Taliah Scott Shines as No. 18 Baylor Stays Perfect on the Road with Win Over BYU
PROVO, Utah - Baylor women's basketball didn’t just win on Saturday - they controlled the game from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Behind a 25-point outing from freshman standout Taliah Scott, the No. 18 Bears rolled past BYU 69-58 at the Marriott Center, improving to 17-3 on the season and 6-1 in Big 12 play.
This marks the best 20-game start under head coach Nicki Collen, and it’s no fluke. Baylor has now rattled off 10 straight road wins dating back nearly a full calendar year, including ranked victories at Kansas State and Iowa State. This team travels with toughness - and it showed again in Provo.
From the jump, Baylor dictated the tempo. They opened the game on an 8-of-18 shooting stretch, including a 10-0 run that built a 23-13 lead after the first quarter.
The defense was just as locked in, holding BYU to 23.8% shooting in the opening frame and 32.3% for the game. From deep, the Cougars were ice cold - just 5-for-30 from beyond the arc.
Scott was the engine all afternoon. The freshman guard poured in five threes, grabbed six boards, dished out five assists, and scored 12 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter to close things out. Every time BYU tried to make a push, Scott had the answer - whether it was a step-back three or a drive to the rim, she delivered.
Bella Fontleroy added 12 points and five rebounds, knocking down a pair of threes and making an impact on both ends. Kiersten Johnson chipped in six points in just 18 minutes, giving the Bears a spark early when they were building their lead.
Inside, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs did the dirty work. She led the team with nine rebounds, added four points, and anchored the paint with a block and two assists. Off the bench, Marcayla Johnson gave Baylor valuable minutes - five points, six rebounds, and a physical presence that helped wear down BYU’s frontcourt.
Defensively, Baylor stayed active and aggressive. They forced 15 turnovers and turned those into 11 points - a key factor in a game where offensive rhythm came in waves. The Bears also got 15 points from the bench and shot a season-high 91.7% from the free-throw line (11-for-12), a stat that helped them maintain control when BYU tried to claw back.
The Cougars made a run in the second quarter, cutting a 17-point deficit to 10 at the half. Delaney Gibb led BYU with 20 points, while Lara Rohkohl pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. But the Bears never let the lead slip into single digits after halftime.
In the fourth quarter, Baylor closed the door. They shot 46.7% in the final frame, with Scott scoring 12 of the team’s 18 points to seal the win and keep their road record spotless.
Next up, Baylor returns to Waco for a pair of Big 12 matchups - UCF on Wednesday night and Houston on Sunday afternoon. With the way this team is playing, especially on the road, they’re looking more and more like a serious contender in the Big 12 race.
This isn’t just a hot stretch - it’s a team finding its identity. And right now, that identity looks a lot like winning basketball.