Locked in a wire-to-wire battle deep into the fourth quarter, No. 15 Baylor women’s basketball edged past Arizona State 67–64 on Saturday night. The Bears closed it out at the line behind late defensive stops and key contributions off the bench.
Browsing: Nicki Collen
The Bears bounced back from their first road loss of the season to knock off the Bearcats on Wednesday and improve to 9-2 in conference play.
Two years after the game was taken from her, Ines Goryanova didn’t rush her first steps back onto the floor — she waited for the moment to feel earned. When she finally checked in for No. 15 Baylor women’s basketball, it was more than a substitution. It was the quiet end of a long, unseen fight.
Plagued by a program-record 30 turnovers, a 34–8 points-in-the-paint deficit and 38 points allowed off turnovers, No. 14 Baylor women’s basketball fell to No. 22 West Virginia 70–60 on Sunday afternoon, marking just the Bears’ second loss in conference play and fourth of the season.
Behind efficient senior scoring and a late 8–0 run, No. 14 Baylor women’s basketball held off Houston to remain tied atop the Big 12 standings. The Bears shot 52% from the field and leaned on a balanced offensive effort to secure an 82–66 win at home.
Tied for first place in the Big 12 standings, No. 14 Baylor sits alongside No. 12 TCU as the conference race tightens. Elite defense, balanced production and road success have kept the Bears firmly in the title hunt as the push continues for a lone No. 1 spot.
No. 14 Baylor women’s basketball locked down UCF on Wednesday, forcing a season-high 24 takeaways in the Bears’ 73-48 victory over the Knights. Baylor also held UCF to 14 field goals, its lowest mark on the season.
After uneven December results, Baylor responded with an undefeated January marked by road wins, roster depth and program milestones. The stretch has reshaped the Bears’ early Big 12 run as conference play takes hold.
No. 14 Baylor meets No. 2 Texas on a neutral floor Sunday, setting up one of December’s biggest in-state showdowns as both teams chase a résumé-defining win before conference play.
From WNBA Coach of the Year to the helm of Baylor’s storied program, Nicki Collen has navigated legacy, transition and pressure with equal parts grit and grace — and the Bears are better for it.
A relentless rebounding performance from Littlepage-Buggs and a balanced offensive attack powered Baylor to a dominating 76–35 win over Grambling State and a continued spotless home record.
From freshman phenom to senior heartbeat, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs has stacked double-doubles, big-time accolades and steady dominance across four seasons in green and gold. Her climb has already placed her among Baylor women’s basketball greats — and her story, her impact and her legacy are still unfolding.
Senior forwards led the way for the Bears in a dominant outing, with Bella Fontleroy scoring her 1,000th career point and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs adding a 26-point double-double. The Bears cruised past Le Moyne 99-43 for the Bears’ 24th win in Foster Pavilion.
No. 16 Baylor opened its home slate with a mix of fast offense and stretches of inconsistency, but the Bears found stability in the scoring of Taliah Scott and the steady two-way play of Bella Fontleroy en route to their 33rd straight home-opening win.
Over two decades, Baylor women’s basketball has turned championships into careers. From Sophia Young-Malcolm to Brittney Griner and NaLyssa Smith, generations of Bears continue to define greatness beyond Waco and into the WNBA.
Back on the court and back in command, Jana Van Gytenbeek guided a fast-paced Baylor squad that found its rhythm and closed strong, cruising past West Texas A&M 86-46 in its preseason tune-up at Foster Pavilion.
Even after graduating six seniors, Baylor women’s basketball opens the season with experience at its core. Four-year veterans are carrying the culture and expectations that head coach Nicki Collen believes will define the program.
Baylor women’s basketball just announced its 2025-26 nonconference slate Thursday, featuring 14 games, a trip to Paris and a showdown with Texas.
Acrobatics and tumbling look for a record 11th straight NCATA championship, while football is primed for a Big 12 Championship run.
Auburn rising sophomore Yuting Deng, who reportedly held 50 offers when she entered the transfer portal, chose Baylor over others like UConn and Notre Dame Sunday night, according to multiple reports. The 6-foot guard joins Oklahoma rising senior forward Kiersten Johnson and North Dakota rising junior forward Kiera Pemberton as April additions.
Baylor women’s basketball announced the addition of Auburn transfer guard Taliah Scott to the program on Monday. Scott will have three years of eligibility remaining after suffering a season-ending injury in 2024-25.
Baylor graduates six Bears, with seven expected to return. Battling adversity and playing tough games all year, the Baylor locker room has formed tight-knit connections and friendships.
Looking to build on their Sweet 16 appearance a year ago, which ended in a four-point loss to the top-seeded USC Trojans, the Bears feel confident they can achieve a shot to advance to the Elite Eight again.
After a bitter loss to No. 1 TCU in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, No. 4 seed Baylor women’s basketball walked onto the court ready for a deep NCAA Tournament run starting against No. 13 Grand Canyon in what head coach Nicki Collen called a “potentially bracket-busting game.”
Behind senior center Aaronette Vonleh’s fifth double-double, No. 4 seed Baylor women’s basketball took down No. 13 seed Grand Canyon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday afternoon at Foster Pavilion.
The fourth-seeded Bears (27-7) will open their tournament run against No. 13 seed Grand Canyon, a squad riding a 30-game winning streak, at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Foster Pavilion. Friday will mark the first matchup between the two teams with the longest active winning streak in Division I on the line for the Antelopes (32-2).
Whether junior guard Waiata Jennings is sitting on the bench, standing at the scorer’s table, or playing tight defense, “Waiz” (sounds like ‘wise’) has a smile on her face.
In her first season with No. 4 Baylor women’s basketball and her last in college, senior center Aaronette Vonleh stole the show during the weeks leading up to March Madness. With the help of head coach Nicki Collen and her teammates, Vonleh averaged a career-best 14.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game and will declare for the WNBA Draft following the semester.
Early on No. 4 Baylor women’s basketball junior forward Bella Fontleroy’s career head coach Nicki Collen quickly identified her unique defensive poise. From taking charges to blocking shots Fontleroy set out at the beginning of the year to strengthen her defensive game and better understand opponent tendencies.
The fourth-seeded Bears (27-7, 15-3 Big 12) will open the 2025 NCAA Tournament at 2:30 p.m. Friday against No. 13 seed Grand Canyon (32-2, 16-0 WAC) at Foster Pavilion.
