Late Wenzel 3 lifts TCU to upset win over No. 25 Baylor

Despite trailing by as many as 12 points, Texas Christian University was able to pull off a frantic comeback on a last-second Brendan Wenzel 3 to knock off No. 25 Baylor in a dramatic 74-71 win in Waco on Sunday.

“I’m proud of our guys, we were healthy today,” coach Jamie Dixon said. “We had two good practices and we got it done on the glass. That was our mission and we got that done.”

With less than 30 seconds remaining in the game, the rivals were tied at 71 after Baylor capitalized on TCU’s mistakes to go on a 6-0 run.

After a timeout, TCU drew up a play for Wenzel and executed it to perfection as Wenzel got a wide-open look from the corner with under six seconds remaining.

“I was going to trust my point guards to make a play,” Wenzel said. “Noah (Reynolds) drove right there and (Ernest Udeh) set me a flare (screen). The flare is what got me open and then Noah made the right play. It came from Ernest and Noah, so I give them both credit.”

Udeh blocked Baylor’s last-second 3-point attempt at the buzzer to preserve the win. It was TCU’s first Quad 1 win of the season and was desperately needed for the Horned Frogs, who lacked a signature win entering Sunday.

The previous two matchups in Waco were just as close, with TCU winning 88-87 in January 2023 and 105-102 in triple overtime last season. In each of those games, TCU had to overcome double-digit deficits behind star guards Mike Miles Jr. and Jameer Nelson Jr., and this time it was Udeh and Wenzel who led the charge.

Udeh set a new career high with 16 points and 15 rebounds as TCU out-rebounded Baylor 41-25. Udeh scored half of those points in the second half as he kept the Horned Frogs afloat while Baylor was trying to pull away.

“The communication from my coaches was to just make sure I’m staying aggressive,” Udeh said. “Mentally I went into this game just thinking that. Staying composed allowed me to be more aggressive on the glass”

The Bears led 56-47 with less than 12 minutes remaining, but that was when Udeh sparked the rally. He scored five straight points during an 11-3 surge that was capped by a mid-range jumper by Wenzel as TCU cut Baylor’s lead to 59-58 with 7:07 remaining.

Micah Robinson gave TCU its first lead since the opening five minutes of the game when he came up with a clutch putback on a blocked shot.

A few moments later, Wenzel knocked back-to-back jumpers to increase TCU’s lead to 67-61. Wenzel scored 10 of his team-high 17 points in the second half and it was his second straight double-digit scoring game after averaging only four points in his first three games back from an ankle injury.

“I was out with an injury for a while, I’m definitely starting to feel like myself again,” Wenzel said. “Night in and night out, I have to come in and do what I do. It doesn’t matter how many games or practices I miss, I have to come in and do my job and my job is to shoot the ball.”

With Udeh controlling the middle and TCU getting some timely shots from Wenzel and Vasean Allette, the Horned Frogs looked poised to pull off the upset with a 71-65 lead with just 35 seconds left.

But TCU began to unravel as Trazarien White fouled V.J. Edgecombe while he was shooting a 3-pointer. The future NBA lottery pick nailed all three to make it 71-68.

Then TCU turned it over on the ensuing inbound pass, which led to an open 3-pointer by Jayden Nunn with 25 seconds remaining. At this point it would’ve been easy for TCU to falter after the difficulties of the season, but the Horned Frogs were able to execute to potentially secure a season-turning victory over a top-25 opponent.