Texas to go against Baylor’s dynamic duo of Cox, Brown

Two Lady Bears form perhaps best frontcourt in nation.

There were too many responses to choose just one. Lauren Cox and Kalani Brown

Baylor’s dominant duo that has imposed its will on both ends of the court for the thirdranked Lady Bears immediately met the question with laughter.

“Kalani, what’s your most used phrase?”

Cox crinkled her nose, while Brown looked up at the ceiling. The two were seated in the media room inside the Ferrell Center with papers and Sharpies in hand.

Everyone knows how well they play on the court together. At 6 feet 4 and 6-7, they form arguably the best frontcourt in the country. But it’s not all about size with these two. Their field-goal percentages are each higher than 50 percent, as Brown leads the country, shooting better than 70 percent from the floor. Their rebounding is top-notch too; each is just shy of averaging a double-double.

But what solidifies state- ments from coaches and ana- lysts across the country that there are none better than Cox and Brown is how they play together. Merely a look or a nod communicates everything they need to know before a high-low play is executed to perfection or the oppos- ing team is denied access to the lane. Or it’s a hand motion. They both sat trying to come up with their answers when Cox said: “Well, it’s not really a phrase. It’s a hand motion.”

And that set Brown off laughing again as she nod- ded in approval. Finally after the two wrote down their answers, each delivered her message with Brown’s signa- ture hand motion. She forms a bird beak with each of her hands and points her fingers to the ceiling.

“You’ve got to get over the screen,” was Cox’s answer, as Brown said, “We’re not switching.” Both, of course, were accompanied by the same hand motion.

From most used phrases to favorite snacks, Cox and Brown had to guess what the other would say. They did pretty well, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has watched Baylor play this season.

“It’s unreal,” senior Kristy Wallace said. “Getting to play with Lauren and Kalani, they play so well together. They make everyone around them a lot better. I love playing with them. They do a really good job for our team.”

This season, Brown and Cox have combined for 39 percent of the Lady Bears’ offensive output. In Big 12 play alone, the duo makes up 40.3 percent of Baylor’s scoring. Yes, they both can play with their backs to the basket, make a move and score. But they can both also turn and face. They’ve got range. Cox has hit a few 3-pointers. Brown can score from the top of the key.

“If there are two better in the country, I need to see them playing together,” Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. “They pass to each other well, they get along, and they have great size. At 6-foot-7 and 6-foot4, that’s hard to duplicate.”