No. 17 TCU will bring a 10-game winning streak and plenty of momentum on a trip south down I-35 to face No. 19 Baylor on Wednesday at Waco, Texas, in a Big 12 Conference matchup.
The Horned Frogs (12-1, 1-0 Big 12) began their Big 12 schedule with a gritty, come-from-behind 67-61 home win over Texas Tech on Saturday. Mike Miles Jr. scored 23 points, including seven in a decisive late-game surge, while Emanuel Miller added 16 and Damion Baugh had 14.
The Horned Frogs’ winning streak is their longest since capturing 12 straight to open the 2017-18 season.
TCU trailed 37-26 at halftime but leaned into its defense to get back in the game, scoring the first 10 points of the second half.
“I told them we’re going to get this thing turned in the second half, and they believed,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “I didn’t think we’d get it turned that quick.”
TCU used a 9-0 run to tie the score at 53-53 and took its first lead since the opening minutes when Miles hit a layup with 3:37 to play. Miles added a three-point play to push the lead to 62-58 and another jumper with 1:42 left to expand the advantage to 64-58.
“We definitely knew we’d come back in the game,” said Miles, the Big 12 preseason player of the year. “We just had to get back on defense. In the first half we weren’t, we were leaving guys and not matching up. We’re confident in ourselves. The whole message was go out there and make plays.”
TCU forced Texas Tech into a season-high 23 turnovers, eight of which came over a six-minute period late in the game. The Horned Frogs had a season-best 14 steals in the victory.
The Bears (10-3, 0-1) head home after a 77-62 loss at Iowa State on Saturday. Baylor was led by Adam Flagler’s 20 points while Keyonte George had 15 of his 16 points in the second half. Jalen Bridges added 12.
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Bears, who were outshot 50 percent to 37.7 percent and made just 5 of 22 shots (22.7 percent) from 3-point range. Baylor trailed 34-31 at the break and were within 59-52 with nine minutes remaining before Iowa State ran away with a 10-2 spurt.
“You can’t have seven assists, 19 turnovers and allow the other team to shoot 50 percent and 44 percent from (3-point range) and win games in the Big 12,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “We’ve got to do better. Again, this is Big 12, you’re playing NCAA Tournament teams, and it’s a good growing experience for our guys.”
Baylor played without guard LJ Cryer, who missed his second straight game with a concussion. Cryer, who is the Bears’ third-leading scorer at 14.9 points per game, will be a game-time decision Wednesday.
–Field Level Media