It was just a matter of time before it occurred. We witnessed evidence of its impending arrival over the past two seasons. Now we are currently living and witnessing the Brittney Griner era of women’s basketball and the dominance of the program at Baylor University.
Coach Kim Mulkey’s Baylor team has been No. 1 in the polls for the majority of the season. At last count they were 30-0 and a perfect 17-0 in Big 12 conference play.
For Mulkey the success of the Baylor program is the latest, not the first. In 11 years at Baylor she has won a national title (2005) and led the Lady Bears to 10, 20-win seasons and nine NCAA tournament appearances, including two Final Fours in the last six years.
Mulkey’s success at Baylor is undeniable and the No. 1 concept in her approach to the game is defense. Year in and year out the Lady Bears are among the nation’s leaders in most defensive categories.
“If you look at NCAA stats, we’re up there in field goal percentage defense and we take great pride in that,” Mulkey said. “You’re not going to play for me if you’re not going to guard people. If you’re coming out of a game you’re usually coming out for something you did wrong on the defensive end of the floor.
“…You can come to our practices and see that there are days we don’t even do anything offensively and we take a lot of pride in that.”
Despite an unblemished record during the regular season, Mulkey has her team focused on one singular goal, winning the national crown.
“[An undefeated season] hasn’t been a goal of ours; it’s not on the goal board,” Mulkey contends. “I mean, you certainly want to win every time you play but if we lose one of the next five – two regular season games and three tournaments – it’s okay. It’s the last six games we’re focusing on and those are the last six games of the NCAA tournament.”
For Brittney Griner, it’s the reason she came to Baylor, the pursuit of a national championship.
The 6-foot-8 junior from Aldine Nimitz continues to be the college game’s most dominating presence. The two-time All-American is averaging 22.6 points per game, 9.7 rebounds, 5.4 blocks and shooting .803 from the free throw line.
Though Griner is never one to toot her own horn, observers around the country are eager to sing her praises.
“You have to play differently against Baylor when Griner is in the game than you do against any other team in the country,” former UConn All-American turned ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said. “That’s why she’s the Player of the Year.”
Kris Gardner of the Houston Roundball Review blog is a maven of the women’s hoops game and has observed Griner’s development since high school.
“Brittney has worked very hard to improve her game since the days she was a dunker and a shot blocker at Nimitz,” Gardner said. “She’s improved her skills game from her freshman season at Baylor to now, her junior year.
“Brittney has developed more than just one move in the post,” Gardner said. “Her face-up game has gotten better. Her jump hook has improved. She’s a much, much better free-throw shooter as well. Lastly, she’s gotten better passing the ball out of double and triple teams, too.”
Lest you think Baylor is a one-woman team Gardner offers a word of caution.
“Baylor is not just the BG show. Teammates like sophomore point guard Odyssey Sims get the job on offense and defense,” Gardner continued. “Odyssey is one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the women’s college game, and she’s a deadly three-point shooter.
“Plus, transfers Destiny Williams [from Illinois] and Brooklyn Pople [from Rutgers] crash the boards and share the scoring load up front, too,” Gardner said. “Kim Mulkey has this year’s Baylor Lady Bears’ squad on a mission to win the national title this season. Anything less would be a disappointment.”
Max Edison
