TCU men’s basketball escapes UAPB upset bid after late 3-pointer from Mike Miles

TCU’s season opener was supposed to be a breeze as the Horned Frogs opened the year as a top-15 men’s basketball team.

Yet for most of Monday night Arkansas-Pine Bluff hung tight with TCU and straight up outplayed them in the first half. With an amazing shooting display, the Golden Lions led by as many as 20 points in the first half before the Horned Frogs finally woke up.

TCU avoided the upset bid with a dramatic 73-72 win over UAPB at Schollmaier Arena.

“It was very clear how well prepared, how well Arkansas Pine Bluff played,” coach Jamie Dixon said. “We want to give them credit.”

Emanuel Miller keyed the comeback with the Horned Frogs trailing by 11 at the half. Miller scored TCU’s first nine points and brought the Horned Frogs within striking distance, 48-43, with just under 17 minutes remaining.

The Horned Frogs used a 11-0 run from that point to take control of the game. Center Eddie Lampkin’s post layup with 12:57 remaining gave TCU a 52-50 lead. It was the Horned Frogs’ first lead since the opening two minutes of the contest.

The two teams traded baskets the rest of the way as UAPB led 70-66 with under two minutes remaining. After a pair of Micah Peavy free throws, Mike Miles Jr. hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to put TCU ahead 71-70 with 51 seconds remaining.

“I just so happened to get open somehow and I just shot it. It went in, I’m happy it went in. Happy we won the game, but we still have to better,” Miles said.

The drama wasn’t over, though, as Chuck O’Bannon missed a free throw with under 10 seconds remaining with TCU only leading 73-72. UAPB had one last shot at a buzzer beater, but Trejon Ware’s jumper was too strong.

Fans weren’t the only ones surprised by the team’s performance in what was supposed to be a blowout.

“We’re not the team we were in October for whatever reason. Obviously Damion (Baugh) being out is one thing, but we’ve practiced the last week without him. I thought we would handle it better,” Dixon said.

That disappointment aside, Dixon was able to keep perspective in the postgame.

“We’re not happy with how we played. It’s one game, it’s a win,” Dixon said. The veteran coach added that he’s excited to return to practice and believes the team has a similar sentiment.

Miller wills TCU

Forward Emanuel Miller was the other Horned Frog to receive some preseason love as he was a honorable mention All-Big 12 selection. When his team needed him the most, Miller came up huge to help TCU avoid the upset bid. Along with scoring the first nine points of the half, Miller came up with clutch buckets later in the half.

After the Golden Lions retook the lead, Miller hit a contested mid-range jumper to push TCU back in front 64-63. Later with just over four minutes remaining Miller soared for a rebound over two or three UAPB players to knock down a put-back that put the Horned Frogs up 66-65.

Miller finished 15 points in the second half and 19 overall.

“A lot of people came out on this Monday night and I just wanted to show them that no matter what, no matter what’s going on, this is a TCU team that is going to fight until the end,” Miller said. “I wanted to set the tone in the second half, I know we did not play to our potential in the first half. Coming out in the second half I knew right away that my mentality was attack, be aggressive, do anything possible to help my team win.”

An offensive start to forget

TCU’s offense was disjointed from the opening tip and that’s putting it mildly. TCU hit just one of its first six attempts and only shot 33% overall against a team that was picked to finish near the bottom of the SWAC. While allowing the Golden Lions to shoot the lights out, TCU only hit one 3-pointer as the Horned Frogs trailed by as many as 20 points.

“Simply put, we didn’t play the right way. Our decision-making on offense, our shot selection was not very good,” Dixon said.

Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Mike Miles Jr. was the lone source of offense most of the opening 20 minutes as he produced 11 points. UAPB struggled to stay in front of him on his slashing drives and sent him to the free throw line nine times. Chuck O’Bannon added a few timely basket including a 3-pointer just before halftime that moved TCU within 46-35.

Doss does damage

The return of Shaun Doss from SIU Edwardsville was a major coup for UAPB and he showed why in the first half against TCU. Doss lit the Horned Frogs up for 18 points including hitting all four of his 3-pointers. Midway through the first half Doss went on a personal 8-2 run as he hit back-to-back 3s and added a tough transition layup to put the Golden Lions ahead 17-7.

Doss’ final 3-pointer of the half put UAPB ahead 39-24 and stopped a TCU run. Overall, the Golden Lions hit 11 3-pointers in the first half. Chris Greene also hit four 3-pointers in the period as UAPB delivered the first punch against the nationally ranked Horned Frogs. Doss finished with 25.

“This team came in hungry, ready to play. I think we were ready to play, but not play the right way,” Dixon said. “I didn’t think it was possible they would have 22 assists to our 13. I really think that was the most defining thing. Their passing, their decision-making, they were just doing a better job with the basketball.”