By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
The happiest place on Earth turned somber late Thursday night for Baylor women’s basketball. In a ranked clash with early-season weight, No. 7 Baylor (4-1) fell to No. 19 Iowa (5-0) 57-52 at Disney World’s State Farm Field House in Orlando, Fla., despite a block-heavy defensive effort and a season-high 32 points from Taliah Scott.
The nation’s No. 7 scorer stacked her fifth 20-plus point night of the year, extending a scoring groove she’s yet to break since suiting up for the Bears.
Baylor needed every bit of it, as the night opened with the Bears fighting uphill — staggering out of the gate while Iowa pushed the pace, jumped on turnovers and punished a 2-for-8 Baylor start that created an early deficit.
But it was Baylor who fought back defensively, leaning on its length to crowd the paint and disrupt Iowa inside. The Bears’ seven first-quarter blocks — including three from senior forward Bella Fontleroy — cooled the Hawkeyes’ early pace and helped Baylor settle in during a period marked by 11 turnovers, frequent whistles and little offensive rhythm from either side.
Midway through the second, Baylor swung the momentum, turning its eight blocks (against Iowa’s seven field goals) into transition chances. Scott cashed in on consecutive Iowa turnovers, dropping seven straight to fuel Baylor’s first sustained run in a game that quickly shifted into a back-and-forth fight.
Baylor came out of halftime with juice, opening the third quarter on a Jana Van Gytenbeek three-pointer to set the tone for what became a tight, physical half.
Iowa’s move to a matchup zone tightened Baylor’s offensive spacing, but the Bears leaned on their defensive identity to keep pace as Scott continued to create off the dribble. The rim protection climbed to a season-high 10 blocks, and senior forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs controlled the boards with 11 rebounds in a scoreless outing.
The final minutes of the third quarter offered a preview of the finish, as Baylor’s offense stalled in a game built on momentum swings. Iowa closed on a 9-0 run in the last five minutes while the Bears went a cold 0-for-10 from the floor. In a physical, back-and-forth contest, the Hawkeyes handed Baylor its first loss of the season.
The Bears will look to bounce back in Orlando, where they’ll face Davidson Saturday in their second game of the invitational. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at State Farm Field House. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
