Heartbreaker In Stillwater: TCU Edges Oklahoma State In Overtime Thriller

STILLWATER, Okla. — First off, what a game. Secondly, what a painful way to potentially be eliminated from NCAA Tournament contention. 

In a Saturday afternoon clash at Gallagher-Iba Arena that carried massive implications for both teams’ NCAA Tournament aspirations, the TCU Horned Frogs outlasted the Oklahoma State Cowboys 95-92 in overtime.

The Cowboys mounted a valiant comeback, forcing extra time on a dramatic buzzer-beater, but ultimately fell short, extending their losing streak to three games and dimming their March Madness hopes.

Both squads entered the matchup desperate for a resume-boosting win in the ultra-competitive Big 12.

TCU, sitting at 15-9 (5-6 Big 12) before tip-off, needed to solidify its bubble status, while Oklahoma State (16-8, 4-7 Big 12) aimed to halt a slide that has pushed them to the fringes of tournament contention. 

The Horned Frogs never trailed, building a 39-34 halftime lead and extending it to 74-66 late in regulation. But OSU’s resilience shone through, tying the game at 84 with under a minute left.

The game’s defining moments came in the final seconds. With TCU up 84-82 and 6.5 seconds remaining, Liutauras Lelevicius missed a free throw, only his second miss of the season.

Jaylen Curry’s straightaway three rimmed out, but Parsa Fallah grabbed the rebound and slammed home a putback at the horn to send it to overtime. 

In the extra period, TCU scored on five of seven possessions, holding off a late surge from Christian Coleman, who hit a three-pointer and two free throws to cut the deficit to one. A contested three at the buzzer sealed OSU’s fate.

Fallah led all scorers with a career-high 27 points on efficient shooting, adding grit on the boards. Coleman contributed 18 points, including those crucial late buckets, while Curry chipped in 15.

For TCU, David Punch paced the offense with 19 points, and Xavier Edmonds notched his sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds. 

The Horned Frogs’ balanced attack, six players in double figures, proved decisive in a game where they shot 52% from the field.

Postgame, Fallah’s passion was evident in the press conference. “I refuse to give up on this team, and I think all the players and all the coaches, we cannot give up now,” he said, emphasizing the squad’s fight despite the heartbreak.

Coach Steve Lutz, who had urged calm earlier in the week after losses in Arizona, echoed that sentiment but acknowledged the mounting pressure. 

Just days prior, Lutz had told reporters, “Let’s not hit the panic button,” insisting that with strong defense, rebounding, and ball security in their remaining games, the Cowboys could still “be dancing” in March. 

Now at 16-9 (4-8 Big 12), OSU’s path to the NCAA Tournament looks steeper. They’ve dropped three straight, including blowouts at Arizona and Arizona State, and sit among the “next four out” in recent bracket projections. 

To have any shot, they’ll likely need to win at least four of their final six regular-season games, against Kansas, at UCF, Houston, at Kansas State, Baylor, and at Texas Tech, plus a deep run in the Big 12 Tournament. TCU, improved to 16-9 (6-6 Big 12), hovers as the “first team out” and boosted its case with this road Quad 1 victory. 

What could’ve been for this Oklahoma State team?

Entering the season with high expectations under Lutz’s second year, the Cowboys flashed potential with upsets like their home win over No. 16 BYU earlier this month.

Transfers like Fallah and Coleman brought size and scoring, while guards like Curry provided spark.

But inconsistency, poor road performances (just one Big 12 away win) and defensive lapses, has plagued them.

A preseason top-40 projection has devolved into a fight for relevance, underscoring missed opportunities against bubble foes like TCU.

Looking ahead, Oklahoma State hosts No. 3 Kansas on Wednesday, a golden chance for a signature win.

TCU, meanwhile, travels to UCF on Tuesday, another bubble battle.  

For OSU, the clock is ticking, turn the fight into wins, or risk missing March Madness yet again. Seems that the latter is likely, unfortunately.