WBB: #6 Baylor (12-1, 2-0) Hosts Iowa State (7-6, 1-1) Preview and Game Thread

Need to get better and need lots of playing time for freshmen, as after this game, we have a tough 3 game road trip next. Iowa State has fallen off considerably from what they once were, but this game will test our mental acuity and patience, more than our athleticism. Coach Fennelly is the master of zone and "junk" defenses, and our coaches are going to get to assess how quickly and completely the freshmen are able to recognize and respond to on the court, the things they have been made aware of during practices. Will be interesting especially, to see how Morris handles the point guard duties....

So Massey has Baylor's win probability at 99% for this game.

Coach Finley was quoted saying "It would take a miracle for them to beat Baylor."

That is called respect!!!

He and Emily Durr were highly complimentary of Baylor. And not just the rote "they are a good team and well-coached. They fly around the ball" stuff I assume must be written in the Sports Interview Manual somewhere.

Fennelly has always given respect where it is due, and I appreciate that about him. It wasn't so long ago that a mediocre Iowa State team upset Baylor. I doubt it will be close, but you can't count them out.

I truly respect him as a Coach and person. I think when you have won like Baylor has they deserve the respect. Same goes with us respecting that UConn is always a great team and always well coached!

Saying things like that just shows raw true feelings and makes my respect for him grow.

AMES, Ia. The Iowa State women's basketball team faces the tough task of going to Baylor and trying to take down the sixth-ranked Lady Bears at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Cyclones coach Bill Fennelly wasn't shy about what it would take for his young team to take down one of the most successful teams in the Big 12 Conference and on the road, to boot.

"A miracle, I guess," Fennelly said. "I'm not lying to you. It's true."

The Lady Bears boast one of the best post players in the sport, one of the best guards the nation and an intimidating history of success. It'll all be a challenge for Iowa State (7-6, 1-1 Big 12) which plays its first road game in the league against Baylor (12-1, 2-0).

What a way to start things.

"I think what (No. 8) Texas (11-1, 2-0) and Baylor are doing, they've kind of separated themselves, not just in our league but they're going to be on the short list of teams that have a chance to play in the Final Four," Fennelly said. "When you look at those kind of teams, it's depth, it's talent, it's size, it's guard play, it's experience. They check all the boxes."

Perhaps the two best areas of Baylor's game are size and guard play.

The Lady Bears have one of the biggest post players in the nation in 6-foot-7 center Kalani Brown. The junior has been a force, averaging 22.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. And she just scratches the surface of a Baylor squad full of tall talent, including 6-4 forward Lauren Cox, who is averaging 15.5 points per game.

"In the women's game, when you see the size they have, that jumps off the page," Fennelly said. "They might be bigger than our men's team."

Then there's the guard play, led by Kristy Wallace at 15.5 points and 5.3 assists per game. The Baylor point guard has been the catalyst of an offense that is averaging 92.0 points per game and has broken 100 points four times.

"Kristy Wallace is as good a guard as anybody in the country," Fennelly said.

But perhaps the toughest challenge is reflected in the Lady Bears' pedigree. Baylor has two NCAA Tournament championship banners, three Final Four appearances and has consistently been among the top teams in the conference year after year.

"Most teams lose the game before they even get on the airplane, and in the past, that's what Baylor's done to you. They take (your) will away from you before they even take the game away from you," Fennelly said.
It's a message Iowa State senior Emily Durr said she's tried to pass down to the younger players on Iowa State's roster. Durr said she's tried telling her teammates not to get overwhelmed.

"I think just the name 'Baylor' and 'women's basketball,' you just think, 'Oh, we have Baylor' and you kind of get down on yourself because you don't' think you can beat them, especially when you're younger as a freshman and sophomore," Durr said. "It's a huge mental state to have because it's Baylor. It's (like) UConn. You've got to get over that and just know that you're a D-I player, they're D-I players and it's just a game. It's basketball, and we know how to play it."

Iowa State with some tight defense early. Kalani is going to have a tough job in the paint tonight but she's good enough to play well through it.

Cohen has been playing some really good defense on Carleton.

We made 4 three pointers in the first quarter. ISU is not giving LC and Kalani good looks but our guards have responded well.

Chou did not look great early in the warmups but she is LIGHTS OUT right now! Just hit her 5th three pointer.

Natalie Chou

5 for 5 from 3