WACO, Texas - Baylor women's basketball will play Connecticut in Hartford, Conn., as part of ESPN's third annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon on Tue., Nov. 16, at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN2 and ESPN3.com. The Baylor/UConn game is the only women's contest included in the marathon.
The Lady Bears and the Huskies will be one of 12 live college basketball games in 24 consecutive hours on ESPN for the second straight season. Overall, ESPN's celebration of the opening of the college basketball season will include 20 live games - 19 men's and one women's - in a minimum of 25.5 hours across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU. ESPN3.com will offer two exclusive games as well as a simulcast of every ESPN and ESPN2 telecast. The 24-hour marathon kicks off at Mon., Nov. 15, at 11 p.m. CT when the Miami Hurricanes face the Memphis Tigers on ESPN.
The women's contest will feature two-time defending national champion Connecticut against a Baylor team that returns four starters including 6-foot-8 center Brittney Griner. Connecticut, which enters the season with a 78-game winning streak, defeated Baylor 70-50 in the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament last season. Both teams are expected to open the season ranked in the top 5.
In addition, Baylor's men's team will be a part of ESPN's 24 hours of basketball for the second time when they host La Salle at 1 p.m. CT on ESPN and ESPN3.com.
Fans interested in season tickets may call the Baylor Athletics Ticket Office at (254) 710-1000 or log onto www.BaylorBears.com.
2010-11 COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF MARATHON SCHEDULE FOR ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU AND ESPN3.COM
DATE TIME (ET) MATCHUP NETWORK
Tue., Nov. 16 Midnight Miami at Memphis ESPN/ESPN3.com
2 a.m. St. John's at Saint Mary's ESPN/ESPN3.com
4 a.m. Central Michigan at Hawai`i ESPN/ESPN3.com
6 a.m. Stony Brook at Monmouth ESPN/ESPN3.com
8 a.m. Robert Morris at Kent State ESPN/ESPN3.com
10 a.m. Northeastern at Southern Illinois ESPN/ESPN3.com
Noon Oral Roberts at Tulsa ESPN/ESPN3.com
2 p.m. (1 p.m. CT) La Salle at Baylor ESPN/ESPN3.com
4 p.m. Virginia Tech at Kansas State ESPN/ESPN3.com
5:30 p.m. Marist at Villanova ESPNU
6 p.m. Ohio State at Florida ESPN/ESPN3.com
6 p.m. (5 p.m. CT) WBB: Baylor at UConn ESPN2/ESPN3.com
7:30 p.m. Miami (Ohio) at Duke ESPNU
8 p.m. Butler at Louisville ESPN/ESPN3.com
9:30 p.m. Belmont at Tennessee ESPNU
10 p.m. South Carolina at Michigan State ESPN/ESPN3.com
11 p.m. San Diego State vs. Gonzaga ESPN2/ESPN3.com
11:30 p.m. Nevada/Pacific at UCLA ESPNU
TBD St. Joseph's at Penn State ESPN3.com
TBD North Dakota at Wisconsin ESPN3.com
WACO, Texas - The Big 12 Conference released its women's basketball schedule today, completing the Baylor Lady Bears 2010-11 schedule. Regular season Big 12 Conference action begins on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, and will conclude on Saturday, March 5, 2011. Dates may be adjusted after the television schedule is released.
With the release of the Big 12 Conference women's basketball schedule, the Baylor Lady Bears will play 19 home games in the upcoming season. Baylor released its non-conference schedule in early July and the schedule is now complete with the addition of the Big 12 games. The Lady Bears will play 11 non-conference home games and eight league games in the Ferrell Center.
The conference schedule contains 16 games for each institution. Teams are divided into divisions solely for scheduling purposes. Each squad will play the five other teams in its division twice and the six teams from the opposite division once. The team(s) that finishes with the best winning percentage in league games is declared the Big 12 regular season champion.
