Field Level Media
Feb 29, 2020
Desmond Bane scored 23 points and hit five 3-pointers, three of them during a decisive late-game stretch, as TCU came from behind to stun No. 2 Baylor 75-72 on Saturday afternoon in Big 12 play in Fort Worth, Texas.
TCU trailed by as many as 12 points in the second half but came charging from behind. With the game tied at 55, Bane scored the ensuing eight points, granting the Horned Frogs a 63-55 advantage with 3:03 to play. Baylor was 0 of 7 from the field during that decisive stretch.
The Horned Frogs are now 3-28 all time against teams ranked in the top five, with their other wins coming against Kansas in 2013 and 2017. TCU has three wins at home over ranked teams this season, having defeated No. 18 Texas Tech and No. 17 West Virginia earlier in the league campaign.
Freddie Gillespie led Baylor (25-3, 14-2 Big 12) with 18 points and 17 rebounds, while Jared Butler added 18 points and MaCio Teague hit for 13 for the Bears in the damaging loss.
Baylor went almost six minutes without a field goal, falling behind by 13 points with 1:19 left to play. A late spurt got the Bears to within three points with nine seconds to play.
PJ Fuller added 21 points for the Horned Frogs (16-13, 7-9), with Jaire Grayer hitting for 13. TCU entered having lost eight of its last 10 games.
Baylor led by as many as 11 points before settling for a 28-21 advantage after a ragged first half from both teams. Grayer and Gillespie led their respective teams with eight points each.
The Horned Frogs pulled to within 44-40 with 12:03 to play via stifling defense and ultimately a 3-pointer by Bane. TCU cut its deficit to 46-45 on another 3-pointer by Bane and a layup by Kevin Samuel with 10:05 left.
The Horned Frogs took a short-lived 50-49 lead on a pair of free throws by Samuel with 8:19 to go, but Baylor answered with a three-point play by Gillespie.
TCU played without guards RJ Nembhard and Francisco Farabello, who sat out with groin and head injuries, respectively, for the second straight game.
--Field Level Media