Reputation has a lot to do with that. They lost a lot and have to depend on frosh in the backcourt although they do have Chou, who is an outstanding shooter and Wallace, a second returning starter along with Brown. I don't have a problem with both Brown and Cox playing together, same as I don't have problem with Jatarie and Audrey-Ann playing together for us. Brown is not foul prone. Cox may be as foul prone as Jatarie and Audrey-Ann but one has to think experience will alleviate that problem. Those two starting together (Brown & Cox) may be part of their best starting lineup. Their biggest problem in the post is simply a lack of numbers. Fouls or injuries will severely test that depth. I do think they are top ten, not sure they are better than us coming into the season based on who has come back on either team. They lost as much as South Carolina.
I realize that Baylor was a veteran team last season, but in two games against us, Natalie Chou went scoreless while averaging 5 minutes a game. Mulkey couldn't leave her out there because she couldn't guard any of our back court players or Brianna Taylor. I'm sure Chou works hard, and she has a nice shot, she just has to be wide open to convert. Lauren Cox averaged 5 points against us and 13 minutes a game. I think her future is at Center, not Power Forward; she is not quick or athletic enough to play the four in the pros.
Just like we expect last year's frosh/newcomers on our team to have improved from last season, I expect the same from Baylor's frosh/newcomers. No player, unless they do not put in the time and effort, plays at the same level as they did as freshmen. Texas coaches didn't go hard after Chou because she was only a spot up shooter. Cox may not be a four but she can provide minutes there even if she is primarily suited for the C position. The issue for Baylor is that they may not have much of a choice in deciding to play Cox and Brown together. It is going to be interesting to me to see how Coach Mulkey handles her post players and how Cohen, the only other F on the squad ius used. We are in kinda of the same situation where our ideal rotation would have Jatarie at the five position and Audrey-Ann backing her up. But without Joyner, imo, the best lineup includes both Jatarie and Audrey-Ann starting. Now, either Jordan or Rellah may improve enough to push Audrey-Ann to the bench, but I don't see that happening during the out of conference games. For a change, Horns have the edge in experience in the backcourt and bodies to counter Baylor's thin frontcourt.
They have in previous years but I found this at the tail end of an ESPN article: “The Big 12 didn't do a preseason poll for women's basketball, but did for men's basketball. The Big 12 women's coaches voted not to have one.”
