Baylor Lady Bears
Big 12 (30-3, 16-2)
With the graduation of Odyssey Sims, the Baylor women’s basketball program came into the 2014-15 with some significant questions to be answered for head coach Kim Mulkey. Well, the Bears have risen to the occasion and Coach Mulkey has done arguably her best coaching job as she has Baylor once again in position to contend for another national championship this April.
Big Wins: 12/19 vs Syracuse (74-72), 2/8 at Texas (70-68), 2/11 Oklahoma (89-66)
Bad Losses: 11/17 at Kentucky (64-74), 2/25 at Oklahoma (64-68), 2/28 at Iowa State (71-76)
Coach: Kim Mulkey
Why They Can Surprise:
The Bears have the ability to surprise if they continue to display a relentless commitment to playing team basketball at both ends of the court. Nina Davis will be a tone setter at forward. Davis is one of the most dominant interior players in the country. Point guard Niya Johnson is one of the best in the sport at leading an offensive attack and distributing the basketball to the right open teammate on a nightly basis. Johnson is a finalist for the Wade Trophy and is a big reason why the post Odyssey Sims era has gone so smoothly this season. Baylor also can be a very dominant rebounding team with the combination of Sune Agbuke and Khadijah Cave off the bench gives the Bears an excellent post presence. The ability to limit second chance shots will be a huge asset for the Bears in the NCAA Tournament as possessions will be at more of a premium and will most likely help Baylor get to the Final Four.
Why They Can Disappoint:
When the Bears lost to Kentucky in the early part of the season back in November they allowed 50 points in the second half. The Wildcats got rolling from the perimeter. If somebody can get rolling from the perimeter against Baylor and can hold their own rebounding wise like Texas did on February 8th, then you have a shot for a win. The Longhorns in a narrow 70-68 loss in Austin to Baylor outrebounded the Bears 39-36 and did a great job in shutting down the Bears perimeter shooting. That is the recipe to cause disappointment for Baylor in the NCAA Tournament; if you can compete on the glass and dominate the perimeter game at both ends of the court.
Probable Starters:
Niya Johnson, Junior, Guard, 7.2 ppg, 8.6 apg, 5.0 rpg
Alexis Prince, Redshirt Sophomore, Guard, 8.5 ppg, 1.7 apg, 4.1 rpg
Imani Wright, Sophomore, Guard, 10.1 ppg, 2.6 apg
Nina Davis, Sophomore, Forward, 21.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg
Sune Agbuke, Senior, Center, 6.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.0 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Khadijah Cave, Sophomore, Center, 10.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg
Kristy Wallace, Freshman, Guard, 7.8 ppg, 2.3 apg
Kristina Higgins, Junior, Center, 3.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg
Dekeiya Cohen, Freshman, Forward, 5.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 80.5 (6th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 59.1 (66, 4)
Field-Goal Percentage: 48.2 (4, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 34.3 (5, 1)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 3.2 (314, 10)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 33.4 (88, 7)
Free-Throw Percentage: 69.0 (165, 6)
Rebound Margin: 12.2 (4, 1)
Assists Per Game: 21.0 (2, 1)
Turnovers Per Game: 14.1 (47, 2)
Recent Postseason Appearances:
2014 NCAA First Round win over Western Kentucky
2014 NCAA Second Round win over California
2014 NCAA Third Round win over Kentucky
2014 NCAA Quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame
2013 NCAA Round of 64 win over Prairie View A&M
2013 NCAA Round of 32 win over Florida State
2013 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Louisville
2012 NCAA Round of 64 win over UC Santa Barbara
2012 NCAA Round of 32 win over Florida
2012 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Georgia Tech
2012 NCAA Regional Final win over Tennessee
2012 NCAA National Semifinal win over Stanford
2012 NCAA National Championship win over Notre Dame
2011 NCAA Round of 64 win over Prairie View A&M
2011 NCAA Round of 32 win over West Virginia
2011 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Green Bay
2011 NCAA Regional Final loss to Texas A&M
2010 NCAA Round of 64 win over Fresno State
2010 NCAA Round of 32 win over Georgetown
2010 NCAA Regional Semifinal win Tennessee
2010 NCAA Regional Final win Duke
2010 NCAA National Semifinal loss to Connecticut
2009 NCAA Round of 64 win over Texas-San Antonio
2009 NCAA Round of 32 win over South Dakota State
2009 NCAA Regional Semifinal loss to Louisville
2008 NCAA Round of 64 win over Fresno State
2008 NCAA Round OF 32 loss to Pittsburgh
2007 NCAA Round of 64 win over Chattanooga
2007 NCAA Round of 32 loss to North Carolina State
2005 NCAA Round of 64 win over Illinois State
2005 NCAA Round of 32 win over Oregon
2005 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Minnesota
2005 NCAA Regional Final win over North Carolina
2005 NCAA National Semifinal win over LSU
2005 NCAA National Final win over Michigan State
*all team stats through 3/5
See All Women’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
