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We continue our season preview coverage with Baylor SR PF Lauren Cox. Virginia lost several players after winning an NCAA title last spring (including Kyle Guy/De’Andre Hunter/Ty Jerome) but the Baylor women’s team lost almost as much after winning their own title, with Kalani Brown/Chloe Jackson each being selected among the top-15 picks at the 2019 WNBA Draft. 1 returner that Coach Kim Mulkey will be able to count on is Lauren: she was named conference DPOY and is finally healthy after suffering a left knee injury in the 3rd quarter of the title game win over Notre Dame. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Lauren about winning a title and playing against her sister next month.
You are 6’4”: how big of an advantage is your height on the court? It is a big advantage, especially on defense. I also have really long arms that help me alter shots and on offense it gives me the ability to shoot over smaller defenders.
In 2016 you were named national high school POY at Flower Mound High School: what made you choose Baylor? I chose Baylor because of the winning program, the family environment, and the fact that it was close to home.
Later that summer you were named tourney MVP at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship: what did it mean to you to win a gold medal, and which of your teammates impressed you the most (Chennedy Carter/Tyasha Harris/Evina Westbrook/other)? It meant a lot to win the gold with the U18 national team. It is always a blessing to be able to represent the US. I really enjoyed playing with every player on that team: they all brought different skills to the roster and now they are all having successful college careers.
You play for Hall of Famer Kim Mulkey: what makes her such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from her so far? Coach Mulkey is one of the most competitive and intense coaches that I have ever seen and that is what I love about her. She hates to lose and you can see this through her coaching. One of the most important things that she has taught me is to never lose my competitive drive and never be content.
Last year your 92 BLK were #14 in the nation and you were named conference DPOY: what is the secret to being a great shot-blocker? I played volleyball in high school so I think that really helped with some of my shot-blocking ability. I also understand angles and timing.
In the 2019 NCAA tourney title game you scored 8 PTS before suffering a left knee injury in the 3rd quarter of a 1-PT win over Notre Dame: what did it mean to you to win a title, and how is your health doing at the moment? Getting that win was one of the best feelings of my life. We had worked hard all year so holding that trophy up at the end was a dream come true. I am 100% now and playing/practicing just like usual.
You are 1 of 4 seniors/grad students on the roster: how much pressure is there on you to be a leader this year? I do not think there is much pressure on me to be a leader because I was in that role during my sophomore and junior years. I just have to keep doing what I have been doing by leading my team both on and off the court.
In October Baylor will host an exhibition game vs. Lubbock Christian to raise awareness for diabetes: how excited are you to face your sister Whitney? I am really excited to play against Whitney. We have a ton of family coming to the game and it will be really exciting. It is also very special because it is our type 1 diabetes awareness game.
Your mother Brenda played basketball at SMU and your father Dennis also played college basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? I would say that right now I am the best athlete based on my experience but my sisters all have different skills and they will all improve as they get older.
What are your goals for the upcoming season, and what are your expectations for the upcoming season? Our ultimate goal is to make it back to the Final Four and win another national championship. I expect everyone to come back this year with the same intensity and the same will to win as last year so I am excited to get started with this team.