Bad things come in threes.

Unfortunately, for TCU, last night marked its third straight defeat after a highly-competitive wire-to-wire contest that saw six different lead changes.

No. 17 TCU men’s basketball (17-8, 6-6) fell apart late in its 72-68 loss to No. 14 Baylor last night at Ed & Rae Schollmaier Arena.

Fresh off two disappointing performances against Kansas State and Oklahoma State, the Frog Army welcomed the team back with their unwavering love and support.

The atmosphere was electric, mirroring that of a March Madness game.

Junior guard Mike Miles Jr. and sophomore big man Eddie Lampkin Jr. were both sidelined due to injury, resulting in TCU playing with its 13th different starting lineup this season.

A tightly-contested first half saw both teams exchange “big blows,” fighting to secure the lead.

Baylor’s starting backcourt, consisting of redshirt senior Adam Flagler and junior LJ Cryer, were the catalysts keeping their team afloat despite the rest of the team struggling.

Among those struggling was Baylor’s leading scorer and projected top-10 draft pick freshman guard Keyonte George, who TCU held to just four points on 2-of-8 shooting.

TCU also had a hard time shooting the ball, especially from 3-point land, but consistently found open looks at the rim due to the off-ball movement and extra passes.

The Frogs dominated on the inside, scoring 50 points in the paint compared to 26 for Baylor.

A last second 3-pointer from sophomore forward JaKobe Coles gave TCU the lead, 34-31 going into halftime.

The three not only gave the Frogs the lead, but it also sent those inside Schollmaier into a frenzy.

The second half picked up right where the first half ended for the Frogs.

These types of hustle plays have become synonymous with TCU basketball.

The Frogs have used similar defensive possessions to jumpstart their offense, especially during Miles Jr.’s absence.

Known for its nation-leading transition play, scoring on the fast-break offsets TCU’s half-court offensive struggles.

Senior guard Damion Baugh made a point to push the pace, controlling the tempo in an effort to catch Baylor’s defense off-balanced and unset.

Baugh finished with 16 points and 10 assists, marking his second double-double of the season.

The Frogs were gaining momentum and even led by as many as 10, 56-46, with 9:13 left to play in the game.

The Bears responded with a 15-2 run to take their first lead of the second half, 61-58.

Coles’ layup gave TCU the lead, 62-61, with 2:58 remaining, but Baylor quickly answered with seven straight points to take a six-point lead, 68-62, with left 1:01 to play.

With all hope seemingly lost, Baugh scored back-to-back buckets to make it a one possession game.

After forcing a turnover, TCU had the ball and the chance to either tie or take the lead with about eight seconds left.

Baugh managed to find a clean midrange look but the shot was off and Baylor was able to seal the win with free throws.

Baylor’s Flagler, 28 points and Cryer, 23, were great all night, combining for nine 3-pointers while TCU went 2-of-10 as a team.

The dynamic backcourt scored at pivotal points throughout the game with “loud” buckets that deflated Schollmaier after every off-the-dribble or pull-up three.

“They’re both tough shot makers, we saw that today… I feel like our defense was good but as I said they’re tough shot makers,” said junior guard Micah Peavy.

Coles was 6-of-8 from the floor for 15 points off the bench and senior guard Emanuel Miller rounded out the double-figure scorers with 10 points.

Since Miles Jr.’s injury, TCU has gone 1-3 in his absence and continues to search for ways to win despite missing his on-ball creation, penetration and Lampkin Jr.’s energy and effort.

“We’re not going to sit here and make excuses, we should’ve got it done tonight without two starters, we played hard enough to do it,” said head coach Jamie Dixon.

The Frogs have the chance to right the ship as they travel to Ames to take on No. 11 Iowa State on Wednesday at Hilton Coliseum.

Tip-off is at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.