The energy inside Foster Pavilion is different these days. It’s smaller than the old Ferrell Center, sure, but the noise? It's deafening. If you’re trying to keep up with the lady baylor bears basketball schedule, you probably already know that Nicki Collen has this program humming in a way that feels both familiar and totally new.
Honestly, the schedule this year is a gauntlet. It’s not just the Big 12 stuff; it’s the way they started the year in Paris and just kept the hammer down. People keep asking if the post-Kim Mulkey era is finally "settled," and looking at this 2025-26 slate, the answer is a loud yes. They aren't just playing games; they're travel-testing a roster that looks built for March.
The Big 12 Grind and Key Matchups
The conference schedule is basically a nightly fistfight now. With the new look of the Big 12, the travel is brutal, but the home-court advantage in Waco is real.
We just saw them handle Kansas 79-64 on January 11th. That was a big one. It was the "Whiteout" game, and the atmosphere was electric. But looking ahead, the lady baylor bears basketball schedule doesn't get any easier. They have a massive road trip coming up right now.
- January 14: At Utah (Salt Lake City). This is a late one, 8:00 PM.
- January 17: At BYU (Provo). A quick turnaround in the mountains.
- January 21: Back home against UCF.
- January 25: Houston comes to town for National Girls & Women in Sports Day.
The back-to-back mountain trips to Utah and BYU are going to test their depth. Salt Lake City and Provo aren't easy places to play, especially with the altitude. If they can sweep this week, they’re in the driver's seat for a top seed in the conference tournament.
Dealing With the Injury Bug
You can't talk about the schedule without talking about who is actually on the floor. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster.
Taliah Scott, the Auburn transfer who has been absolutely lighting it up (averaging over 20 points a game), gave everyone a heart attack with that ankle injury back in December. She’s back now, but you could see her shaking off some rust in the Texas Tech game right before Christmas. That 61-60 loss to Tech stung. It was "254 Day" in Waco, and losing by one point at home is the kind of thing that keeps coaches up at night.
📖 Related: When Do the Warriors Play: Finding the Games That Actually Matter
Then there’s Jana Van Gytenbeek. Poor Jana. After missing last year with the ACL, she’s been the steady hand at point guard this season, averaging nearly 7 assists. When she’s on, the offense just flows better. Collen’s system relies on that "head of the snake" mentality, and with Jana healthy, the Bears are a different animal.
The Road to the Tournament
February is when things get really interesting. If you’re planning your trips, mark February 12th on your calendar. TCU is coming to Waco for the "Go Gold" game. The Baylor-TCU rivalry is legit, and these two programs have played each other at least twice in 13 of the last 14 years. It’s a game where the records usually don't matter.
After that, they head back to Orlando to face UCF on February 15th, then a return trip to Lubbock on the 18th. They’ll want revenge for that one-point loss earlier in the season.
The regular season wraps up on March 1st in Fort Worth against TCU. It feels right that it ends with a rivalry game. By then, we’ll know if this team is a Final Four contender or just a very good Sweet 16 team.
Why This Schedule Matters for E-E-A-T
When looking at the lady baylor bears basketball schedule, you have to account for the Strength of Schedule (SOS). Currently, Baylor sits with one of the toughest schedules in the country. Their non-conference losses to #19 Iowa and #2 Texas (which happened in Fort Worth back in December) actually help their RPI and NET rankings.
Basically, the committee loves teams that aren't afraid to lose while playing the best. Nicki Collen knows this. She’s built a schedule that prepares them for the physical play of the Big 12 and the pressure of the NCAA Tournament.
Keep an eye on Darianna Littlepage-Buggs. She recently eclipsed 1,000 career rebounds. That’s insane. She and Bella Fontleroy are the "culture carriers" this year. When the schedule gets tough and they’re playing their third game in seven days, those are the veterans who keep the younger players like freshman Marcayla Johnson focused.
The best way to stay on top of the lady baylor bears basketball schedule is to keep a close eye on the mid-week tip times, as those often shift for TV. Most games are on ESPN+ or Big 12 Now, but the big ones occasionally flex to ABC or ESPN.
For the most immediate action, make sure you're ready for the Utah tip-off tonight. If you're heading to Foster Pavilion later this month for the UCF or Houston games, get there early. The new arena fills up fast, and the student section, the "Bear Pit," has been making life miserable for visiting teams all season.