Baylor Basketball has fully embraced its identity under Nicki Collen and is reaping the benefits.

The No. 6 Bears (13-0, 2-0) delivered a statement 71-50 win over No. 23 TCU and handed Mark Campbell his first loss as Frogs head coach Tuesday night, the team’s first inside the new Foster Pavilion. Don’t let the margin of victory dampen opinions of TCU – the Frogs by most metrics measure out as a legitimate conference threat. This night was about Baylor.

Yes, the win ushered in an era inside a new venue for the program, but it also underscored that this team is what Collen envisioned when she left the Atlanta Dream and the WNBA. They play with pace, versatility, depth and discipline. Wednesday’s leading scorer was Bella Fontleroy off the bench with 21 points (5-of-6 from 3-point). Three of the team’s top shot-creators were Dre’Una Edwards, Aijha Blackwell and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, primarily interior players. And in addition to her 16 points, Sarah Andrews’ defense on the leading 3-point shooter in the nation, Madison Conner, was pivotal.

“When we play with pace, that’s whenever we run up the score and get a lot of open looks … We’re a really good team whenever we’re going fast and going downhill,” Fontleroy said.

Baylor’s now beaten No. 4 Utah, No. 24 Miami, No. 5 Texas (albeit without Rori Harmon) and No. 23 TCU, sits at 13-0 and is far and away the frontrunner for the Big 12.

“They brought a different type of energy that I’ve ever experienced since I’ve been at Baylor,” Andrews said of the 5,905 in attendance. “I think we need that at every home game because it’s going to be a fun season.”

After going into the locker room trailing by two, Baylor outscored TCU 49-24 in the second half and quelled Conner to just 0-of-6 from deep.

“I thought we wasted a good first half defensively and never could quite get into a good rhythm on offense,” Campbell said.

On paper, the biggest mismatch on the floor was Sedona Prince (Averaging 21.6 points and 10.6 rebounds per game) at 6-foot-7 being guarded by Blackwell at 6-foot. Prince finished with 20 points but needed 21 shots to get there while Blackwell was a +26 +/- on the floor with eight rebounds and three assists to her name.

“Even though Aijha wasn’t making shots in the first half, we needed her to attack downhill. She’s by far our best interior passer,” Collen said.

“We just got better at reading that once we created space but (Blackwell is) just physical. She doesn’t give ground to Sedona; she gave her one shot and she didn’t give second chance points against her.”

A year after Baylor finished the season unranked, the Bears are poised to make a return to its place as one of the blue blood programs in college basketball.

“I’m not afraid to be emotional, that’s just who I am,” Collen said when asked about playing in Foster Pavilion. “I had tears in my eyes walking out of the tunnel. And a lot of it is because it’s what these players deserve. It’s never gonna be about me at Baylor, it’s aways going to be about the five on the court and however many we have on the sideline with us.”