The Lady Bears will have a slightly different look in the upcoming season after losing junior guards Imani Wright and Ieshia Small over the summer. Wright, a Texas-native, decided to transfer to Florida State after playing two seasons with the Bears. The 5-foot-9 guard, who started 31 of Baylor’s 37 games last year, led the team in 3-pointers made with 43, while averaging 9.4 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
She earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors for her part in guiding the Lady Bears to a 33-4 overall record (16-2 in the Big 12) and clinching Baylor’s fifth consecutive conference title. Per NCAA transfer rules, Wright will have two years of eligibility left starting in the 2016-17 year.
Ieshia Small also decided to make a move this summer, joining the Maryland Terrapins. Small, who is from Miami, averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 assists while playing in 28 games as a sophomore for the Lady Bears last season. Small will also sit out next season and have two years of eligibility remaining.
The transfer hurts the Lady Bears as they lose a player that was named All-Big 12 preseason freshman of the year in 2013-14. A year earlier, she was tabbed a McDonald’s All-American at Florida State University High School in Tallahassee.
Head coach Kim Mulkey’s squad will also be without freshman post player Micayla Buckner who transferred to Collin County Community College. There have been speculations about Buckner transferring in order to be closer to her family, as the school is located in McKinney, Texas – not far from Buckner’s home in Richardson.
Buckner, a high school McDonald’s All-American nominee, was in uniform for games but never saw any action on the floor at Baylor. Despite the losses, last year’s Big 12 champs return key players to attempt to make another run at the title.
The Lady Bears have All-American junior forward Nina Davis and senior guard Niya Johnson to provide leadership. A member of this year’s USA team in the World University Games, Davis averaged 20.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last year for the Lady Bears – leading Baylor to a spot in the NCAA Elite Eight.
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2014, Niya Johnson will continue to be the catalyst as she ranks No. 1 on BU’s single-season assist chart with 322. She finished with 7.2 points and 8.8 assists per game last year.
With the subtractions of Imani Wright and Ieshia Small, junior guard Alexis Prince (8.2 points per game 4.1 assists per game) and sophomore guard Kristy Wallace (7.8 points per game 2.3 assists per game) can expect additional playing time. The extra year of experience under their belt and added minutes should translate into improved numbers this season.
Junior post Khadijiah Cave appears to be slotted in the starting lineup as well this season for the Lady Bears. Last season, she averaged 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. With the losses of graduating senior Sune Agbuke and transferring freshman Micayla Buckner, the low post appears to be all hers this year.
The Lady Bears look to improve upon last year’s 33-4 record that saw Baylor win the Big 12 and go on to reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, where they eventually lost to Notre Dame. Baylor previously knocked off Iowa 81-66 in the Round of 16.
The Lady Bears look to defend their Big 12 title as the team opens the 2015-16 season on Nov. 3 against Texas A&M-Commerce at the Ferrell Center. No time has been set for tipoff.She earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors for her part in guiding the Lady Bears to a 33-4 overall record (16-2 in the Big 12) and clinching Baylor’s fifth consecutive conference title. Per NCAA transfer rules, Wright will have two years of eligibility left starting in the 2016-17 year.
Ieshia Small also decided to make a move this summer, joining the Maryland Terrapins. Small, who is from Miami, averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 assists while playing in 28 games as a sophomore for the Lady Bears last season. Small will also sit out next season and have two years of eligibility remaining.
The transfer hurts the Lady Bears as they lose a player that was named All-Big 12 preseason freshman of the year in 2013-14. A year earlier, she was tabbed a McDonald’s All-American at Florida State University High School in Tallahassee.
Head coach Kim Mulkey’s squad will also be without freshman post player Micayla Buckner who transferred to Collin County Community College. There have been speculations about Buckner transferring in order to be closer to her family, as the school is located in McKinney, Texas – not far from Buckner’s home in Richardson.
Buckner, a high school McDonald’s All-American nominee, was in uniform for games but never saw any action on the floor at Baylor. Despite the losses, last year’s Big 12 champs return key players to attempt to make another run at the title.
The Lady Bears have All-American junior forward Nina Davis and senior guard Niya Johnson to provide leadership. A member of this year’s USA team in the World University Games, Davis averaged 20.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game last year for the Lady Bears – leading Baylor to a spot in the NCAA Elite Eight.
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2014, Niya Johnson will continue to be the catalyst as she ranks No. 1 on BU’s single-season assist chart with 322. She finished with 7.2 points and 8.8 assists per game last year.
With the subtractions of Imani Wright and Ieshia Small, junior guard Alexis Prince (8.2 points per game 4.1 assists per game) and sophomore guard Kristy Wallace (7.8 points per game 2.3 assists per game) can expect additional playing time. The extra year of experience under their belt and added minutes should translate into improved numbers this season.
Junior post Khadijiah Cave appears to be slotted in the starting lineup as well this season for the Lady Bears. Last season, she averaged 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. With the losses of graduating senior Sune Agbuke and transferring freshman Micayla Buckner, the low post appears to be all hers this year.
The Lady Bears look to improve upon last year’s 33-4 record that saw Baylor win the Big 12 and go on to reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, where they eventually lost to Notre Dame. Baylor previously knocked off Iowa 81-66 in the Round of 16.
The Lady Bears look to defend their Big 12 title as the team opens the 2015-16 season on Nov. 3 against Texas A&M-Commerce at the Ferrell Center. No time has been set for tipoff.
