Baylor Bears knocked out of NCAA Women's Tournament after shooting struggles

Duke Blue Devils defeat Baylor 69-46 to advance to Sweet 16

Mar. 22, 2026 at 11:03pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Baylor Bears were eliminated from the NCAA Women's Tournament after a poor shooting performance, losing to the Duke Blue Devils 69-46 in the second round. Baylor was held to its worst offensive output of the season, shooting just 30.2% overall and failing to make a single 3-pointer.

Why it matters

Baylor's early exit from the tournament is a disappointment for the program, which had high hopes entering the postseason. The Bears' inability to find their shooting touch proved to be their downfall against a tough Duke squad.

The details

Duke jumped out to a 9-0 lead as Baylor missed its first six shots and didn't score for the first 5:56 of the game. The Blue Devils led 38-16 at halftime and extended their advantage to as much as 29 points in the second half. Baylor star Taliah Scott, who scored 24 points in an earlier win over Duke, was held to just 13 points on 3-of-17 shooting.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 22, 2026.

The players

Delaney Thomas

A player for the Duke Blue Devils who scored 17 points in the win.

Toby Fournier

A Duke player who scored 15 points, including 13 in the first half.

Arianna Roberson

A Duke player who had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Ashlon Jackson

A Duke player who scored 12 points in the victory.

Taliah Scott

The leading scorer for Baylor with 13 points, but she shot just 3-of-17 from the field.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

Duke will play No. 2 LSU in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Women's Tournament. This will be a rematch of an earlier meeting that LSU won 93-77.

The takeaway

Baylor's early tournament exit is a disappointment, as the Bears struggled mightily on the offensive end, failing to make a single 3-pointer and shooting just 30.2% overall. Duke's stifling defense proved to be too much for Baylor to overcome.