The Lady Bears play home and away games against Big 12 South foes Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, will host Iowa State, Kansas State and Missouri and play at Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. Among Baylor's 16 conference games, 13 are against teams that played postseason games a year ago, including all 10 versus Big 12 South teams and three against the league's north teams.
A new format will be featured for the 2011 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship to be played March 8, 9, 11 & 12 in Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium. The postseason event will return to its previous starting date of Tuesday with first-round matchups. Quarterfinals will be played on Wednesday with a day off on Thursday and semifinals held on Friday. With the new format, the women's and men's championship finals will be played on the same day for the first time in Big 12 history. The women will play early in the day on Saturday with the men competing Saturday evening.
The NCAA Tournament Selection Show is set for Monday, March 14, with first- and second-round games at 16 pre-determined sites running March 19-22. Waco will be one of the 16 2011 NCAA sites, and Baylor is assured of playing on its home floor should it receive and NCAA bid. NCAA Regionals will be held in Dallas, Texas, Dayton, Ohio, Spokane, Wash., and Philadelphia, Pa., March 26-29, before Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis plays host to the NCAA Women's Final Four, April 3-5.
The Big 12 is coming off a banner season which saw nine teams compete in 2010 postseason play - seven in the NCAA Championship and two in the WNIT. The league advanced two teams to the Women's Final Four in the same season for the first time in Conference history with Baylor and Oklahoma appearances.
League teams continued to play in front of packed houses as the Big 12 captured its 11th consecutive NCAA attendance crown while resetting its own national record for cumulative attendance (1,091,289). The Big 12 drew over one-million fans for the fourth consecutive season and fifth time overall.
BAYLOR'S BIG 12 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Saturday, January 8-Iowa State
Wednesday, January 12-at Texas
Saturday, January 15-Oklahoma State
Wednesday, January 19-at Kansas
Saturday, January 22-Texas Tech
Wednesday, January 26-Open
Saturday, January 29-at Texas A&M
Wednesday, February 2-Oklahoma
Saturday, February 5-at Oklahoma State
Wednesday, February 9-at Nebraska
Saturday, February 12-Texas
Monday, February 14-Texas A&M
Saturday, February 19-at Texas Tech
Wednesday, February 23-Kansas State
Sunday, February 27-at Oklahoma
Wednesday, March 2-Missouri
Saturday, March 5-at Colorado
Two changes have been made to Baylor's previously released non-conference schedule. The Lady Bears' games in the Bahamas Sunsplash Shootout are now Dec. 20 (Clemson) and Dec. 21 (Syracuse).
WACO, Texas - The Baylor women's basketball team will play its most challenging non-conference schedule in program history when it takes on five teams that saw 2010 NCAA Tournament action, including national champion Connecticut, and a squad that played in the Postseason WNIT. NCAA Tournament teams facing Baylor this season include Connecticut, Liberty, Notre Dame, Michigan State and Tennessee while Syracuse competed in the Postseason WNIT.
Baylor's home slate features four teams that posted over 23 wins last season and two teams with 25 or more wins appear on its road schedule. Lady Bear head coach Kim Mulkey will put her 116-8 regular-season non-conference mark on the line against some very stiff competition. However, the Lady Bears return four starters, guards Kelli Griffin, Melissa Jones and Shanay Washington and All-American post Brittney Griner, off last season's NCAA Championship Final Four team that finished the year with a 27-10 mark.
"We have assembled the toughest non-conference schedule in program history. I feel that our program is at a point that we will benefit tremendously by playing a tough schedule. In addition to playing at Connecticut, we've got Tennessee and Notre Dame, among others, coming to the Ferrell Center. Baylor fans will see a lot of All-Americans playing in Waco this season," said Mulkey.
After home exhibition games against St. Edward's University (Nov. 1) and Texas A&M International (Nov. 5), the Lady Bears open the regular season for the second straight year hosting the World Vision Invitational. Joining Baylor for the Nov. 12-14 action will be Florida International (14-16), Montana State (18-14) and Rice (13-17).
