By AnnaGrace Hale | Sports Writer
No. 18 Baylor women’s basketball won its 13th-straight season opener, as they defeated Lamar University 88-50 Monday night in the Ferrell Center. The Bears, old and new, stepped up on the court to command the match, led by senior guard Jaden Owens, who claimed her first career double-double.
Freshman guard Bella Fontleroy put up 17 points and eight rebounds for the green and gold.
The bench ignited Baylor (1-0) in this match as Fontleroy, Owens and sophomore forward Kendra Gillispie provided a major spark.
Senior guard Aijha Blackwell chipped in 17 points of her own 6-9 shooting, drilling four free throws as well. Owens finished with 11 points and a career-high 12 assists. Gillispie notched a career-high seven points and seven rebounds.
Olivia Havre | Photographer
“I thought we had good energy,” head coach Nicki Collen said. “We had some easy baskets around the rim early, I thought. Bella [Fontleroy] got an early steal and a layup. And just thought they brought a ton of energy. So, kudos to our bench because I don’t think we started the game tough enough.”
Despite the final 38 point gap between the two teams, Lamar was hanging on in the first quarter, only trailing 23-15. Junior guard Sarah Andrews gave Baylor a little boost after hitting two from three-point range. The Bears were still trying to settle in and connect on the court, but Owens said that is expected early in the season.
Olivia Havre | Photographer
“You can tell we’re starting to get out all the wrinkles and stuff like that,” Owens said. “Over time, I think we won’t have to worry about that much.”
In the second quarter, the bench brought the energy. Fontleroy and Owens stepped onto the court to further extend the lead and Collen’s team took off, ending the half on top 47-31.
The Bears really slowed the Cardinals down in the third, holding them to just 10 points in those 10 minutes. Freshman forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs was battling in the paint, capitalizing on a couple layups.
Olivia Havre | Photographer
When the fourth rolled around, Baylor shattered any hopes of a Lamar comeback. Fontleroy drilled her first three pointer of her collegiate career and then followed it up with another. The newcomer claimed 11 of her 17 points within just 10 minutes. She also recorded four of her eight rebounds during this time.
“I thought Bella [Fontleroy] on the boards is insane,” Collen said. “She’s just so dang bouncy. When she pursues, you see for a freshman, she’s got extreme strength. She’s probably the best on our team at grabbing the ball in a crowd with two hands.”
Owens closed out the game by sinking a three pointer and securing her double-double as well as a Baylor win, 88-50.
“I told her on the last play to go shoot it somehow, some way,” Collen said. “Have your teammates screen for you and then when you find a sliver of an opening, throw that thing up because she was a basket shy of a double-double. And as well as she played, I wanted that for her.”
Baylor takes head into another contest in the Ferrell Center, as it takes on the University of the Incarnate Word at 7 p.m. Thursday.
