In upsetting Kansas, TCU basketball has done something it has never done before
March couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for TCU basketball.
The Horned Frogs all but cemented a berth in the NCAA Tournament with a 74-64 victory over No. 6 Kansas on Tuesday night at Schollmaier Arena.
“We’re one of the best teams in this country,” TCU junior forward Emanuel Miller said. “I stand firmly on that. My teammates stand firmly on that. We’re just ready to compete. We’re ready.”
It was a history-making victory for the Frogs (19-9, 8-8 Big 12) as students stormed the court for the second time in four days. TCU has defeated ranked teams in consecutive games for the first time in program history as it knocked off then-No. 9 Texas Tech on Saturday and now sixth-ranked Kansas (23-6, 12-4 Big 12).
Tuesday also marked just the third time that TCU has defeated KU in 25 meetings. The Frogs defeated the Jayhawks in Fort Worth during the 2012-13 season, and in the 2017 Big 12 tournament. KU dropped to 0-4 in games played in Texas this season, losing to every Big 12 school in the state (TCU, Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor).
TCU sophomore guard Mike Miles finished with a game-high 19 points and six assists. Miller and junior guard Damion Baugh both added 11 points. But it was a team effort to pull off the upset. TCU won the rebounding battle, 47-35, and more than doubled its assists (15) to turnovers (seven). The seven turnovers were the fewest since the Dec. 8 game vs. Utah.
TCU likes to limit itself to fewer than 12 turnovers a game, but it’s been a struggle all season. Maybe things are turning in the right direction, though. Baugh even joked about his first no-turnover night of the season.
“If I have none, [shoot], we’re going to beat 12,” Baugh said. “You’ve got to take care of the ball.”
TCU took control of the game with an 11-2 run midway through the second half, building a 61-49 lead with seven minutes left. The Frogs scored seven straight to close that stretch, highlighted by a Miles 3-pointer with Kansas’ Remy Martin defending and then a two-handed dunk by Xavier Cork on a feed from Micah Peavy.
“I had the ball with about eight seconds left,” Miles said. “I knew I had to make something happen, so I just kind of lulled him to sleep with two slow dribbles. I just pulled up and thankfully it went in.”
Miller interrupted Miles’ response, saying the reason the shot went in was hard work.
“That is hard work,” Miles said. “I appreciate that Eman. It went in and it gave us momentum and we got the win.”
TCU’s lead didn’t fall below four points during the final seven minutes.
Miles came through with a clutch basket with just over two minutes left to extend the Frogs’ lead to 65-56 after the Jayhawks had pulled to within seven. Then, after Kansas pulled to within six, TCU answered with a fast-break dunk by Cork at the 1:38 mark. Baugh then made 7 of 8 free throws in the final 51 seconds to seal the victory.
“I’m really glad for our players. They really bought in,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “You could see it this last week. You could just kind of see this coming. I told them, it wasn’t about making shots, it’s about taking care of the basketball and rebounding.
“It’s possessions, possessions, possessions, and that’s what we’ve done the last couple of games. I’m just so happy for the school, for the players, they earned it, they deserved it, they prepared for it. I think every guy played well. We played hard, we played smart, we played together.”
TCU faces Kansas again on Thursday night in Lawrence. The Frogs and Jayhawks were scheduled to play on Jan. 1 at Allen Fieldhouse, but that game was postponed due to COVID-related issues within the Frogs program.
TCU is 0-10 at Lawrence, but the Frogs appear to be peaking at the right time for a stretch run.
“Is today March 1?” Dixon said, smiling. “It’s a good start to March one would say.”
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 9:16 PM.
