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2023-01-05 15:13:03 By : Mr. Jack CUI

Waco, Texas-- The first ever ranked matchup between TCU and Baylor on the hardwood was an instant classic that saw spectacular three-point shooting; a 17-point comeback spearheaded by dizzying fast breaks and pick 'n rolls; and an emphatic game-winning block by Xavier Cork at the buzzer to preserve the Frogs' 88-87 victory.

With a minute and 20 seconds to play and Baylor in the lead 83-81, the game began to swing back and forth as Josh Ojianwuna and Eddie Lampkin traded offensive rebound put backs that kept the Bears in front 85-83. Then the game turned to the stars.

Keyonte George, Baylor's highest ranked freshman ever, drew a foul to get to the line and give Baylor a four-point edge. Mike Miles Jr. immediately responded with a pull up three over Ojianwuna to trim the margin to one with 42 seconds left.

George and Miles led their respective Baylor and TCU squads with 27 and 33 points.

After a Jalen Bridges (eight points and seven boards with two made threes) missed a three with 12 seconds left; Miles drove left and found Chuck O'Bannon in the corner who--after scoring only four points up to that point all night-- pumped fake to get Bridges in the air and make the go-ahead bucket.

With TCU up 88-87 with four seconds remaining, Coach Scott Drew opted to have Caleb Lohner do a semi-baseball pass on the inbounds to half court where Ojianwuna climbed the ladder to make a tremendous catch and the Bears called a timeout with only 0.4 seconds coming off the clock.

Coach Drew drew up a brilliant play in the huddle where George inbounded from the side to Ojianwuna who immediately tossed it back to George a la a hook 'n ladder in football. The freshman from the NBA's Global Academy had 11 points and seven rebounds.

After seemingly having some trouble with that exchange George was able to coral the ball and by the time he was at the left elbow with two defenders on his back it was clear that George was going to make the game-winner at the buzzer.

Except Cork had other ideas.

Somehow Cork was able to meet George at the rim and make an incredible individual play with tremendous and clean block to win the game.

George sat on the floor under the basket, face down with his forearms on his knees as Frogs leapt off the court in celebration.

It continues to be a good week (year) to be a Frog. Their comebacks have been poisonous to Baylor at home now in both football and basketball.

The final six minutes of this game was enough to give anyone whiplash. Lampkin had 15 points and nine rebounds including a bucket to cut Baylor's lead to 70-72 with six to play. Then Adam Flagler tried to take a charge, and looked to be in good position, but was called for the block and Damion Baugh (15 points) tied it up at the line.

Minutes later, tied at 76, Flagler stepped into a three-point shot and finally was able to get one to go down in what yet again seemed to be a timely bucket down the stretch. The senior finished with 13 points, but on 4-of-14 (2-of-7 from three) shooting, and six assists.

Right after George drew a charge. The freshman leads the team in charges taken.

However, Baylor was unable to capitalize and create enough separation to win.

That was not the case in the first half though. Baylor built a 17-point lead with three minutes to go before half on 61.5 percent from the floor; near 70 percent from three and playing good defense. LJ Cryer and Langston Love did the majority of their damage in the first half and they finished with 13 and 11 points respectively for the game. TCU only made one three in the first half compared to Baylor's nine.

However, an 8-1 TCU run cut the Bears' lead to 10 at the break. The Frogs would then use an 11-1 run midway in the second half to be down by one.

The Bears crumbled in the second half and could not buy a bucket as they shot 2-of-11 from deep and only made eight total field goals after halftime. Over half of the Bears' 38 second half points came on free throws (20).

Baylor looked out of gas and confused as they tried to stop a well conditioned Frog team that had 16 points off of 15 BU turnovers; led 23-2 in fast break points and doubled the Bears' production in the paint (52-24).

Baylor is now in an 0-2 conference hole and the slate does not get any easier. They will host Jerome Tang and 13-1 Kansas State this weekend. TCU will host Iowa State in another Big 12 top 25 showdown.

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