CINCINNATI - February 27th, 2024
Two weeks ago, the Baylor women were stuck in first gear and going nowhere fast, while looking up from the middle of the Big 12 standings.
After blowing out Cincinnati, 74-53, Tuesday night behind a career-high 19 points from senior guard Jana Van Gytenbeek, the 21st-ranked Bears (22-6, 11-6) find themselves in position to earn a top-four seed for next week's Big 12 tournament in Kansas City.
"I think we're playing good basketball," said Baylor coach Nicki Collen, whose team won its fourth in a row to move into a tie for fourth in conference with 24th-ranked West Virginia (22-6, 11-6). "This team got over the hump and won a close game at West Virginia. . . . I've just seen a different look in their eyes in practice the last two days."
That "look in their eyes" was there from the first quarter Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena, when the Bears jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first 7 ½ minutes and was up 21-11 when Yaya Felder knocked down a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the opening quarter.
"Our team is capable of anything," said Van Gytenbeek, who was an efficient 8-of-11 from the field and 3-for-5 from distance. "If we stick to the game plan, if we play defense, we share the ball, we have the coaching staff to be successful. We're going to be pretty good."
Holding the Bearcats (13-15, 5-12) scoreless for the first five-plus minutes of the second quarter, Baylor extended the lead to 28-11 on buckets by Van Gytenbeek and guards Jada Walker and Sarah Andrews. Bella Fontleroy drained a 3-pointer in the final minute of the first half, putting the Bears on top, 39-21, going into the break.
"I think we just go to another level, pace-wise" when Van Gytenbeek is on the floor, Collen said. "It doesn't matter if she's at the point or the off-guard. She got two layups in transition, just running ahead. It's really her pace. Obviously, she's shooting the heck out the ball right now as well, which helps. But I think we get better in transition when she comes in."
Van Gytenbeek had a "heat check moment" in the third quarter, when she hit a step-back 3-pointer, scoring 10 in the period and giving Baylor a 62-33 lead.
"My confidence is rolling right now, for sure," said Van Gytenbeek, who has scored in double figures in five of the last seven games. "But we're working for something as a team. That's our goal."
With Collen emptying her bench and using all 12 available players, the Bears were outscored 20-12 by Cincinnati in the fourth quarter.
"We turned it over too much in the fourth quarter, but I thought we shot the ball well, we moved it well, we attacked and made the extra pass," Collen said. "We've got to do a better job of not fouling. I don't think we needed to put them on the line 20 times. I thought we bailed them out way too many times."
Edwards had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Bears, Sarah Andrews chipped in with nine points and five assists. Aijha Blackwell had a tough night shooting, but she grabbed 10 offensive boards and helped Baylor win the rebounding battle, 50-44.
Sophomore forward Darianna Littlepage-Buggs picked up two fouls in the first quarter, but finished with seven points and eight rebounds and passed the 500 mark in career rebounding.
Cincinnati had only one double-figure scorer in Jillian Hayes, who scored six of her 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of free throws with 0.8 seconds left in the game.
Baylor outscored the Bearcats by 14 on points in the paint (42-28) and had a decisive 36-11 edge in bench points.
Senior forward Madison Bartley, an Ohio native playing in her first game since Jan. 13, had more than 100 family and friends at the game. She didn't score but had four rebounds, two assists and one block in 13 minutes.
Baylor closes out the regular season with a matchup against Oklahoma State (14-14, 7-10) for a Sunday brunch at 11 a.m. at Foster Pavilion. The Cowgirls are coming off a stunning 68-61 win over West Virginia that dropped the Mountaineers into a tie for fourth with the Bears.