Baylor Lady Bears Basketball: Student Tickets, Schedule & Game Day Guide

If you're a Baylor student and you've never been to a Lady Bears basketball game, you're missing one of the easiest — and best — free nights in Waco. The Baylor Lady Bears are one of the most decorated programs in women's college basketball history, and all it takes to get in is your student ID. No waitlist, no lottery, no $80 ticket fee. Just show up.

Here's everything you need to know about attending Baylor Lady Bears basketball as a student.

The Short Version: Everything Is Free

Student admission to all regular season Baylor Lady Bears home games is included with your Baylor student ID. Pick up your ticket at the Student Life Box Office (Baylor Ferrell Center lobby) or scan your ID directly at the student entrance gate. Most games don't require advance reservations — you walk up, scan, you're in.

For high-demand games (Big 12 rivals, nationally ranked opponents), get there 30–45 minutes early so you can claim a good seat in the student section.

Where They Play: The Ferrell Center

Baylor Lady Bears basketball home games are played at the Ferrell Center at 2400 S 4th St, Waco TX 76706. The arena seats 10,284 and opened in 1988. It's named for benefactor Lamar Ferrell, and the court honors legendary head coach Kim Mulkey (yes, even after she left for LSU in 2021 — the winning record she built here didn't leave with her).

If you're living at 19Eleven on S 8th Street, the Ferrell Center is about 0.5–0.7 miles away — a 10–12 minute walk heading north on S 8th toward 4th Street, or a quick 3-minute drive. Parking is available in the Ferrell Center lots and surrounding streets, but walking from 19Eleven is genuinely the easier option on busy game nights when parking fills up fast.

The Lady Bears' Extraordinary History

This isn't just a good college basketball program. The Baylor Lady Bears are one of the most successful programs in the history of women's college athletics.

The championship run:

• 2 NCAA National Championships — 2005 and 2012, both under coach Kim Mulkey
• 11 Final Four appearances
• 15+ Sweet Sixteen appearances
• Multiple Big 12 Conference championships
• At least one NCAA Tournament appearance in every eligible season for nearly two decades

The players who came through Waco:

• Brittney Griner (2009–2013): 2x AP National Player of the Year, 2012 national champion, went #1 overall in the WNBA Draft, and became one of the most dominant players in both college and professional basketball history
• NaLyssa Smith (2019–2022): 2022 AP National Player of the Year, Indiana Fever, arguably the program's last superstar before the current rebuild era
• Odyssey Sims, Lauren Cox, DiDi Richards — multiple WNBA draft picks from a single program in Waco, Texas

Coach Nicki Collen took over in 2021 after Kim Mulkey departed for LSU. The transition era is real — the program is rebuilding toward its former elite level — but the talent is still there, the Big 12 is still one of the best conferences in the country, and watching a competitive college basketball game for free is still a great night out regardless of the current win-loss record.

The Game Day Experience

The Ferrell Center has a distinct advantage over the football stadium: it's intimate. Every seat has a clear sightline to the court. The atmosphere in the student section during a Big 12 rivalry game is genuinely loud. Women's college basketball is fast — more fast breaks, more transition, less standing around in the paint than the men's game, which a lot of fans actually prefer.

What a typical game night looks like:

• Doors open: Usually 60–90 minutes before tip-off
• Warm-ups: 30–45 minutes before the game — worth watching if you want to see the players up close
• Game length: Most games run 1.5–2 hours including halftime
• Concessions: Available on all levels; standard arena food and drinks; beer sold for fans 21+
• Halftime: 15 minutes — worth staying for the student section between-quarter activities

The student section is in the lower bowl. For Big 12 opponents (Iowa State, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma State), the student section fills up and gets loud. For mid-week non-conference games, it's more relaxed and casual — still worth going, but the energy peaks for conference play.

When to Go: Schedule and Big Games to Circle

The Lady Bears season runs November through March (or April if they make the NCAA Tournament). Home games at the Ferrell Center typically number 14–18 per season.

Best games to prioritize:

• Big 12 road games home — Iowa State, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma State are the marquee matchups
• Top-25 opponents — when nationally ranked programs come to Waco, the atmosphere is noticeably different
• Senior Night — usually late February; the most emotional regular season game and a great cultural experience

Check the current schedule at baylorbears.com/sports/womens-basketball — the full season is posted before the November tip-off.

Getting There from 19Eleven

Living at 19Eleven Apartments at 1911 S 8th Street puts you in a genuinely great position for Lady Bears games:

• Walk: Head north on S 8th Street toward 4th Street, then hang a left. The Ferrell Center is at the end of that block. 10–12 minutes on foot.
• Drive: 3 minutes. Ferrell Center lot parking is $5–$10 on game nights; street parking on surrounding blocks can be free if you arrive early.
• Bike: The route is flat and straightforward — under 5 minutes.

One thing to note: on big game nights, the Ferrell Center lots fill up quickly. If you're driving and want to park close, you need to arrive early. Walking from 19Eleven sidesteps that issue entirely.

What to Bring

• Baylor student ID — required for your free admission scan
• Baylor gear — green and gold; the more the better for conference games
• Water bottle or empty cup — refillable water stations are available inside
• A light layer — arenas can be cold, especially if you're sitting near the upper sections or the student section area along the baseline

No clear bag requirement for basketball (verify at baylorbears.com before you go — policies can update). Standard bags and backpacks are generally fine.

Student Ticket Tips

A few things that will save you trouble:

1. Regular season games: Walk up with your student ID on game day. No pre-registration needed for most games.
2. Big games and rivalry matchups: Check baylorbears.com in advance. High-demand games may require picking up a free ticket from the Student Life Box Office before game day.
3. Sold-out games: Yes, they happen — particularly for ranked opponents. Plan ahead.
4. The student entrance: Use the designated student entrance (typically the north side of the Ferrell Center) — it moves faster than the general admission lines.

Why It's Worth Your Time

There's a reason students who go to one Lady Bears game usually go back. The combination of an elite program's history, a fast-paced game, and a free ticket is hard to beat. In a city where most entertainment costs money, a free college basketball game with 10,000 seats and a legitimate shot at watching future WNBA players is one of Waco's genuine hidden advantages.

And if you're still figuring out your housing situation for next year — 19Eleven's loft-style apartments are less than 10 minutes on foot from the Ferrell Center. You can walk to games, walk home, and skip the parking situation entirely. Check out our floor plans or schedule a tour to see what's available.

Go Bears.