By Jeff Wilson
Frogs Today senior writer
FORT WORTH — Mike Miles Jr. did not play Saturday night because of a wrist injury, and the TCU men missed him in a 75-63 loss to Kansas State.
They hope he returns for what Horned Frogs players said is a must-win game Tuesday night against Oklahoma State. Miles Jr. has practiced since missing the game, but is considered day to day and his playing status will be a game-time decision.
Coach Jamie Dixon would not pin the Kansas State loss on Miles’ injury, saying the Frogs didn’t play well enough defensively. They barely won the rebounding battle, which bothered Dixon, and abandoned their offensive game plan by firing up 28 3-pointers, which really bothered Dixon.
Nevertheless, Miles is TCU’s best player. He’s one of three players in the Power 5 conferences who averages at least 15.0 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds. The Frogs generate offense off of his penetration, and they needed that Saturday.
They need it again against Oklahoma State, who won the first matchup last month at Gallagher-Iba Arena. TCU blew six-point lead with 1:13 remaining in the 57-56 loss.
Oklahoma State at TCU men
6 p.m. Tuesday, Schollmaier Arena, Fort Worth
Records: Oklahoma State 11-11, 4-6 Big 12; TCU 15-5, 4-4
TV: ESPNU. Radio: KLIF/570 AM
About Oklahoma State: The Cowboys are coming off a 64-55 home victory over sinking Oklahoma. Four players scored in double digits, and Oklahoma State shot 48% to overcome a 36-31 rebounding deficit. The Cowboys scored 34 points in the paint. … Oklahoma State starts four guards, as Kansas State did Saturday in beating TCU. … Avery Anderson III, from Justin, leads the Cowboys with 10.9 points a game. Another DFW product, Isaac Likekele (Mansfield Timberview), starts and averages a team-best 5.8 rebounds a game. … Oklahoma State counts a road win last month over then-No. 1 Baylor as one of their four Big 12 victories. The Cowboys also handled then No. 14-Texas at home. Baylor and Texas both won at TCU.
About TCU: The Horned Frogs have lost three conference games at home and won three times on the road. … Junior guard Damion Baugh was selected as the Big 12’s Newcomer of the Week after scoring 37 points in two games last week. He scored a game-high 20 at Oklahoma and paced the Frogs against Kansas State. … TCU is the conference’s worst 3-point shooting team, just behind Oklahoma State, and will look to score more points in the paint. Oklahoma State cut that off last month in its win at Stillwater with 7-footer Moussa Cicce in the middle. Chuck O’Bannon Jr. leads TCU from beyond the arc at 35.1% but was only 1 for 8 against Kansas State. … TCU entered Monday at No. 55 in the NET rankings, while Oklahoma State was at No. 58.
Jeff Wilson, jeff@frogstoday.com
