Head coach Nicki Collen calls the Paris trip a “unique opportunity” as Baylor showcases its program internationally in its second-ever matchup against Duke.
PARIS, France — Baylor Women’s Basketball is heading overseas to start its 2025-26 campaign, as the program will face Duke in Paris, France, on Nov. 3 as part of the third annual Oui-Play Paris doubleheader, organizers announced Thursday.
The game, hosted at the Adidas Arena in the French capital, marks a high-profile international showcase for two storied women’s basketball programs. Baylor head coach Nicki Collen called the opportunity “an incredible honor” and praised the global stage the event provides.
“This elite event will feature top-tier competition and provide a global stage to showcase our program while continuing to grow the game of women’s basketball around the world,” Collen said in a statement. “It’s a unique opportunity, both on and off the court, and I’m excited to share this experience with our student-athletes and staff as we create memories that will last a lifetime.”
The doubleheader will also include a matchup between Vanderbilt and California. It marks the second straight year the Oui-Play event will feature two games. The inaugural edition in 2023 featured eventual national champion South Carolina defeating Notre Dame, while UCLA and Southern California claimed wins in the 2024 edition.
David Kahn, co-owner and president of Paris Basketball, the event’s co-organizer, emphasized the growing significance of women’s college hoops on the global sports stage.
“Women’s college basketball is becoming a powerful property in sports and we want to be part of this development in Grand Paris,” Kahn said.
The Paris game will be just the second-ever meeting between Baylor and Duke. The first came in the 2010 NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight, when the Bears topped the Blue Devils to advance to the program’s second Final Four.
Duke is coming off a strong 2024-25 season that ended with an Elite Eight loss to South Carolina. Baylor, meanwhile, boasts a 15-1 record in games played outside the United States, including a 5-1 mark under Collen during international appearances at the 2021 Cancun Challenge and 2024 Battle 4 Atlantis.
Tickets for the Oui-Play Paris event will be available starting Friday, June 20, at noon CT via the Paris Basketball website.