New-look Baylor basketball teams bring high hopes into 2026-27 season
New faces, same high expectations.
That’s the TL;DR for Baylor basketball this year, for both the men’s and women’s teams. Fans at Foster Pavilion will have several new players to get to know this year — and a lot to like — as head coaches Scott Drew and Nicki Collen have prepared their programs for life in the Big 12 — the nation’s best basketball conference — this year.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
On the men’s side, Coach Drew’s club is riding high after exhibition victories over preseason No. 1 Florida and No. 3 Illinois. Yes, they’re exhibition — but the pair of wins gives fans plenty to anticipate. Sophomore guard Kayden Mingo (pictured above left), a highly touted transfer from Penn State, led the way over UF with 31 points, added 24 more against Illinois. His younger brother Dylan, a coveted freshman guard as a top-five national recruit, scored 12 points in the first exhibition and led BU with eight assists in the second.
While exhibition games are just one small data point, the wins added to the anticipation as the program looks to grow from a 2025-26 season that featured an entire squad of newcomers. Point guard Isaac Williams, who sparked the team with improved play late last year (and led the Bears with 28 points against Illinois), also provides veteran leadership to the program in his second year in Waco. Transfers like Brett Decker (a 17 ppg scorer at Liberty last year) and freshmen like Elijah Williams (a four-star prospect and the No. 3 player in Texas out of high school) add to the sense of anticipation.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Women’s basketball brings back six returning players, but has a new feel after graduating four longtime contributors. Ready to step up into even bigger roles are players like Taliah Scott (pictured above right), a senior guard and unanimous preseason All-Big 12 selection, as well as forwards Kyla Abraham and Kayla Nelms. Joining them are transfers such as Trinity Turner (a junior guard who averaged 11 points and 4 assists per game at Georgia last year), Kate Koval (a 6’5” junior forward from LSU), and Reese Ross (a senior forward who started every game at Utah last year).
Scott will again be counted on to lead the way from a scoring perspective. The electric guard earned All-Big 12 and All-America honors as she finished second in the Big 12 in scoring last year with 19.7 points per game. Scott also set the program’s single-season record for free throw percentage (89.5%). Her consistent scoring was the offensive bright spot for a defensive-minded team that extended the second-longest streaks in the nation in consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (22) and 20-win seasons (26).
Both teams open the season at home on Monday, Nov. 2, in a doubleheader at Foster Pavilion. The women tip it off against Fairleigh Dickinson that night at 6 p.m., followed by the men at 8:30 against Northwestern State. Season and single-game tickets are on sale now.
Sic ’em, Baylor Basketball!