Jameer Nelson Jr.'s putback jumper with 10 seconds to play in triple overtime proved to be the difference as visiting TCU recorded a 105-102 win over No. 15 Baylor on Saturday afternoon in an epic Big 12 battle in Waco, Texas.
Nelson finished with a season-high 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting to lead all scorers.
The Bears led by as many as 10 points seven minutes into the second half before TCU climbed all the way back, with Charles O'Bannon Jr.'s 3-pointer with 51 seconds left tying the game at 76 and sending it into overtime.
A pair of free throws by Emanuel Miller with 1:22 left in overtime granted TCU (15-5, 4-3 Big 12) its largest lead of the game at 86-81 but Baylor was far from finished, getting a layup from Yves Missi and a jumper by RayJ Dennis to pull to back to within one. Miller split two sets of free throws and left the door open for Baylor's Ja'Kobe Walter, who sunk a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left to force a second overtime.
Two free throws by the Horned Frogs' Micah Peavy with 1:18 to play in the second extra period tied the game at 94. Both teams squandered chances in the final minute, resulting in a third overtime.
Two free throws by Nelson with 53 seconds left in triple overtime gave TCU a one-point lead. Dennis immediately answered with a jumper to put the Bears back in front before Nelson grabbed his own miss and converted the game-winning jumper with 10 seconds to play. Nelson then hit two free throws with 1.2 seconds left to ice the game.
Miller added 21 points for TCU, Peavy had 18, Trevian Tennyson scored 15 and O'Bannon contributed 11.
Missi led Baylor (14-5, 3-3 Big 12) with a career-high 25 points. Dennis added 24 points and 10 assists, Walter tallied 15 and Langston Love racked up 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Bears, who have dropped three straight games.
The game went back and forth in the first half, with Baylor tying it at 31 on Missi's free throw with 3:15 to play until halftime. The Bears' went to Missi again on the final possession of the half, with Dennis threading a perfect pass to the freshman center for a layup at the buzzer to grant Baylor a 40-35 lead at the break.
Missi's 14 points (led all scorers before halftime while Miller had 12 points in the first half to pace the Horned Frogs.
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