He’s seen that team. And this year’s team is nothing like it.

“The Baylor of old just took L’s after L’s after L’s,” the BU forward said. “I’d say the last two years, then this year, we started changing the culture of how we go about things.”

So why is this year different? What has separated this Bears team from the Baylor of old?

“This year we’re playing defense,” Udoh said. “It’s fun to see.”

Udoh himself is a big reason that BU’s defense has improved drastically this season.

After sitting out a year because of NCAA transfer rules, the 6-foot-10 junior has 124 blocks this season, which is the top mark in the Big 12 and in the top five nationally.

“If you’re riding your man down, there’s a good chance Ekpe’s going to block it or alter it,” BU coach Scott Drew said. “All year long, that’s been part of the reason — a big reason — why we’ve been so good defensively.”

Udoh also has helped bring a defensive mindset to a team that didn’t pride itself on that aspect of the game a year ago.

“Everybody knew last year when I came in, I was a defensive player,” Udoh said. “Slowly last year, people started to play defense. This year, primarily, we’ve focused on defense.

“If we get stops, we’re going to get wins.”

After having success with a zone defense in a run to the NIT finals last season, Drew has stayed primarily with the same scheme this year.

Though at first glance the defense appears to be a 2-3 zone similar to what Syracuse plays, Udoh said that the Bears actually start out in a 1-1-3 formation.

What makes the setup particularly tough on opponents is Baylor’s length inside. The Bears put 6-10 Udoh on one wing, 6-foot-10 Anthony Jones on the other and 7-footer Josh Lomers in the middle.

LaceDarius Dunn (6-4) and Tweety Carter (5-11) are the starters up top.

“I think our team in the last couple of years wanted to play defense, but I think size and length is irreplaceable at times,” Drew said. “You look at last year, a lot of times, Lace was the second-tallest on the floor. It’s a little easier to rebound now when he’s the second smallest.”

Offensively, the Bears are potent just like last year, shooting it well from everywhere. BU makes 38.7 percent of its threes (23rd nationally), 53.1 percent of its twos (17th nationally) and 73.3 percent of its free throws (35th nationally).

Udoh couldn’t help but be proud of his teammates when, in the Big 12 tournament, the Bears knocked off rival Texas for the fourth straight time.

“Things are changing in Texas,” Udoh said. “Baylor used to be the little sister. Now, we’re starting to take the big brother role.”

The Bears — picked 10th in the conference in the preseason poll — still have some NCAA Tournament work left to validate that they are far from the Baylor of old.

“I don’t know what we’ve got to prove, but I know we’re trying to win everything,” Dunn said.