tournaments, Sweet 16
  • Mark Campbell (TCU): 120-44 record; 2 NCAA Tournaments, Elite 8

Projected Lineups

Baylor Starters

  • Guard Jana Van Gytenbeek (5’7, 6Sr.): 7.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 6.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 38% FG, 37% 3-PT, 71% FT, 32 MPG
  • Guard Taliah Scott (5’9, RSo.): 20.3 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.2 SPG, 40% FG, 36% 3-PT, 91% FT, 31 MPG
  • Forward Bella Fontleroy (6’0, Sr.): 9.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.3 BPG, 34% FG, 28% 3-PT, 85% FT, 26 MPG
  • Forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (6’1, Sr.): 10.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 54% FG, 31% 3-PT, 59% FT, 29 MPG
  • Forward Kiersten Johnson (6’4, Sr.): 5.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.6 APG, 1.8 BPG, 49% FG, 46% 3-PT, 67% FT, 19 MPG

Baylor Bench

  • Guard Marcayla Johnson (6’0, Fr.): 4.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 0.7 APG, 35% FG, 17% 3-PT, 54% FT, 18 MPG
  • Guard Yuting Deng (6’2, So.): 6.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 1.0 APG, 43% FG, 37% 3-PT, 73% FT, 17 MPG
  • Forward Kyla Abraham (6’3, RJr.): 3.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 0.4 APG, 1.6 BPG, 58% FG, 50% FT, 16 MPG
  • Forward Kayla Nelms (6’1, So.): 4.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 0.4 APG, 58% FG, 31% 3-PT, 81% FT, 9 MPG

Projected Lineups

TCU Starters

  • Guard Olivia Miles (5’10, Sr.): 20.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.9 SPG, 49% FG, 35% 3-PT, 85% FT, 35 MPG
  • Guard Donovyn Hunter (6’0, Jr.): 11.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 48% FG, 36% 3-PT, 75% FT, 33 MPG
  • Guard Taylor Bigby (6’1, Gr.): 7.0 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.1 APG, 42% FG, 37% 3-PT, 69% FT, 24 MPG
  • Forward Marta Suarez (6’3, Gr.): 17.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 48% FG, 37% 3-PT, 88% FT, 30 MPG
  • Center Clara Silva (6’7, So.): 9.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.7 BPG, 58% FG, 53% FT, 24 MPG

TCU Bench

  • Forward Clara Bielefeld (6’4, Fr.): 2.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 46% FG, 23% 3-PT, 64% FT, 14 MPG
  • Center Kennedy Basham (6’7, Sr.): 3.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 0.4 APG, 1.7 BPG, 54% FG, 60% FT, 12 MPG
  • Guard Veronica Sheffey (5’9, Sr.): 4.1 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 0.5 APG, 48% FG, 38% 3-PT, 84% FT, 11 MPG
59 Comments
Discussion from...

Game Thread: No. 18 Baylor WBB Plays at No. 11 TCU with a Share of the Big 12 on the Line

5,130 Views | 59 Replies | Last: 3 days ago by Johnny Bear
IowaBear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Coaching matters. tCU has a good coach. Baylor has an OK coach
Wbbfan29
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Facts !!
74Bear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
IowaBear said:

Coaching matters. tCU has a good coach. Baylor has an OK coach

I don't disagree but what I was told Miles and Suarez collected over $1,250,000.00 between them. If totally true then that means a lot in recruiting. TCU bought last year's championship and it looks like they have bought this years.
IowaBear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I'm sorry I'm just not going to to blame NIL. Miles and squarez are really good. But so is Scott. TCU hasn't been THAT much more talented than Bu the last 2 years to the point where the games really aren't competitive. Collen just isn't that good of a coach. And I'm a supporter of hers. But I'm going to just call spade a spade here. She doesn't win games against teams as good or better than her squad. She beats up on the teams she should. That's about it
True Grit
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I really thought we'd come to play today. Just another disappointing loss even with the championship on the line.
Delmar 2.0
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Van Lith & Prince, followed by Miles & Suarez. Tcu is definitely getting more bang for their buck than BU is. Having elite players running around on the court with bags full of money sure makes the coach look good. The huge leap Tcu has taken in WBB just happened to be right when schools were allowed to pay players. Undeniable.
IowaBear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
It's also undeniable that Mark Campbell is a significantly better coach that Collen
Delmar 2.0
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Not really. He's just benefitting big time from being able to buy the best players.

