Preview: Baylor Lady Bears at Duke Blue Devils

DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — Two teams with identical records and national seeding collide Sunday when the sixth-seeded Baylor Lady Bears face the sixth-seeded Duke Blue Devils in a second-round NCAA women’s basketball tournament game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Tipoff is set for March 22, 2026, with Duke (25-8) installed as a 12.5-point favorite. The over/under is 126.5.

Both teams enter at 25-8 overall after securing first-round victories Friday. Baylor held off Nebraska 67-62, while Duke dispatched College of Charleston 81-64.

The matchup features a compelling post battle between Baylor’s Darianna Littlepage-Buggs and Duke’s Toby Fournier. Littlepage-Buggs is coming off a double-double against Nebraska with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Fournier dominated in Duke’s opener, scoring 24 points with seven rebounds and two blocks in just 23 minutes.

Baylor, which defeated Duke 58-52 in a nonconference game on Nov. 3, 2025, has relied on a balanced attack. Alongside Littlepage-Buggs, Bella Fontleroy added 10 points and seven rebounds against Nebraska.

Duke’s strength lies in its versatility and defense. Beyond Fournier’s interior presence, Jordan Wood (17 points) and Delaney Thomas (19 points, nine rebounds) provided significant production against Charleston. The Blue Devils have won four straight, including an overtime victory over Louisville on March 8.

Baylor’s path has been less consistent, with alternating wins and losses in its last five games. Protecting the ball and containing Fournier will be critical for the Lady Bears to advance.

The winner will advance to the Sweet 16.