Wildcats Drop Season Opener to (RV) Friends, 88-67

BALDWIN CITY - The Baker women's basketball team opened its 2025-26 campaign at home Thursday night, falling 88-67 to (RV) Friends inside the Collins Center.

The Falcons shot a blistering 51 percent from the field and led from late in the first quarter onward, using a decisive second-quarter stretch to create separation and carry a double-digit margin for most of the night. Friends won each of the first three quarters by slim but steady margins - 19-14, 20-13, and 17-16 - before closing strong with a 32-point fourth quarter to seal the nonconference victory.

Baker was paced by transfer guard Skye Pepp, who made an immediate impression in her Wildcat debut with a team-high 19 points, five assists, and three steals. Pepp is a sophomore from Dallas, Texas and is in her first year at BU after transferring from Loyola New Orleans.

Taniya Tease added 15 points - including 10 in the first half - along with three steals, while Gabby Rose chipped in 11 points to round out three Wildcats in double figures.

Early on, Baker found some rhythm through its defense and a new press to start the season. Pepp's facilitation and Tease's quick scoring helped the Wildcats take an early 7–4 lead, and the teams traded baskets to a 14-14 tie before Friends closed the first quarter on a 7–0 run.

The Falcons stretched that momentum into a 9-0 spurt to start the second quarter before a free throw from Kennedy Bryan broke the drought. Consecutive layups from Mari Tease and Rose kept Baker within single digits, but Friends used second-chance points and timely threes to take a 39–27 lead into halftime.

The third quarter featured another Baker push. A pair of baskets from Pepp, including a three-pointer and a driving layup, sparked the offense, and a late three from Lauren Berg ended a lengthy cold stretch from the field. Friends' hot perimeter shooting, which sank three triples in the period, extended its advantage to 22, but Baker closed the quarter on a 9-0 run to pull within 56-43 entering the final frame.

Bryan opened the fourth with a three-pointer to make it 62-49, and an and-one finish from Pepp capped a mini 10-5 run that trimmed the deficit to 71–59 with under five minutes to go. However, the Falcons clamped down defensively and allowed just one Baker field goal over the final stretch to put the game away.

Friends finished 6-of-14 from beyond the arc and out-rebounded Baker 54-34, using 30 bench points to hold a key advantage in the up-tempo matchup. The Wildcats shot 33 percent from the floor and 5-of-23 from three, while both sides struggled at the line. Baker went 16-of-24 from the line and Friends went 10-of-17 with a combined 3-of-11 showing in the first half from the two teams.

Baker will turn around and host another team from the Kansas College Athletics Conference with a matchup against Ottawa on Monday, November 3, at 5:30 p.m. in the Collins Center.

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