WACO, Texas &045; If Monique Jones was the slightest bit skeptical of that old coaching adage, now she’s

a firm believer.

Anybody can beat anybody on any given day.

The former Ferriday High School standout is living that often-preached statement as a member of the Baylor Lady Bears basketball team. Jones, a sophomore, comes off the bench for a team that’s currently ranked No. 3 in the nation with a 13-2 overall mark.

But there’s a matter of the Big 12, where slouches are hard to come by, and Saturday’s game at powerhouse Texas. Baylor won the first game in Waco 63-60, but the rematch awaits in Austin.

&uot;That was great &045; it felt really, really good,&uot; Jones said. &uot;We executed. We had a couple of turnovers, but we made some big defensive stops. We made the plays to get the W. It’s not going to be easy (Saturday). We’ve got to play hard.&uot;

Nothing less will be acceptable, particularly at Austin. But the Lady Bears come into the contest having learned a little lesson the hard way with a 103-99 loss in triple overtime at Nebraska last week for their first conference loss.

The Lady Bears (3-1, 13-2) rebounded with a win over Oklahoma Saturday.

&uot;Every Big 12 game is big,&uot; Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson said. &uot;We’re hoping to get to postseason play, and you’ve got to keep winning to do that. They’re just all big. We’ve just got to take them &045; as they say in athletics &045; one game at a time. We’re trying to get to the postseason, and we’re trying to do some things that haven’t been done before.&uot;

The Lady Bears have already done some things the program hasn’t done before, and Jones has been a part of that the last two years. A two-time All-Metro Player of the Year, Jones is getting more playing time as a sophomore and is coming off the bench to play the shooting guard position.

Jones started one game, appeared in 12 of the team’s 15 games and is averaging just under three points a game. It’s part of the adjustment process for someone who played every position in high school and was the team’s main scorer.

&uot;Depending on where coach needs me, I’m ready,&uot; Jones said. &uot;Whether I start, it doesn’t matter as long as I do something positive. (The adjustment) was just not being the all-star on the team. Everybody was the all-star. My freshman year was great. It didn’t take me long, and Coach Mulkey gets you ready real fast.&uot;

Jones had the crash course in Baylor basketball last season as one of only two freshmen on the squad, yet she contributed significantly as the Lady Bears got to the final 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Jones is part of an almost logjam at the shooting guard position, and Mulkey-Robertson keeps her in part of a rotation where there’s little if any difference among the players.

&uot;Monique is doing just great,&uot; Mulkey-Robertson said. &uot;I love the kid. She’s working hard. We’ve got such a logjam that her minutes are not what she wants them to be, but she’s a fine player. I don’t hesitate to use any of them. It’s a roll of the dice, and I really don’t have one set person.&uot;

Jones has connected on two of three 3-point attempts and is averaging 9 1/2 minutes per game. The team has some shooters &045; including Emily Niemann, who has come off the bench in every game and has canned 28 of 52 3-point attempts.

&uot;Monique works extremely hard,&uot; Mulkey-Robertson said. &uot;I think her adjustment period was her freshman year. The game is bigger, faster and more physical than in high school. Monique showed signs of progress, even in the playoffs. I’m really high on Monique. Who knows what the future holds?&uot;

Jones played briefly in that win over Texas, but the Lady Bears got it done inside in the halfcourt with Sophia Young putting up 25 points and 15 rebounds. The win helped the team climb to a No. 2 ranking in the AP poll after it posted wins over Penn State (91-70) and Rice (77-65) after opening the season with a 76-71 loss to LSU where the Lady Bears nearly overcame a sluggish start and beat the nation’s top team.

&uot;We have great chemistry, and we mesh really, really good,&uot; Jones said. &uot;It’s just going out and playing as hard as we can to get the W. But on any given night anyone can get beat. But that (Nebraska loss) is behind us now. Nothing is going to be easy. It’s probably going to be tougher than it was last year. Every possession is going to be valuable.&uot;

A win Saturday in Austin could further make this season the real breakout season for Mulkey-Robertson’s program since her arrival five years ago from Louisiana Tech. The Lady Bears made it to the Sweet 16 last year and have created a buzz this season with the high ranking and the win over Texas at home.

&uot;This is new to Baylor University and our community,&uot; Mulkey-Robertson said. &uot;It’s exciting. It’s just a fun time to be here, but the only difference (from last year) is the ranking is just a little higher. We’ve had success ever since I’ve been here. That first time in the NCAA Tournament was so exciting. It’s a fun time to watch the program continue to grow.&uot;