By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
Two top-15 programs. A neutral floor. And a rivalry renewed on one of the biggest stages in Texas. No. 14 Baylor returns to the hardwood Sunday afternoon to take on former Big 12 foe Texas at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth in one of the Bears’ final tests before conference play.
Baylor (10-1) holds a 46-16 all-time record over the Longhorns, a series that saw the Bears win back-to-back games in Austin under head coach Nicki Collen before Texas returned the favor in the most recent matchup in Waco. That game saw the Longhorns control the interior with a 20-point edge in the paint.
“When you’re playing a good team and a well-coached team like they have been and are now, it’s always a challenge,” Texas head coach Vic Schaefer said before the 2024 matchup. “Those kids understand Texas and the rivalry.”
The Bears (10-1) come into the matchup fresh off a dominant five-game homestand that featured career shooting nights, multiple double-double performances and production across the board.
The stretch saw Baylor’s identity take shape: an up-tempo, efficient offense driven by redshirt sophomore Taliah Scott’s three-level scoring, senior forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs’ dominant presence on the glass and Bella Fontleroy’s two-way impact, placing Baylor inside the national top 25 in offensive efficiency.
“Since that Duke game, we’ve been treating every game leading up to this one as if we’re preparing for Texas, and not letting up just because we feel like any of these teams we should beat easily,” redshirt junior forward Kyla Abraham said. “Honing in on the little things and preparing for any team as we’re preparing for Texas.”
Both teams enter the weekend with résumé-building wins against top-10 opponents. Baylor opened its season by defeating then-No. 9 Duke in Paris. At the same time, Texas (11-0) delivered one of November’s most impressive stretches, beating then-No. 3 UCLA and then-No. 2 South Carolina in back-to-back games to win the Players Era Festival, vaulting the Longhorns to No. 2 in the nation.
Texas enters its second season in the SEC on a tear, led by guard Rori Harmon and with forward Madison Booker anchoring the Longhorn offense. Booker averages 16.9 points and nearly seven rebounds per game, while Harmon sits at 6.4 assists, maintaining the steady pace and defensive pressure that define Texas’ system.
Despite injuries sidelining key contributors, Texas has continued to play with its trademark guard-and-press defensive style, forcing turnovers and staying steady down the stretch — a look Baylor will need to navigate with poise to keep its offense in rhythm.
Like Baylor, Texas lost the bulk of its offensive production to graduation, and both programs retooled in the offseason. Baylor added Auburn transfers Scott and sophomore guard Yuting Deng to its returning core, while the Longhorns supplemented their depth with Teya Sidberry, Ashton Judd and Breya Cunningham.
Sunday’s matchup highlights the contrast between Texas’ guard-driven offense and Baylor’s run-and-gun style backed by elite rim protection, with senior forward Kiersten Johnson leading the Big 12 at 2.6 blocks per game.
Against a Texas team built on dribble penetration and late-clock creation, Baylor’s ability to contest shots and finish possessions becomes central to keeping the game on its terms.
“I know Texas will be ready,” Collen said. “We’ve had a lot of really good games against Texas since I’ve been here, and I think the stage is big, and we’re ready for it.”
Two games out of conference play, the Bears meet a timely test in a Texas offense that has been among the nation’s most efficient.
The Bears will look for their second top-10 win of the season when they take on the Longhorns at noon Sunday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. The game will be broadcast on ABC.
