Northern Arizona (22-10) vs. Baylor (24-6) 8:00 pm EST
TUCSON, Arizona (Ticker) -- This time around, things will be
different for Baylor.A year after their remarkable run to the national crown, the
third-seeded Lady Bears open defense of the title when they take
on No. 14 Northern Arizona in the first round of the
Albuquerque Region on Saturday.Baylor (24-6) was a second seed last season but not often
discussed with the normal national powerhouses like Tennessee
and North Carolina. But led by since-departed Stephanie
Blackmon and current leading scorer Sophia Young, it knocked off
three straight No. 1 seeds en route to its first national
championship.The senior Young has taken over the top spot for the Bears,
averaging 22.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.1 steals to claim Big
12 Conference Player of the Year honors.In order to start off on the right foot, Baylor may have to deal
with a slight home court advantage for Northern Arizona
(22-10), which is just 260 miles away. The Lumberjacks are
making their first Tournament appearance after winning the Big
Sky Tournament title.The winner will face either sixth-seeded Florida or No. 11 New
Mexico in Monday's second round.