Tcu Big 12 record before Campbell: 70-128 (.353) illegal to buy players

Tcu Big 12 record with Campbell: 37-17 (.685) legal to buy players
IowaBear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Keep coping Delmar… it's your best attribute. By the way Suarez never averaged more than 13 a game in her career until she arrived at TCu. He makes players better. Sign of a really good coach.
LTBear19
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Out of curiosity - Did anyone on this board think it would be a good idea to NOT play Nelms or Deng for a SINGLE MINUTE in the most important game of the year?

Just a theory - But having other outside scoring threats might have loosened up TCU's defense a bit, and helped Scott get in a rhythm a lot sooner (in a game where she started like 1-15).
Delmar 2.0
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Undeniable. You're blind if you can't see it.
IowaBear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Clearly what you can't or fail to see is just how important coaching really is. Your excuse for every L is " that team has more NIL money" it's a beta mentality
True Grit
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Come on... the only top team in the Big 12 we beat was OSU. We couldn't win against, TCU, WV, or TT. 0-5! We are what we are... in 3rd place and fortunate we aren't lower in the standings.
Johnny Bear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Delmar 2.0 said:

Not really. He's just benefitting big time from being able to buy the best players.

Tcu Big 12 record before Campbell: 70-128 (.353) illegal to buy players

Tcu Big 12 record with Campbell: 37-17 (.685) legal to buy players

I've never liked the NIL concept, even when it appeared it was really strictly going to be about pay for names, image and likeness as opposed to straight up pay for play which it somehow quickly became. But you ultimately have to face and deal with reality and BU so far hasn't dealt with it well which is why our athletics have gone form being in great shape to the sad state of affairs we find ourselves in over the last 4 years. We've somehow got to get this turned around, especially before the next round of realignment happens.
True Grit
How long do you want to ignore this user?
I'm not sure Linda and the BOR are interested in paying NIL for CNC's team. I think this is about where we will be each year moving forward. Competitive and playing in the tourney, but nothing else.
gbfell
How long do you want to ignore this user?
IowaBear said:

Clearly what you can't or fail to see is just how important coaching really is. Your excuse for every L is " that team has more NIL money" it's a beta mentality

I don't know what the NIL discrepancy is, if any. One thing is certain, though. TCU had the best two players on the floor the past two years.
LTBear19
How long do you want to ignore this user?
True Grit said:

Come on... the only top team in the Big 12 we beat was OSU. We couldn't win against, TCU, WV, or TT. 0-5! We are what we are... in 3rd place and fortunate we aren't lower in the standings.


And we were on our way to blowout city in that one before CNC accidentally stumbled upon Nelms late in the 3rd qtr of that game, and she helped ignite that rally.

Otherwise, it would have been 0-6 against the top teams.
Wbbfan29
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Deng has a wnba body and can hit the three. Yes sometimes she is slow in defense but not playing a player of that caliber not even a minute is a short tale of coaching. CNC does not manage players well. Wouldn't be surprised if ting left.
blackie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Delmar 2.0 said:

Not really. He's just benefitting big time from being able to buy the best players.

Tcu Big 12 record before Campbell: 70-128 (.353) illegal to buy players

Tcu Big 12 record with Campbell: 37-17 (.685) legal to buy players

I respect people's right to have their opinion but I just don't think anyone is being objective not to realize that TCU's talent is enough above ours to make a real difference. Okay we have Scott , but who is starting to show a real bad consistency of not being able to hit the ocean with a wide open shot in big games and also has a bad consistency of driving into turnovers.

If we have a pick up game and you threw all the Baylor players and all the TCU players into the pot and you had the first pick for your team is anyone here saying their first choice is NOT Miles and don't even have to think about it. I'm not sure that the second choice is even Scott. But let's say it is. Who do we have as a trio that can match Suarez, Silva and Hunter, not only their ability but their size in those first two? This line of thinking that says we have as good a talent as TCU is just not objective. Last year, some claimed we had better. Also not an objective assessment. I think the mismatch is more this year because we don't have a Vonleh that could catch and finish downlow and MIles is far better than Van Lith, while our guards don't have the explosiveness that we had last year.

I readily admit I have no idea of how much any of these players are being played, and I don't think any of us do, but I don't think it takes too much to believe that Miles, at a minimum, is probably paid way more than anyone we have or could pay. She could have gone to any team in the country. I don't think she came to TCU just to play for Campbell. If he were coaching in the SEC or B1G, I might could buy that argument. But not to come and play in the low-lights of the Big XII. What was the deciding factor?