Baylor then travels to Hartford, Conn., for a Nov. 16 contest against defending national champion Connecticut. The Huskies cruised through the 2009-10 season with a perfect 39-0 mark and enter the upcoming season riding a 78-game win streak - the longest in NCAA Division I women's basketball history. Connecticut defeated Baylor in the NCAA Tournament semifinals in San Antonio on April 4, 70-50. UConn will be led by senior forward and two-time Wade Trophy winner Maya Moore who will have help from the backcourt of Tiffany Hayes and Caroline Doty. Moore led the Huskies in scoring with 18.9 points a game and also contributed 8.3 rebounds a contest.
The Lady Bears return home for seven straight contests beginning with a Nov. 19 matchup with Michigan State as part of the Big 6 Challenge. The Spartans were 23-10 last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's second round before losing to Kentucky. Texas Southern (13-18) visits the Ferrell Center on Nov. 23, then the Lady Bears face a Nov. 26 contest against Liberty University. The Flames were 27-6 in 2009-10 after losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Bears' final game of the month will be on Nov. 28 when they host Southeastern Louisiana (12-18).
December begins with Baylor hosting Notre Dame on Dec. 1, the Irish return two starters off last season's 29-6 squad which advanced to the NCAA's Sweet 16 for the eighth time. Notre Dame will be led by sophomore guard Skylar Diggins, an AP All-America honorable mention, who averaged 13.9 points, 3.2 assists and 2.6 steals a game.
Minnesota travels to Waco for a Dec. 5 contest as part of the Big 10-Big 12 Challenge. The Golden Gophers were 13-17 last season and will be led by junior guard Kiara Buford who started in every game and was the team's leading scorer with 13.1 points per game.
The Tennessee Lady Vols make their first Ferrell Center appearance on Dec. 14. Baylor and Tennessee split their two games last season, the Lady Vols won the season opener in Knoxville (74-65) while the Lady Bears downed Tennessee in the NCAA's Sweet 16 in Memphis, Tenn., 77-62. Tennessee, 32-3 last season, will be led by senior guard Angie Bjorklund and junior guard Shekinna Stricklen both of whom earned AP All-American honorable mention status. Bjorklund led the team in scoring with 13.9 points a game while Stricklen was second in scoring at 12.7 a game and dished out a team-high 3.9 assists a contest.
Baylor makes is second and final regular-season non-conference road trip when it travels to Nassau, Bahamas, for the Bahamas Sunsplash Shootout Dec. 21-22. On Dec. 21 the Lady Bears will take on a Syracuse (25-11) squad that advanced to the quarterfinals of the Postseason WNIT, then face Clemson on Dec. 22. The Tigers were 13-18 last season and will be guided by first-year head coach, and former Clemson player, Itoro Umoh Coleman.
The Lady Bears close out their non-conference schedule with a home contest against UT-Pan American (13-17) on Dec. 30.
Baylor's 16-game Big 12 slate will be announced at a later date. The Lady Bears play home and away games against Big 12 South foes Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, will host Iowa State, Kansas State and Missouri and play at Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska.
2010-11 Baylor Lady Bear
Non-Conference Basketball Schedule
Date Day Opponent Site
NOVEMBER
1 Mon. ST. EDWARD'S UNIVERSITY (EXH.) WACO
5 Fri. TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL (EXH.) WACO
12-14 Fri.-Sun. WORLD VISION INVITATIONAL WACO (Baylor, Florida International, Montana State, Rice)
16 Tue. at Connecticut Hartford, Conn.
19 Fri. MICHIGAN STATE (Big 6 Challenge) WACO
23 Tue. TEXAS SOUTHERN WACO
26 Fri. LIBERTY WACO
28 Sun. SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA WACO
WACO, Texas - Women's basketball player Morghan Medlock is one of five recipients selected by the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A) to receive the association's Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award.
