Baylor's Blackwell, Fontleroy lead No. 10 Bears in final regular-season win at Ferrell Center
Baylor guard Aijha Blackwell (33) shoots between Delaware State forward Tyshonne Tollie (22), left, and Delaware State guard Naomi Zulueta (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Dec.14, 2023, in Waco, Texas. Credit: AP/Jerry Larson
WACO, Texas — Aijha Blackwell, Bella Fontleroy and the Baylor women bid farewell for now to the Ferrell Center with a lopsided victory, with the 10th-ranked Bears hoping to return there in March.
Blackwell and Fontleroy both had 14 points and 11 rebounds, leading six players in double-figure scoring for the Bears in a 99-37 victory over Delaware State on Thursday in their final regular-season game in the Ferrell Center.
The Bears (8-0) will be in the new Foster Pavilion for their next home game against TCU in the Big 12 home opener Jan. 3. But if they are a host team for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, they plan to be at the Ferrell Center for those games.
"My goal is to remember the Ferrell Center with cutting down a net and going to the Sweet 16,” Baylor coach Nikki Collen said. “The goal of this team is to not have this be our last game here.”
Baylor has played 35 years in the Ferrell Center, with a 437-100 record during a stretch that included three national championships and 13 Big 12 regular-season titles.
Sarah Andrews added 12 points, while Jana Guytenbeek, Madison Bartley and Yaya Felder chipped in with 10 apiece. Baylor outrebounded Delaware State 65-26 and had four players with double-figure rebounds, with Darianna Littlepage-Buggs and Dre’una Edwards each grabbing 10.
“It was really cool to be in here one last time and hopefully we’ll get to host here come tournament time,” Fontleroy said.
Baylor guard Aijha Blackwell (33) scores past Delaware State forward Arianna Johnson (10) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Waco, Texas. Credit: AP/Jerry Larson
Ja’Naiah Perkins-Jackson and Tyshonne Tollie each had 10 points for Delaware State (2-8). Tollie was 5-of-6 shooting but fouled out while playing only 14 minutes. Perkins-Jackson was 3-of-17, including two made 3-pointers in 31 minutes.
“I think we came out and competed in the first half, but we just couldn’t put the ball in the basket,” Delaware State coach Jazmone Turner said. “Some of our scorers weren’t scoring, and we were missing a lot of baskets around the rim.”
BIG PICTURE
Delaware State: The Hornets finished with more turnovers (21) than made field goals while shooting 21% (12 of 57) overall. Aside from Tollie, the rest of the team shot a combined 13.7% (7 of 51).
Baylor guard Yaya Felder (2) fouled Delaware State guard Naomi Zulueta (2) on an in bound pass during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in Waco, Texas. Credit: AP/Jerry Larson
Baylor: The Bears improved to 8-0 for the first time since 2018-19. All 12 players who got into the game for Baylor scored.
KNOCKING RUST OFF
Despite the comfortable win, Collen wasn’t pleased with her team before halftime, with missed shots around the rim, missed 3s that were way off the mark and 11 turnovers. It came after an 11-day layoff.
“I hope it was the layoff. I hope we were shaking rust off,” Collen said. “You’re going to miss some 3s. That, I wasn’t as frustrated by, but we were badly missing them, but it was the layups. We were rushing shots at the rim, so my frustration was more our pace, our passing, missed layups and turnovers.”
Collen said she “just yelled a lot” at halftime and told the Bears they wouldn’t beat No. 24 Miami on Saturday with the same kind of effort. They outscored Delaware State 62-20 in the second half with only three turnovers.
UP NEXT
Delaware State: Returns home to play New Jersey City University on Sunday.
Baylor: Plays No. 24 Miami (8-0) on Saturday in San Antonio.
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