Big 12 champion Lady Bears ready to host NCAA 1st and 2nd rounds

For the fourth straight year, the Baylor Lady Bears are both the Big 12 Conference regular season and tournament champions — the first team to accomplish such a run in Big 12 history.

Monday night, the No. 5-ranked Lady Bears were rewarded for their success, being named a No. 2 seed in this year’s tournament; they will face Western Kentucky on Saturday (5:30 p.m., ESPN2). The winner of that game will face either Cal or Fordham on Monday. Baylor also has the privilege of hosting the first two rounds; click here for ticket details or to get your seats.

[LINKS: BaylorBears.com Tournament Central || Ticket info || Complete bracket]

Unlike the last two years, head coach Kim Mulkey’s squad may not be a favorite to win it all this year. In fact, the 2014 squad might bear more resemblance to the 2010 Lady Bears — a squad that, like this year’s team, returned only one starter from the previous year and relied heavily on the Big 12’s Freshman of the Year (then Brittney Griner, this year Nina Davis). And as you might remember, that 2010 Baylor team began as a No.4 seed but advanced all the way to the Final Four.

How far will Big 12 Player of the Year Odyssey Sims and her teammates go this season? We’ll find out as March Madness begins for the Lady Bears on Saturday!

Sic ’em, Lady Bears!