Defense Stifles Utah in No. 18 Baylor WBB’s 61-45 Road Victory

[Pirtle, Colin]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – Jan. 14, 2026

Defense Stifles Utah in No. 18 Baylor WBB’s 61-45 Road Victory
Bears remain undefeated on the road, winning each of their last nine
For more information contact: Colin Pirtle; 940-564-0351, colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu

SALT LAKE CITY – No. 18 Baylor women’s basketball cruised past Utah 61-45 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Wednesday night, improving to 16-3 overall and 5-1 in Big 12 play. The Bears held the Utes to 26.2% from the field and a season-low 12% from beyond the arc.

The victory marked the Bears' ninth consecutive true road win, a streak dating back to last season that has kept Baylor undefeated away from home this year. The Bears have now won 15 of their last 17 games as a visitor.

Baylor came out firing from beyond the arc, knocking down four first-quarter three-pointers, the most made since their non-conference bout against Southeastern Louisiana and tied for the second-most this season. Jana Van Gytenbeek led the early assault, draining a pair of triples as part of her 10-point night, while Bella Fontleroy and Taliah Scott each connected from deep to help Baylor build a 21-18 advantage after one quarter.

The Bears shooting cooled in the second period, but the defense made up the difference. After Utah pulled within one point with just over three minutes remaining in the half, Baylor locked down defensively and closed out the first half with a 10-0 run. Kiersten Johnson's three-pointer ignited the surge, and Scott added four points during the stretch as the Bears took a 35-24 lead into the locker room.

Scott finished with a team-high 14 points on 5-of-21 shooting, adding three assists and a steal. Van Gytenbeek was efficient on the night, going 4-of-6 from the field including 2-of-4 from three-point range, and dished out a game-high six assists.

The Bears extended their lead third-quarter lead to as many as 16 points, but a 6-0 Utah run off free throws brought the Utes back within 10. However, Darianna Littlepage-Buggs answered with a jumper to give Baylor a 12-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

Littlepage-Buggs recorded 11 points on a 5-of-6 shooting night, while grabbing nine rebounds, moving to No. 7 all-time in program history for career rebounds. Fontleroy added eight points and recorded her 100th career block, ending the night with three swats.

Yuting Deng provided a spark off the bench with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting in nearly 20 minutes of action.

Redshirt sophomore Ines Goryanova got her first career playing time in the books after appearances in the second and fourth quarters.

The Bears' defensive dominance was on full display in the second half, limiting Utah to 21 points over the final 20 minutes. The Utes managed only eight points in the fourth quarter as Baylor pulled away for the 16-point victory.

BU remains in the Beehive State to face BYU on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be live on ESPN+ and the Baylor Sports Media Network.

Baylor women's basketball is presented by Central National Bank, a family-owned, independent bank headquartered in Waco, Texas, that provides uniquely personal service while simultaneously embracing the latest developments in banking technology.

To stay up to date, follow the team on its official Facebook, X and Instagram accounts: @BaylorWBB.

 - BaylorBears<http://www.baylorbears/>.com -




_________________________________________

Colin Pirtle | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (WBB, Soccer, W. Tennis)

Department of Athletics | Baylor University

C: 940-564-0351



[signature_2230589939]<http://baylorbears.com/>


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