By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            After Jordan Lewis went 0-for-7 from the floor and scored one point in Baylor's road win over Kansas last Sunday, Nicki Collen's message to her senior point guard was simply to be aggressive and "be more confident shooting the ball."
            Message received. 
            Other than going 0-for-4 from the line, Lewis had a near-perfect game, hitting 6-of-7 from outside the arc, 9-of-11 overall and scoring 24 points to lead the 15^th-ranked Bears (13-4, 3-2) to an 87-61 rout of No. 7 Iowa State (16-3, 5-2) Sunday afternoon at the Ferrell Center. 
            "The difference was Jordan," said Collen, who picked up her first ranked win. "They were all difference-makers, but when Jordan plays aggressive, when Jordan leads, when Jordan plays at all three levels and attacks, she gives this team energy, she gives this team confidence, because she's capable of making the right play. So, it's just good to see her back on track."
            Avenging last year's loss to the Cyclones that snapped a 61-game home-court winning streak, Baylor put together easily its most complete game of the year. 
            Beating Iowa State at its own game, the Bears knocked down 12-of-21 from 3-point range, dominated the boards, 33-21, and got double-digit scoring from the inside duo of Queen Egbo and NaLyssa Smith. Egbo recorded her 26^th career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, while Smith finished with 17 points, six boards and three blocks. 
            "I feel like everyone contributed in a statement fashion somewhere or another throughout the game," said Egbo, the first Baylor player to record 20-plus rebounds since Kalani Brown's 23-board game versus Oklahoma State on Feb. 13, 2018. "Of course, Jordan, Ja'Mee (Asberry), Sarah (Andrews) hit big shots, but I definitely feel like we were able to get rebounds, we were able to crash, get to the rim."
            In a ragged first quarter that saw the two teams combine to hit just 10-of-33 from the field and turn it over nine times, Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw and Ashley Joens drained back-to-back 3-pointers in the last 29 seconds to give Iowa State a 13-12 lead.
            But, that would be the Cyclones' last lead of the game. 
            Lewis hit a pair of 3-pointers in a 14-2 run to start the second quarter that put the Bears up, 26-15, with 5:53 left in the half. 
            "They were leaving me open, so I knew I had to knock down shots today," said Lewis, who was just 4-of-16 from outside the arc in Baylor's first four conference games. 
            Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said the Bears "played a phenomenal game on both ends of the floor."
            "I think when they shoot it from the 3 like they shot it today, they're going to be . . . a matchup nightmare," Fennelly said. "I'm disappointed that we didn't play better, but you've got to give Baylor a lot of credit for that. They were outstanding today."
            Joens, who led the Cyclones with 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists, knocked down a 3-pointer that cut Baylor's deficit to 45-37 with 6:49 left in the third. 
            The Bears answered with 3-pointers on their next four possessions – two each by Lewis and Andrews – and scored 19-straight points overall to push the lead to 64-37. 
            "I think all season, we've been waiting for everyone to have a good game," said Lewis, who had her second 20-point game of the season and 20^th of her career. "Individually, people have had amazing games. I think this was the first game that we put it together, offense and defense, for 40 minutes."
            The Bears made it particularly hard on Joens, who was 4-of-14 from the field and turned it over three times. Iowa State, losing its second-straight game, shot 33% overall (18-of-55) and 7-of-27 from outside the arc. 
            "Until the end, when it was a little bit of a free-for-all, every basket was difficult," Collen said. "I just felt like we met Ashley Joens in the lane with two people every single time. We made her uncomfortable. She certainly threw some in, and she's so good at pivoting so she can create enough space to get a shot off . . . but I know she wasn't comfortable, ever, all night."
            Andrews was 4-of-5 from outside the arc and scored 18 points, with the Bears getting 3-pointers from Jaden Owens and Ja'Mee Asberry as well. Baylor knocked down 12 or more 3-pointers for the third time this season after doing it just five times overall prior to this year. 
            "Obviously, they hunt the 3-ball a little bit more than in the past," Fennelly said. "Jordan Lewis was phenomenal today. You've got a kid in the fifth or sixth year of college and mature and doesn't get rattled. . . . I think their willingness to shoot the 3 a little quicker changes how you have to prepare for them, and especially if they're making them like they were today."
            Baylor, which remained unbeaten at home with an 8-0 record, goes back on the road to play Texas Tech (9-9, 2-5) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Lubbock and West Virginia (9-7, 2-4) at 1 p.m. CT Saturday in Morgantown.