How two unlikely heroes potentially saved TCU’s men’s basketball season
Sometimes one small tweak can have a major impact, and TCU men’s basketball saw that play out Tuesday in its massive upset win over No. 5 Iowa State.
The tweak was inserting sophomore forward Micah Robinson into the starting lineup in place of Oregon State transfer Liutaurus Lelevicius. It was a significant decision for this season and the future of the program.
Not only did Robinson respond to getting the start with arguably the best game of his young career with 17 points, it also served a milestone for one of the most important recruits in program history.
Robinson is the third-highest-ranked recruit to sign with the program since at least 2001. Not only is it imperative that TCU (15-9, 5-6 Big 12) lands those types of players, but the program also has to develop and keep them for the long haul.
So why did TCU coach Jamie Dixon decide to switch things up against the Cyclones (21-3, 8-3)?
“There were a couple of slow starts, but there were a variety of things,” Dixon said. “We have [center Vianney Salatchoum] now. It gives us another big to throw in there [with Lelevicius]. It was something we were planning on doing, then [center Malick Diallo] went down, the rotation changed. But like I said, the minutes were exactly the same. The key was those guys didn’t get into foul trouble.”
Dixon has typically downplayed lineup decisions, focusing instead on minutes played instead of whom the first five on the court are. The approach makes sense to not harm player morale, but there’s no denying how impactful the decision was.
Robinson is a versatile, athletic wing who can provide value as a rebounder and cutter. He also had one of his best defensive games against veteran Iowa State wing Milan Momcilovic, especially in the final five minutes when Robinson held the NBA talent scoreless.
It wasn’t the first time Robinson started; he got the start against Baylor on Jan. 24 when David Punch was sick. But it was the first time Robinson got the start with the full lineup available. He said after the game he was grateful for the opportunity.
“It definitely means a lot,” he said. “It shows the trust of the coaching staff and my teammates have in me. It meant a lot to be able to come out there and compete.”
Robinson led TCU with nine points in the first half and then delivered two emphatic dunks to punctuate the victory in the final 2:14 of the game.
Along with scoring 17, Robinson grabbed six rebounds and forced two steals. In the preseason, Robinson said one of his goals was to improve his decision-making on the court, and the work he put in was on full display against one of the most elite defenses in the country.
Robinson was patient, smart with his shot selection and played within himself. He didn’t force the issue even when the Cyclones made runs throughout the game.
“Robinson is a winning player with how versatile and how great of a defender he is,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “He made so many big plays.”
Robinson’s play was an encouraging step in his development, and TCU will need him and Lelevicius down the stretch to make the NCAA Tournament. To Lelevicius’ credit, he knocked down two 3s and grabbed five rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench.
Another subtle change
Robinson wasn’t the only one to get a larger role against the Cyclones, as reserve wing Tanner Toolson also scored 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds and made 10 crucial free throws.
Toolson scored eight of TCU’s points during a 10-0 run midway through the second half that put the Horned Frogs ahead 49-41. Toolson also made clutch free throws down the stretch and grabbed multiple rebounds on the defensive end to not allow Iowa State to get extra possessions in the final minutes.
Toolson was the equivalent of a whirlwind on the court, as he attacked multiple defenders in the paint at will to draw 10 fouls on the Cyclones. He soared through the air and sometimes came crashing down with rebounds against a much taller Iowa State frontcourt.
The selfless, team-first energy Toolson plays with can be infectious, and it certainly was against Iowa State.
“The way I play my game, I’m going to give 100% effort every single time,” Toolson said. “If everybody could play hard, they would. I take pride in that, and it was nice to see the ball go into the basket tonight.”
Down the stretch, Dixon went with Toolson at the two guard spot along with Jayden Pierre instead of the usual combo of Pierre and Brock Harding. The length of Iowa State’s backcourt was proving difficult to overcome for TCU’s smaller guards, but the 6-foot-5 Toolson was able to match and even withstand the defensive pressure from the Cyclones.
Sometimes you need a player who is willing to get downhill and force the issue. Toolson’s motor is always running at full speed, and that’s something that can’t be coached. It just has to be in you naturally.
“Sometimes I’d like to slow him down offensively and defensively at times,” Dixon said. “But if you can’t do it, you can live with him going full speed all the time. He’s just so passionate about it. He cares and he plays hard. Every long rebound seemed to be his, and some of those loose ball steals.
“Sometimes we want him to slow down offensively, but I’ll live with the aggressiveness, the energy and physicality that he brings.”
The versatility of Robinson and energy of Toolson helped the Horned Frogs secure a massive win that could propel the program on the right side of the bubble.
Entering Tuesday night, ESPN expert Joe Lunardi said TCU was at its last gasp with the Horned Frogs dropping from the next four out on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
By Wednesday afternoon, Lunardi had moved the Horned Frogs to the last team in the field in his latest projection.
There’s more work to do and TCU still can’t afford another bad loss, but Dixon’s willingness to adjust potentially saved the season.
Sometimes small tweaks can make a major impact.
This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 4:30 AM.