The Wilma Rudolph Student-Athlete Achievement Award honors student-athletes who have overcome great personal, academic, and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics. Other recipients beside Medlock are Wilson Holloway (Tulsa), Mary Isom (LSU), Rickey Thernarse (Nebraska) and Megan Mahoney (Marist).
Medlock, a Pasadena, Calif., native, will receive her award on Saturday, June 12, at the N4A national convention in Salt Lake City.
Her mother, Shannan Barron, was murdered during the 2008-09 basketball season, Medlock's first at Baylor. Medlock, even though she was grief stricken, did not miss a game. She was able to continue to excel on the basketball court, take care of business in the classroom and deal with all of the pressures of settling her mother's estate.
Medlock started in 35 of 37 games, averaging 9.7 points and 7.6 rebounds as a senior in 2009-10. She was the team's second-leading rebounder and third-leading scorer and helped the Lady Bears to the NCAA Final Four and a 27-10 record. In her two seasons at Baylor, Medlock scored 602 points and hauled down 438 rebounds.
"Morghan Medlock is so deserving of this award, she has endured more in her young life than most of us experience in a lifetime," said Lady Bear head coach Kim Mulkey. "Morghan has handled adversity like the true champion that she is and has demonstrated that she can handle whatever life throws at her and still come out on top."
The Rudolph Award is named after the former track and field standout. Rudolph became the first American female athlete to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games. At the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome, she won gold in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 4x100-meter relay.
WACO, Texas - Midway (Texas) High School senior Makenzie Robertson has signed a national letter of intent to play at Baylor, her mother, Lady Bear head coach Kim Mulkey announced today.
Robertson, a 5-9 guard, recently capped an extremely successful senior season and prep career, guiding the Midway Panthers to the regional semifinals and a 31-6 record. During Robertson's four years as a varsity starter, Midway posted a 128-19 record which included a 2009 state championship.
"I have never coached my children before so this will definitely be a new experience for both of us," said Mulkey. "I look forward to her joining the Lady Bear program; we will never turn down a good perimeter shooter. She was actively recruited by other schools in Texas and narrowed it down to three before choosing Baylor. Along with her three-point shooting prowess, Makenzie has great basketball knowledge, court awareness and passing ability which will make her a valuable addition to our program."
As a three-point shooting specialist, Robertson ranked No. 29 nationally on Max Preps' three-point shooting chart, draining 3.4 per game while shooting 41.6 percent from beyond the arch. Additionally, she averaged 16.2 points and 5.0 rebounds a game and shot 77.4 percent from the free throw line. Robertson set a Midway record when she drained nine three-pointers against Cleburne on Jan. 26, 2010.
As a senior, Robertson earned all-state honors from both the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) and Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) and was named to both association's all-star teams. She also is a two-time TABC All-Region selection and a three-time Super Centex first-team honoree. Robertson was named District 16-4A's 2009-10 most valuable player and was a three-time first-team all-district selection.
"I think Makenzie, with her experience and ability, is very well suited to play at the next level and at Baylor in particular. In addition to being an outstanding outside shooter, she is a team player with a mental toughness that is unparalleled," said Midway head coach Todd Monsey.
Robertson has played AAU basketball the past four summers, two with Domino's out of New Orleans and most recently with the DFW T-Jack Elite program in Dallas. "Makenzie is very familiar with many of the players in our program after playing with several of them in the DFW Elite organization," said Mulkey.
Robertson also participated in volleyball and track at Midway and is a four-year starter in softball.
In other Lady Bear basketball news, guard Cherrish Wallace (Pasadena, Calif.), has taken a medical retirement from basketball. Due to a chronic leg injury, Wallace qualified for a medical retirement earlier this season. The 5-6 sophomore was sidelined 11 games into her freshman season and did not see any action in 2009-10.
