WACO, Texas — In a commanding performance on Thursday night, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs delivered an impressive 23 points with a shooting accuracy of 10-of-17, propelling No. 12 Baylor to a decisive victory over Incarnate Word with a final score of 85-33.

Aaronette Vonleh contributed significantly as well, scoring 16 points to aid the Bears in their opening game of the season. Jana Van Gytenbeek added 10 points alongside five assists, while Jada Walker recorded six points and an impressive 10 assists. Bella Fontleroy also made her mark with nine points and 14 rebounds.

The momentum shifted in Baylor’s favor when Littlepage-Buggs sank a layup, igniting a 12-3 run that concluded the first quarter at 17-10 in their favor. The Bears continued to dominate in the second quarter, outscoring Incarnate Word (0-2) 21-9, and surged ahead with three 3-pointers during a strong 15-0 run in the third quarter, extending their lead to 64-28 by the start of the fourth.

For Incarnate Word, Brynn Lusby was the standout performer, leading the team with 10 points.

Baylor’s defense was a crucial factor in the game, as they registered 14 steals and capitalized on 24 turnovers made by the Cardinals, scoring 30 points from those mistakes. The Bears were dominant on the boards as well, out-rebounding Incarnate Word 47-22, including 15 offensive rebounds, and completely shutting out the Cardinals in second-chance points with a score of 13-0.

The Bears came into this season with a solid foundation, returning 80% of their scoring from last year’s squad and adding Vonleh, who transferred from Colorado and was recognized as an all-Pac-12 selection in the previous season.