By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
It’s been 51 years since the birth of Baylor women’s basketball, and for 33 straight years the Bears have opened their home slate in dominating fashion.
Baylor’s streak — and head coach Nicki Collen’s perfect home-opening record — continued at Foster Pavilion Sunday, as the No. 16 Bears (2-0) defeated Lindenwood (1-1) 76-63.
The win had redshirt sophomore guard Taliah Scott and senior forward Bella Fontleroy’s names written all over it.
The Bears punched the gas from the opening tip, with the magic number three on their side — sinking three 3-pointers by three different players in the first three minutes. The tandem took command from there, with Scott closing the first half with 21 points, while Fontleroy stayed right behind her with 16.
Together, the pair accounted for 55 of Baylor’s 76 points and shot a combined 7-of-12 from behind the arc. Scott, who has scored 53 points through her first two games in the green and gold, finished with 29 — five off her career high — while Fontleroy added 26, three shy of hers.
“I feel like the coaches and my teammates put me in great positions to score and get to my spots,” Scott said. “Being able to contribute in any way — I’m just trying to help however I need to in order to win.”
Fontleroy echoed Scott’s team-first sentiment.
“I think I really know what my role is on this team, and that’s to be what they need me to be,” Fontleroy said. “We have things to work on and adjustments to make, but I’m just very thankful that this is year four for me — and that it started off with a win at home.”
A week removed from a top-10 win over then-No. 7 Duke, Baylor wasted no time riding that momentum into the first quarter, dominating the opening stretch on both ends as Lindenwood struggled to get downhill. The Bears raced out to an 11-0 lead within the first two minutes.
That early surge eventually slowed once Collen went to her bench, with four reserves closing the quarter alongside Scott.
Baylor hit a noticeable lull during that stretch as the offense stalled, the spacing tightened and the pace dipped from the opening burst — a lull that lingered throughout the game, the way an overly-enthusiastic relative shows up at holiday gatherings and insists on a hug, even though you haven’t seen them in years.
“I thought we were too sloppy today,” Collen said. “Both when we subbed and then as the game went along, we just didn’t execute.”
Her players agreed.
“We got to be more focused when it comes to defense,” Scott said. “We have to be more aggressive and we have to be willing to buy into what coaches are telling us to do defensively, even when we’re tired.”
Scott and Fontleroy continued to carry the Bears coming out of the half, as Lindenwood opened the third quarter with a punch, answering a Scott three with three quick buckets and later closing the quarter on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to eight.
Baylor responded by leaning on its starters, turning timely stops into back-to-back Fontleroy threes that pushed the lead back out and sealed a 76-63 finish for the Bears.
“Absolutely no complacency,” she said. “Continuing to grow every day and continuing to do it together at the Baylor standard.”
Baylor will be back in action against UNLV (2-0) at 8 p.m. Friday at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
