DREAM COME TRUE
Collen: New Foster Pavilion is 'what these players deserve'
 
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
 
WACO, Texas – Nicki Collen can't really help it. The third-year Baylor women's basketball coach tends to wear her emotion on her sleeve.
 
Coming out of the tunnel before Wednesday's game between the sixth-ranked Bears and No. 23 TCU, Collen had tears in her eyes as she walked on to the court at the new Foster Pavilion and saw a near-capacity crowd of 5,900.
 
"A lot of it is because it's what these players deserve," said Collen, whose Bears (13-0) remained unbeaten with a 71-50 win over the Horned Frogs in the first women's basketball game at the $212 million facility on the south bank of the Brazos River.
 
"When we did the starting lineups, and I huddled them right before they went out there, I said, 'I don't know about you guys, but I've dreamed of moments like this: an electric building, just Wow! Honestly, we're lucky.'''
 
Trailing at the half for the first time this season (26-22), the Bears fed off the crowd and outscored the Frogs, 49-24, in the second half.
 
Holding TCU scoreless for a six-minute stretch covering the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth, Baylor reeled off 16 unanswered points and built the lead to as many as 25 in winning its 36^th in a row in a series BU has dominated (47-5).
 
"(The crowd) brought a different type of energy that I've never experienced since I've been at Baylor," said senior guard Sarah Andrews, who hit four 3-pointers and scored 16 points. "We fed off them, especially going into that second half. I think we need that (energy) at every home game, because it's going to be a fun season."
 
Starting with a court blessing from Baylor University chaplain Dr. Burt Burleson, the memorable night included a homecoming for TCU guard Jaden Owens, a thrilling halftime performance by Red Panda and an explosive second half that led to the Bears' fourth win over a top-25 opponent this season.
 
"This was an awesome women's basketball environment" said first-year TCU head coach Mark Campbell. "Really cool to be a part of opening their arena. Loved the crowd. Our team is going to grow from this. Just proud of our team for fighting them and competing for 40 minutes."
 
Owens, a Baylor graduate who had played in 129 games over three seasons in Waco and her freshman season at UCLA, said BU will "always hold a special place in my heart." Playing all but 27 seconds of the 40-minute game, Owens had one of the Frogs' two 3-pointers (2-of-16) and scored eight points with six rebounds, three assists and four turnovers.
 
"It was brighter. The Ferrell was a little dark," said Owens, who averaged a career-high 8.0 points and 5.8 assists last year at Baylor. "But (the pavilion), it's great. I'm just happy about everybody supporting women's basketball. They had a good crowd today, 5,900, and that's amazing. And I think it's on the rise. I love the support of everybody."
 
Collen said there was a "lot of pressure" on the Bears, "as amazing as the day was, opening up a building, the excitement, the fans, and then playing a really good basketball team."
 
"There was a lot of pressure to come in here and win on opening day and to give these fans a good show," she said.
 
The Baylor women's 21-point win over a top-25 TCU team (14-1) came one night after the 18^th-ranked BU men knocked off Cornell, 98-79, before a capacity crowd of 7,500 Tuesday night. Bella Fontleroy was 5-of-6 from distance and scored a career-high 21 points for the Bears, while 6-7 grad transfer Sedona Prince from Oregon had 20 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
 
"In the first half, I don't know if we were tense or what it was," Fontleroy said, "but in the second half, you saw us getting out there, smiling, making those extra passes and just having a good time while playing Baylor basketball."
 
Baylor will be back in the Paul & Alejandra Foster Pavilion at 2 p.m. Saturday, hosting Houston (9-4, 0-2). The Cougars have dropped three of their last four and are coming off a 72-38 loss to 11^th-ranked Kansas State Wednesday night in Manhattan.