WACO, Texas (Interstat) — Darianna Littlepage-Buggs scored 25 points and Bella Fontleroy added 17 as the Baylor Lady Bears used a dominant first half to cruise past the Houston Cougars 82-66 in a Big 12 Conference women’s basketball game Tuesday night at the Ferrell Center.

A crowd of 3,438 watched Baylor improve to 19-3 overall and remain near the top of the conference standings. Houston fell to 6-14, still seeking its first league victory.

The most important part of the game was Baylor’s immediate and overwhelming start, which effectively decided the contest in the opening quarter. The Lady Bears raced out to an 18-11 lead after the first period, fueled by a 9-0 run midway through the quarter that established a tone of control. Littlepage-Buggs, a 6-foot-1 forward from Oklahoma City, was central to that early surge, scoring six points during the opening frame as Baylor’s offense operated with crisp efficiency.

Houston struggled to find any offensive rhythm against Baylor’s defensive pressure, scoring just eight points in the second quarter. The Lady Bears, meanwhile, maintained their scoring pace with another 18-point period, taking a commanding 36-19 lead into halftime. The Cougars shot poorly from the field in the half and committed 10 turnovers, which Baylor converted into easy transition opportunities.

The second half saw a more competitive offensive effort from Houston, particularly from Amirah Abdur-Rahim and Kyndall Hunter. Abdur-Rahim, a 6-3 forward from Marietta, Georgia, finished with a team-high 17 points, while Hunter, a guard from Houston, also scored 17. The Cougars outscored Baylor 25-26 in a high-paced third quarter and added 22 points in the fourth, but the deficit was far too large to overcome.

Baylor’s lead never dipped below 16 points in the second half. The Lady Bears answered every Houston push, with Littlepage-Buggs and Fontleroy providing consistent scoring. Littlepage-Buggs, who played 35 minutes, added three assists to her game-high point total. Fontleroy, a 6-foot guard from Springfield, Missouri, contributed 17 points and was active on the boards.

Baylor’s backcourt controlled the game’s flow. Jana Van Gytenbeek, a 5-7 guard from Greenwood Village, Colorado, dished out seven assists to go with eight points. Taliah Scott, from Orange Park, Florida, added 14 points. Kyla Abraham provided a strong interior presence off the bench, scoring 10 points and grabbing several key rebounds.

For Houston, guard Briana Peguero of Houston tallied 14 points and a game-high seven assists, orchestrating the Cougars’ improved second-half offense. However, Houston’s early struggles, combined with Baylor’s balanced and efficient attack, proved insurmountable.

Baylor entered the game as a heavy favorite and performed to expectations, covering the pregame spread. The combined score of 148 points sailed over the projected total.

The Lady Bears, who have now won four consecutive games, will travel to face West Virginia on Sunday. Houston, mired in a seven-game losing streak, returns home to host Cincinnati on Sunday.