By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
After a December marked by uneven competition and tough losses to ranked opponents, the Bears have opened the new year undefeated through their opening stretch of Big 12 play.
With January in full swing, Baylor (17-3, 6-1 Big 12) has paired an undefeated month with a flurry of program milestones, record-setting performances and national recognition.
Climbing from No. 22 to No. 14 in the AP Poll, the Bears backed up their January results with road wins. Baylor handed Oklahoma State (16-4, 5-2 Big 12) its first home loss of the season to close out 2025 before upsetting then–No. 10 Iowa State (14-5, 2-5 Big 12) on the road 72-70 to open 2026.
The Bears’ six-game winning streak involved a noticeable shift in the team’s mentality.
“We’re more locked in now than we ever have been, and we’re ready to just move forward,” graduate guard Jana Van Gytenbeek said.
That focus has translated into steadier play for the Bears down the stretch against Big 12 opponents Colorado (12–7, 3–4 Big 12) and BYU (14–4, 3–3 Big 12). Head coach Nicki Collen said the group’s response to December’s setbacks has been a defining part of its early conference run.
“This is a team that has a chance to always find a way,” Collen told 365 Sports.
Production is spread across the roster, led by senior forwards Darianna Littlepage-Buggs and Bella Fontleroy. January saw Littlepage-Buggs surpass 1,000 career rebounds while notching her ninth double-double of the season, while Fontleroy moved into fifth place in program history in 3-pointers made and surpassed 100 career blocks.
“It feels good to just play free,” Littlepage-Buggs said. “At this point in the season, you have to get out of your feelings if you want to win. Compared to the beginning of the season, I’ve done that, and we’ve gotten rolling.”
That depth has continued to take shape as conference play unfolds. Redshirt freshman Ines Goryanova and redshirt junior Ella Brow both made their Baylor debuts during the month, while redshirt sophomore guard Taliah Scott continues to rank among college basketball’s best. She landed at No. 23 on ESPN’s midseason Top 25 list following her game-winning shot against the Cyclones in Ames, Iowa.
Leadership on both ends of the floor has anchored Baylor’s January run. Redshirt junior Kyla Abraham said the group’s response has been driven by experience and accountability, particularly from the team’s veterans, as Big 12 play tightens.
“We’re not a team that’s going to lay down, especially with the seniors on this team,” Abraham said.
For Baylor, the work hasn’t reset with the calendar — it’s built on what came before. Senior forward Kiersten Johnson said the Bears have leaned on lessons learned earlier in the season as conference play continues, lessons that have carried from early mistakes into film sessions, practice reps and the grind of the Big 12 slate.
“We learn what to do and what not to do in preparing every day, and we use those points as we go through the season,” Johnson said. “We know it’s only going to get harder. Everyone in the Big 12 is good, and once you get past that, you’re facing the most elite competition, so we’re preparing ourselves for the next level and the next steps of our season.”
As conference play deepens, the Bears will look to lean on their January run and continue an undefeated stretch.
The Bears return to Foster Pavilion on Wednesday to take on UCF. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
