Tipoff ’25-’26: Getting Ready for Baylor Basketball Season
College basketball season hasn’t yet arrived, and already Baylor basketball fans have had plenty to celebrate in recent weeks — from former BU All-American NaLyssa Smith earning a championship ring with the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, to former men’s standout VJ Edgecombe’s historic NBA debut.
Such success is a reminder that we again have the chance to cheer on some of the best in the sport at Foster Pavilion. This year, both the Baylor men’s and women’s teams begin with familiar expectations and goals, but different roster makeups.
BAYLOR MEN’S BASKETBALL
For the men, “new” is the key word. When each player first takes the floor, he’ll be making his Baylor debut, as the roster was completely overhauled after the 2024-25 season. Fortuitously, many of the new-look Bears had the chance to play together over the summer, as Baylor represented the USA in the FISU World University Games in Germany. There, head coach Scott Drew’s Baylor men reached the Gold Medal game. Although their run in ended in a hard-fought overtime loss to Brazil, it was valuable time to compete and mesh against global talent.
Transfer guard Obi Agbim led the way for the Bears in Germany, averaging 20.5 points, 5 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game to earn World University Games MVP honors. The Wyoming transfer will be counted on for scoring prowess; fellow transfer Dan Skillings (from Cincinnati) will bring a strong effort on the glass after leading the World University Games with nearly 10 rebounds per game. Freshman Tounde Yessofou, considered by many NBA draft analysts as a possible lottery pick, made an early splash by leading Baylor with 21 points in their exhibition win over GCU.
BAYLOR WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The Baylor women return several key players from a team that came within a possession of winning both the 2025 Big 12 regular season and tournament titles. It all starts with seniors Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, Bella Fontleroy and Jana Van Gytenbeek. Buggs is coming off a stellar junior season in which she led the Big 12 in rebounding and was the only player in the league to average a double-double, while Fontleroy has built a reputation as one of the league’s most tenacious defenders. (Both were named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team.) Van Gytenbeek, a key piece two years ago, aims to bounce back from an ACL injury in last year’s season-opener that cost her the entire season. Along with redshirt junior Kyla Abraham, they give head coach Nicki Collen a level of continuity few programs can match — Baylor is the only school in the Big 12 (and one of only a few in Power 4 hoops) to return four players in their fourth year in the program.
Newcomers on the team bring scoring and defensive punch. Auburn transfer Taliah Scott has averaged over 20 points per game in parts of two seasons in the SEC, while 6’4” post Kiersten Johnson (and Oklahoma transfer) brings shot-blocking ability and defense in the post.
WHAT’S IN STORE
With so many unknowns, the Baylor men open the season receiving votes in both the AP and coaches polls. The women, meanwhile, begin the season among the AP Top 25 for the 22nd straight year, coming in at No. 16 (and also at No. 18 in the coaches poll).
Both teams open the new season on November 3. The 16th-ranked women take on No. 7 Duke in Paris (11 a.m. CT, ESPN), while the men open up against UT-Rio Grande Valley that evening at Foster Pavilion (7 p.m., ESPN+). Season and single-game tickets are available now.
Sic ’em, Baylor basketball!