TCU 59, Oklahoma 58: Frogs find a way against the Sooners

TCU moved to 2-1 in Big 12 play and 12-2 on the season after an intense, defensive battle against Oklahoma Saturday afternoon. The Frogs came away with the 59-58 overtime win tanks to timely shooting, incredible defensive stops, and - according to the players - the student section.

The 2,144 students on hand for TCU’s win were a record for Schollmaier Arena, and the 7,175 total fans were the fifth most since the stadium underwent renovations in 2015. They made their presence felt throughout the night and helped power the Frogs to a victory.

“We feed off them”, Emanuel Miller said after the game. Miller then motioned to Eddie Lampkin and said, “Especially this one here.”

“That’s my family,” Lampkin said, smiling.

If one thing is different about this version of TCU basketball, it’s that they have found a way to win when they normally would not. These past two games are proof of that, with a 60-57 victory over Kansas State and now a 59-58 triumph over the Sooners - TCU’s first win over Oklahoma since the 2017 season.

What’s even more impressive is that TCU won on a night where their best player, Mike Miles, shot just 3-12 from the floor for six points. Micah Peavy and Chuck O’Bannon paced TCU with 11 points apiece, and the duo also combined for 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a handful of significant stops on the defensive end.

“This is an extremely deep team,” O’Bannon told media after the game. “We know that if somebody is not feeling it one day we’ve got somebody coming off the bench that’s just as ready to play.”

The Sooners, meanwhile, were led by 12 points from both Jalen Hill and Jordan Goldwire. Oklahoma’s leading scorer on the season, Tanner Groves, was held to just six points on 3-10 shooting from the floor.

Oklahoma opened the game on a 9-0 run, paced by four points from Jalen Hill, as TCU looked out of sorts. Early turnovers and bad rotations on defense forced Jamie Dixon to call a quick timeout to help the team reset.

The Frogs responded out of the timeout looking much more composed, and they responded offensively. TCU launched into an 8-0 run that pulled them to within one, and also got the crowd at Schollmaier Arena on their feet.

TCU’s final two baskets in the run were assisted by Eddie Lampkin, who found Jakobe Coles and Micah Peavy around the rim as he stretched his man to the perimeter.

Oklahoma pushed back, coming out of their own timeout with a 10-4 sprint, pulling out to a 19-12 lead, and the Frogs stayed down by a few baskets all the way until the 2:39 mark of the first half.

As the Frogs continued to try and battle back, Peavy found Farabello in the corner, and the Argentinian struck for his second three of the game to tie things up at 25. TCU briefly took the lead thanks to an O’Bannon fast break dunk, but the Sooners finished the half on a 4-0 run to lead 29-27 at the break.

Oklahoma opened the second half on a 5-0 run, forcing Dixon to call another quick timeout. Much like the first half, the Sooners maintained a small lead for the first ten minutes of the period, as both teams struggled to find a rhythm offensively.

Tanner Groves scored one of his three baskets at the 10:22 mark of the second half, pushing Oklahoma’s lead to 40-37. Then, TCU turned it on, thanks largely in part to defense from Peavy and O’Bannon.

TCU turned a three point deficit into a 48-42 advantage over the course of the next eight minutes of game time, bringing the fans in Schollmaier to their feet and as loud as I have ever heard them.

Oklahoma refused to die, however, and big baskets from Hill and Goldwire cut TCU’s lead to 48-46 with 56 seconds remaining in the game. The Sooners used their two fouls to give before fouling Farabello with 20 seconds left in the game.

Farabello made both ends of his 1-and-1, pushing TCU’s lead to four, but the Frogs’ defense, which had been so solid for the majority of the game, lapsed. Goldwire got a good look just outside the paint to cut the deficit to two, and Damion Baugh missed the front end of a 1-and-1, giving the Sooners more life.

TCU used their foul to give with just 3.1 remaining on the clock. Giving Oklahoma the ball on the sideline near half court. Farabello deflected the inbounds pass, but the ball made its way to Umoja Gibson, who hoisted a three from the corner. The ball didn’t make it very far, however, as Baugh volleyball spiked it into the TCU student section.

Oklahoma had one more chance with 1.0 seconds left on the clock, and they capitalized. Bodies got tangled under the basket and Miles lost his man, leaving Hill open for the easy layup to tie the game with 0.2 seconds remaining.

Overtime began with another TCU turnover, as Baugh was called for a charge. Oklahoma’s Gibson hit a three on the other end, but TCU responded. A putback from Lampkin pulled the Frogs to within one, then a no look pass from Lampkin to Miller on the next possession gave TCU a 54-53 lead with 2:57 left in the extra frame.

The Sooners used an old-fashioned three-point play to take a 56-54 lead, but TCU responded once again. Eddie Lampkin tied things up with a basket with one second remaining on the shot clock.

After several empty possessions for both teams, Mike Miles drove to the rim and, for the second consecutive game, kicked it out to a teammate.

Damion Baugh hit the three Wednesday against Kansas State, and on Saturday Chuck O’Bannon drilled a corner three, giving TCU a 59-56 lead with 22 seconds left.

Oklahoma scored to cut the lead to one, and Miles missed the front end of his 1-and-1, but one last incredible defensive moment from Micah Peavy kept Hill from getting a clean look as time expired in overtime.

The Frogs will take their two game winning streak to Stillwater on Wednesday, taking on Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are coming off their own impressive victory Saturday, after going down to Waco and coming away with the 61-54 win over Baylor.

It’s just one more reminder that nothing comes easy in the Big 12, but for now, TCU is 2-1.