Jameer Nelson lifts TCU to dramatic 3OT win at No. 15 Baylor

After battling for three overtime periods, TCU posted a dramatic comeback 105-102 road win over No. 15 Baylor.

After he had a turnover when TCU had a chance to take the lead, Jameer Nelson Jr. made up for it as he drew a foul while boxing out a Baylor defender and went to the free throw line. Nelson made both free throws to give TCU a 101-100 lead with 51.3 seconds remaining. Baylor immediately retook the lead on a tough take by RayJ Dennis with 34.1 seconds remaining as the Horned Frogs called a timeout to set up their final look.

Nelson then came up with a heroic play as he rebounded his own miss for a putback layup to put the Horned Frogs ahead 103-102 with 10 seconds remaining. TCU forced a turnover on the next trip down thanks to an emphatic block by Ernest Udeh.

With 1.2 seconds remaining, Nelson knocked down two free throws to put the game away as Baylor’s last-second shot hit the top of the backboard. Nelson scored a season-high 30 points with most of it coming in the second half and overtime periods.

Micah Peavy was also key down the stretch with 18 points while Trevian Tennyson added 15.

The Horned Frogs improved to 15-5 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12, while the Bears fell to 14-5, 3-3.

The first two overtimes

After trailing by as many as 10 in the second half, TCU found itself in overtime with Baylor thanks to two clutch corner 3=point goals from Chuck O’Bannon and some timely baskets by Nelson in the final five minutes of regulation.

The Horned Frogs had multiple chances down the stretch in the first overtime period to put the game away, but after Emanuel Miller split a pair of free throws with 8.5 seconds remaining to make it 88-85, Ja’Kobe Walter hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds remaining from the corner after getting Miller in the air with a pump fake.

Down 92-90 midway through the second overtime, Micah Peavy hit a mid-range pull-up to tie the game with a little over three minutes remaining. Walter would put Baylor in front 94-92 with 1:47 remaining after hitting a pair of free throws.

Peavy would tie it right back at 94 with 1:18 remaining after knocking down two free throws. Walter would turn it over on Baylor’s next possession as the ball rolled out of bounds off his foot with 48.2 seconds remaining.

However, the Horned Frogs couldn’t capitalize as TCU didn’t get a shot and Baylor got the ball back with 16.1 seconds remaining. The Horned Frogs played tremendous defense and forced another Baylor miss as the two rivals went to a third overtime.

Handling a five-star

Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter is the latest five-star to suit up for the Bears and there’s a good chance he could become the third straight player selected in the top-20 of the upcoming NBA Draft. In the first half TCU did a tremendous job of slowing down the sharpshooter as Micah Peavy and Trevian Tennyson led the defensive effort on the freshman.

Walter was held to just four points on 1-of-5 shooting including an airball from 3 in the first half and didn’t hit his first until the final seconds of overtime. Walter is known as one of the best shooters in the class, but he was out-doned by Tennyson, who continues to look like the best shooter in the Big 12. Despite dealing with foul trouble Tennyson hit four 3-pointers while shooting better than 50 percent from behind the arc.

Nelson is another TCU guard that had a huge game as he came alive for 14 points in the second half and drilled a 3 to start overtime. Nelson did it all in his best game as a Horned Frog from hitting stepback jumpers and tough baskets inside over defenders.

It’s the type of high-level shot making TCU was looking for when they grabbed him out of the transfer portal.

Missi’s misery

TCU clearly came in with a gameplan Saturday to limit Baylor’s 3-point shooting and while that worked, the Bears pivoted and began attacking the Horned Frogs inside behind Yves Missi. A potential first round pick, the freshman 7-footer was a load to deal with for the Horned Frogs.

TCU’s defensive strategy saw the Horned Frogs try to blitz and trap ballhandlers on the pick-and-roll with a guard and a big, but that left an opening for Missi to slip wide open to the basket continuously. The Bears guards deserve credit for finding him and making those quick decisions which led to easy bucket after bucket. Missi made seven of his first eight shots and also knocked down most of his free throws as TCU had to foul him on multiple occasions to stop easy looks.

When Missi rested, Baylor still had success turning to reserve bigs Caleb Lohner and Josh Ojianwuna, who combined for 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting.

High level half

The opening half was much better for the Horned Frogs against the Bears after TCU trailed by double digits in the first half against Oklahoma State earlier in the week. After missing five of its first six shot attempts, TCU’s offense began to settle down with Tennyson knocking down two 3s that gave the Horned Frogs a 12-11 lead with 12:39 remaining before halftime.

From that juncture, the two teams would be evenly matched with a steady exchange of blows. Midway through the half there was a beautiful transition sequence as Micah Peavy intercepted a pass, quickly passed it up to Avery Anderson, who gave it right back to Peavy for a two-handed dunk that made it 16-13. TCU would have the lead for nearly six minutes, but could never extend it past two possessions.

The Bears tied the game at 31 on the back of talented big man Yves Missi, who began to punish TCU inside with Ernest Udeh sidelined with two fouls. Missi scored eight of his 14 points in the final 3:15 as the Bears took a 40-35 halftime lead despite trailing most of the first half. While it was a better start than Stillwater, the Horned Frogs still found themselves reeling thanks to a lackluster close.

The Horned Frogs had questionable shot selection and an unforced turnover in their possessions leading to the deficit.