TCU hoops mindset going into Baylor: ‘We’ve just got to get on a run here’

TCU sustained its worst loss of the season on Monday, and has yet to win a Big 12 road game. Baylor is coming off a 30-point victory on the road over a solid Oklahoma team, and riding a five-game winning streak.

Things would seem to point in Baylor’s favor going into Saturday night’s game against TCU in Waco.

But the Frogs, despite a 19-point loss at Texas Tech on Monday, remain confident. This is a team that won a pair of defensive battles over Texas and Florida before the setback in Lubbock.

“We’re in a good spot as far as the analytics and numbers,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “We’ve just got to get on a run here and go win a road game.”

Winning on the road is easier said than done. Especially in a conference as loaded as the Big 12.

There is no easy road game, per se, and Baylor won’t be an exception. The Bears are as hot as any team in the country right now, and provide yet another defensive test for the Frogs.

Baylor is ranked No. 22 in the country in scoring defense. TCU just faced the No. 3 (Texas Tech) and No. 10 (Florida) ranked defenses.

So offense will be a priority for a TCU team that hasn’t reached the 70-point mark since Jan. 15. Senior forward JD Miller understands how important getting offensive rebounds is for the Frogs’ success.

TCU is averaging 11.3 offensive rebounds in Big 12 play, the third-best in the league.

“Offensive rebounding is really key to winning our games,” Miller said. “[The games we’ve won] we’ve won our offensive rebounds.”

Miller said confidence won’t be an issue coming off the Tech game, either.

“We’ve got to keep our heads up, never put your head down,” Miller said. “Just be ready for each opponent, each and every night. We’ll be well prepared for each and every opponent.”

TCU knocked off Baylor in the Big 12 opener earlier this month, 85-81, although the Bears made it closer than expected by rallying from a substantial deficit.

Each team has a different look, though. Baylor lost standout forward Tristan Clark, who had a game-high 18 points, to a season-ending injury, and has rallied without him.

TCU is still feeling out its rotation, pulling the redshirt off freshman center Russell Barlow and trying to find more defined roles for freshmen such as Lat Mayen and Kendric Davis. Along with those three, TCU is relying on other freshmen in starting center Kevin Samuel and guard R.J. Nembhard.

“We’re unique. We’re playing five freshman of the nine [in our rotation],” Dixon said. “Their development is huge for us as far as improvement. They’ve got the biggest growth here. That’s what we need. We need them.

“We need those guys [to develop]. There’s no question about that.”

Briefly

▪ Dixon said junior guard Desmond Bane didn’t practice Wednesday and likely would be held out Thursday with sickness. Bane should be ready to go by Saturday’s game in Waco.

▪ Dixon on Monday’s blowout loss to Tech: “It’s a loss. We got beat. On the road, you’ve got to play well and hope that they don’t play at the top of their game. We’re beyond that, moving on. We didn’t defend well enough. That’s the biggest point. That obviously has to be the message.”

▪ Saturday will mark the 185th meeting between TCU and Baylor. It’s the Frogs’ second-most played series behind SMU (193).