BEAUMONT, Texas - Facing its second Top 25 team in as many games, Lamar University's women's basketball team will hit the road again this Thursday to play at #2 Baylor. The Cardinals and Lady Bears will tip at 7 p.m. at the Ferrell Center and on ESPN+.

Lamar at #2 Baylor - Thursday, November 21 at 7 p.m. - ESPN+ - Ferrell Center (Waco, Texas)

Baylor leads the all-time series between the two schools 9-3, and is currently on a 4-0 streak against LU with the last meeting coming at Baylor on Nov. 10, 2017. On the current roster, only Jadyn Pimentel, Ashlan Miles, and Briana Laidler remain from that previous game. Pimentel scored 12 points and had three boards, three assists, and two steals in her collegiate debut, and Miles had eight points, three boards, and an assist, and Laidler had four points, two board, and a steal.

The reigning national champions, #2 Baylor was picked to repeat as Big 12 champions in the conference's preseason poll, receiving nine of the league's 10 first place votes. The Lady Bears have been ranked #2 since the preseason AP poll was released, and are 3-0 this year after winning 97-29 over New Hampshire, 120-46 over Grambling State, and 112-42 over Houston Baptist, all at home. The Lady Bears will face their first Top 25 test Tuesday night against #22 South Florida, also at home.

Kim Mulkey entered her 20th season as the head coach of Baylor with 576 career wins, three national championships, four Final Four appearances, nine Elite Eight appearances, 14 Sweet 16 appearances, 18 NCAA appearances, and one WNIT Finals appearance.

Baylor is averaging about 110 points a game while allowing just 117 points total to its three regular season opponents. That 70 point margin of victory is made possible by 58.3 percent shooting from the floor, 50.0 percent shooting beyond the arc, and a 73.8 percent clip from the penalty stripe. Baylor is allowing a 21.9 percent shooting clip including just 15 percent from three and 62.5 percent from the line.

The preseason Big 12 Player of the year was Lauren Cox, but after recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in the NCAA Championship game, a foot injury against Houston Baptist could keep her out against Lamar. Te'a Cooper was tabbed as the Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year after coming to Baylor as a grad transfer from South Carolina, and Juicy Landrum and NaLyssa Smith were also Preseason All-Big 12. Cooper has lived up to that preseason hype so far, earning Big 12 Player of the Week honors following a 23 point, 10 assist, and four steal night against HBU.

The Last Time Out - at #14 NC State - November 14

Forcing double the number of turnovers they committed and doubling up the Wolfpack in blocks, Lamar University's women's basketball team had several bright spots Thursday night while playing on the road against a team that could win the Atlantic Coast Conference. Ultimately the Cardinals fell to #14 North Carolina State 81-40.

Up Next

Lamar will return home briefly to host the University of Louisiana-Lafayette next Monday before closing out the month of November on the road at the Shareslo Holiday Classic where LU will face Idaho and Cal Poly. Home games against LeTourneau (Dec. 2) and Denver (Dec. 8) will open up the final month of 2019, and SLC play begins Dec. 18 at Southeastern Louisiana.