The question to ponder is why their talent level is better? I would be absolutely shocked if money wasn't a big factor.
IowaBear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
If TCu is the juggernaut you're making them out to be than why did a mid Colorado and a bad Utah beat them? Certainly wasn't NiL like you & others like to use as an excuse.
You're also severely underestimating (probably on purpose) the talent on Baylor's roster. This is CnCs most talented team since year 1. Don't believe me? Go look at the recruiting rankings of our roster. Suarez was nothing special until she got to TCU. No one's denying Miles talent. But beyond Miles the talent gap is a wash at worst. I'll say it again because some here don't think it matters. But coaching is absolutely pivotal in games like these. It matters, I know you're firmly in the group that thinks coaching means jack ***** But it absolutely matters and CnC has been firmly outclassed by Campbell
blackie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Wbbfan29 said:

Deng has a wnba body and can hit the three. Yes sometimes she is slow in defense but not playing a player of that caliber not even a minute is a short tale of coaching. CNC does not manage players well. Wouldn't be surprised if ting left.

I think I would want some information that is behind the curtains as to why she didn't play today. I'll throw out one possibility and you said it.....her defense is slow. We played a team that we lost to by what 30 points the first time. Everyone here was screaming about defense. Her shooting has been sporadic as well of late. There is also the possibility that her injury is still an issue. I can readily see a concern that defensively she would have been a liability.

Players base their decisions on a lot of things, unless you can draw significant dollars, I suspect a lot of it is personal relationships. Deng knows she will get more playing time next year and she came here primarily because of her coach at Auburn that came here. I doubt her decision will be based on not playing in this game.

To me, it is amazing that casual fans that just watch games know more about the team's physical makeup than the staff that works with them on a daily basis.

The one thing that is a gigantic positive that has been emerging in the last few games is the real improvement of Marcayla. I have started to feel a whole lot better about her future.
Wbbfan29
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Im not saying I know everything about whats going on , it its just my opinion.
blackie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
IowaBear said:

If TCu is the juggernaut you're making them out to be than why did a mid Colorado and a bad Utah beat them? Certainly wasn't NiL like you & others like to use as an excuse.
You're also severely underestimating (probably on purpose) the talent on Baylor's roster. This is CnCs most talented team since year 1. Don't believe me? Go look at the recruiting rankings of our roster. Suarez was nothing special until she got to TCU. No one's denying Miles talent. But beyond Miles the talent gap is a wash at worst. I'll say it again because some here don't think it matters. But coaching is absolutely pivotal in games like these. It matters, I know you're firmly in the group that thinks coaching means jack ***** But it absolutely matters and CnC has been firmly outclassed by Campbell

The Colorado loss was on their coach. I would have to go back and look at the end of the game again (which for this forum I am not going to waste time doing), but Campbell had some real head scratchers that I thought cost TCU the game at the end. I didn't see the Utah game. But strange things also happen at altitude for flatland teams. No one is saying TCU is a juggernaut, but that their overall talent is better than ours, and if for no other reason they can consistently make open shots and that is part of talent. What does coaching have to do with that? They also have height inside that is much more productive than ours. Perhaps he didn't have his team ready to play in either of those games....naw, only CNC does that. Its basketball, the sport that can vary probably more than any from what is on paper and what should happen. Doesn't matter how much NIL you have, if you aren't ready to play you can get beat. It's nice however to have the NIL you think you need to give it a good go and surround good players with great players that make all of them better.

I actually think last year's Baylor team was more talented than this one. You are the one that has been pushing this one being better even before the season as to how much better our roster was this year. I never said it. If it was based on recruiting rankings, that could explain the difference in opinion. I base my evaluation on what they can do when they come here, not what they did earlier in their career. We had much better speed and experience at the guard positions and more importantly we had Vonleh down low that could actually catch and finish, versus what we have today. If we had that this year, we might could have had better chances to free up our shooters for both mid-range, beyond the arc and drop-offs near the basket. If Scott were consistent she might could compensate for that, but she is getting really bad about not being able to hit OPEN shots against better team. And that has nothing to do with coaching.

You can pooh-pooh NIL being a factor. And perhaps we have as much as TCU, but appearances don't add much credence to that opinion. Wish we knew. It would save a lot of time wasted on these boards.
Johnny Bear
How long do you want to ignore this user?
True Grit said:

I'm not sure Linda and the BOR are interested in paying NIL for CNC's team. I think this is about where we will be each year moving forward. Competitive and playing in the tourney, but nothing else.

IF the trade-off is we do what's necessary with the NIL budget to get football and men's basketball back up and rolling, personally I'm fine with the women's bball team at best just being competitive and making The Tourney.
Refresh
Page 2 of 2
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.