By Jackson Posey | Sports Writer
Baylor walked into Schollmaier Arena Tuesday night with something to prove.
On the line was a season sweep at the hands of rival TCU, the first since 2017-18 — a fate which would’ve been unthinkable just months ago. But in front of a blackout crowd and with mere seconds remaining on the clock, that possibility nearly became a reality.
Three made free throws and some clutch transition defense later, however, the Bears secured a 61-58 victory. The win moved Baylor to 10-9 in Big 12 play as big man Norchad Omier (19 points, 12 rebounds) and wing VJ Edgecombe (18 points, seven rebounds) led all players in scoring.
Behind strong playmaking and a series of forced turnovers, Baylor controlled the game early. The Bears assisted on their first five baskets, scored by five different players, en route to a 14-5 lead at the 13:30 mark.
Then, disaster nearly struck.
Redshirt junior guard Langston Love, who missed the beginning of the season with an ankle injury, landed awkwardly in the paint on defense and had to head to the locker room. Love walked off under his own power, albeit appearing uncomfortable.
He returned to play 13 more minutes in the second half, but the damage was done. Without him, a 7-0 run immediately vanished as TCU scored eight of the next 10 points, cutting the lead to three.
It took less than three minutes for the Horned Frogs to knot the game at 29-all with a 9-1 run. They blew past the Bears in transition, holding a 14-2 scoring advantage in fast breaks at halftime after forcing nine Baylor turnovers. With their lead gone, the Bears headed to the break tied for the first time this season.
Consistent double-teams in the post led to four turnovers from Omier, tying his season high against power-conference teams. The Bears entered halftime with nine turnovers overall, putting them on pace for their worst ball-security showing in Big 12 play.
An icy streak from downtown gave Baylor a chance to pull ahead. TCU opened the half 1-for-8 from three and 2-for-15 overall. Baylor, meanwhile, built a 52-42 lead on the back of Omier, who hit back-to-back above-the-break threes. It marked just the ninth time in his 150-game career that he made multiple 3-pointers, and he splashed both in a 31-second span.
As Omier and freshman wing Edgecombe heated up — the pair combined for 20 of Baylor’s 26 second-half points — TCU continued to struggle with an apparently lidded rim. With 2:30 remaining, the Horned Frogs were shooting just 19% from the field.
Suddenly, then all at once, they dragged themselves back from the brink. Down 56-45 with seven minutes to play, the Horned Frogs went on a 13-2 run, blazing back from the dead. Forget shouting distance — TCU was within whispering distance and drawing closer still.
Up two, Baylor foiled a lob attempt that should’ve given the Bears a late advantage. But Omier brought down the rebound with a foot on the baseline. Trazarien White isolated off the inbounds pass, drove on point guard Robert O. Wright III and teardropped a high-arcing floater off the back rim and through the net. Tie ballgame, 58-58.
With 22.4 seconds to play, Wright took the ball upcourt. TCU had a foul to give, which it used with 8.4 seconds remaining. Wright sized up Vasean Allette, blitzed by him and drew a blocking foul, sending the freshman point guard to the line for a 1-and-1.
Wright sunk both.
With no timeouts, TCU attempted a full-court baseball pass, which Edgecombe leapt for first. The ball careened out of bounds — and, after review, was determined to have ricocheted off Ernest Udeh Jr.
Edgecombe inbounded to Omier, who missed the second free throw. TCU’s Jace Posey let the rebound slip through his fingers, and though the ensuing full-court shot grazed the rim, it was too little, too late. Baylor was on top, 61-58.
Baylor will wrap up the regular season against No. 3 Houston (26-4, 18-1) at 9 p.m. Saturday at Foster Pavilion.
