“It hurt me being on the bench while we were losing, and not being able to help,” said Junior Guard Mike Miles Jr.

After missing the Frogs’ last five games and watching his team go 1-4 in the process, Preseason Big-12 Player of the Year Miles Jr. returned to action in epic fashion.

No. 22 TCU men’s basketball (18-9, 7-7) soared to a 100-75 victory against Oklahoma State yesterday afternoon in Ed & Rae Schollmaier Arena.

The victory not only snapped a four-game losing skid for TCU, but it was also the second time they scored 100 points this season.

“H1M”

The emotions were high inside of Schollmaier as fans knew the gravitas of the moment.

There was an added weight to Miles Jr’s return due to the team’s teetering performance in his absence.

His ability to shoot off the dribble, generate space for shot creation, draw attention from the defense and ability to move freely without the ball were all missed.

For a team that shot 22% from three in his absence, this was missed most importantly…

His return provided a moral boost that elevated the energy and effort of each and every Horned Frog.

Despite Head Coach Jamie Dixon’s prior insistence, roles were forced to change as players adapted to playing without their leading scorer.

Players such as Redshirt Junior Shahada Wells and Senior Guard Damion Baugh stepped up but were playing out of position.

However, yesterday’s contest saw a return to form for most Frogs that allowed them to reserve energy in order to make plays such as…

“We were whole… you look a lot better when you have all of your guys, not guys playing different spots, positions, or roles,” said Dixon.

Most of the first half saw a back-and-forth contest until TCU grabbed the lead with 10:24 remaining in the first half.

From there, TCU hit a hot streak that hasn’t been seen since 1998.

Batting a thousand

After taking a lead that they would never relinquish at the 10:24 mark, the Frogs went on 10-0 run with five minutes left to close out the half.

This resulted in a 47-27 halftime lead on 65.4% shooting along with a blistering 5-of-8 shooting display from 3-point range.

On the less glamorous side of the ball, TCU did everything in its power to ensure a difficult time for the Cowboys.

Players jumped the passing lanes, deflected passes, rotated with purpose and boxed out their matchups to win the rebounding battle.

“We were just disciplined throughout the course of the 40 minutes of the game – we just stayed true to our principles, we competed like we do in practice and that’s what happens,” said Senior Forward Emanuel Miller.

TCU forced OKST to shoot an abysmal 38% from the floor and 29% from 3-point range in the first half.

After going 17-of-26 from the floor in the first half, TCU decided to reach another gear on its way to reaching its most points scored ever in a Big 12 Conference game (100).

OKST’s defense watched helplessly as TCU continued to get open layups and pack in as many paint points as possible, ultimately outscoring the Cowboys, 50-20 on the interior.

The Frogs played with an unselfishness that led to them tying a season-high 28 assists.

Baugh spearheaded this passing clinic with a game-high 11 dimes and even added 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting for good measure, marking his third double-double of the season.

His backcourt mate, Miles Jr., scored 15 points in 35 minutes in his return to the lineup.

The chemistry the two share are evident and allows the other to shine despite each being seen as “ball-dominant.”

“The great thing about those two guys [Miles Jr. and Baugh] is that they liked playing with each other right away, and they knew they were good for each other,” said Dixon.

“Probably even more so now, they appreciate each other, because they’ve seen the struggles of one without the other.”

The Frogs’ supercharged 53-point scoring second-half effort ended with a scorching hot 71% shooting from the floor.

TCU cruised to a 25-point victory, shooting a historic 68.4% from the field. That number was .2% shy of the record for a Big 12 Conference game, which was set by Oklahoma State in 1998.

TCU had six players in double-figure scoring as Miller led the way with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting.

Wells continued his stellar play with 15 points off the bench, joining Miles Jr. and Baugh in their dynamic backcourt trio.

Redshirt Senior Forward Chuck O’Bannon finished with 12 points and Junior Guard Micah Peavy finished with 10. Each hit two 3-pointers to round out the double-figure scoring.

Up next

TCU will look to ride its momentum as it defends home court on Monday against No. 5 Kansas, who are fresh off of a convincing victory over No. 9 Baylor.

Tip-off is at 8 p.m. at Schollmaier Arena and broadcasting on ESPN.