Box Score Sophomore Kevin Samuel scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds to power TCU to a 67-60 overtime victory over 17^th-ranked West Virginia at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, this afternoon.
 
It was Samuel, a 34 percent free throw shooter, who made a pair of free throws with 1:25 left to put the Horned Frogs ahead by one, 55-54. The forward also got two freebies to go down in overtime and finished the game five-for-six from the line.
 
Free throws played a big role in this one – TCU making theirs and West Virginia missing.
 
Derek Culver, who finished with a team-high 18 points, left four big ones out there including a pair with 3:32 left and WVU trailing by three. Also, freshman Oscar Tshiebwe's miss with 1:04 to go could have given the Mountaineers a 56-55 lead.
 
In all, West Virginia converted just 8-of-17 while TCU was 13-of-16.
 
WVU also struggled from 3-point range, the Mountaineers connecting on 2-of-17 while the Frogs got six of its 18 triples to go down.
 
"I really don't know what to say," a disappointed Bob Huggins said afterward. "I think I've said everything there is to say prior."
 
The game really turned in the final three minutes of the first half when West Virginia saw its 10-point whittled to two by intermission. The Horned Frogs scored the final eight points of the first half and then nine of the first seven points in the second half to take a seven-point lead.
 
Eventually, back-to-back Culver scores close to the basket gave West Virginia a 54-53 advantage with 1:55 left until Samuel unknotted it with two free throws.
 
Samuel also made all seven of his field goal attempts, blocked five shots and grabbed eight boards in an impressive all-around performance.
 
"We didn't guard the pick-and-roll and it killed us at big times in the game," Huggins said. "Then we're out there trotting back and they throw it up over our heads and score."
 
After halftime, TCU grabbed 10 more rebounds than West Virginia to finish the game even on the glass, 35-35. The Horned Frogs also came up with most of the 50-50 balls.
 
R.J. Nembhard contributed 16 for TCU, which improves to 15-12, 6-8, and stops a current stretch that has seen the Horned Frogs lose seven of their last eight games.
 
Taz Sherman was the only other Mountaineer player to reach double figures with 16 points. He hit both of West Virginia's 3s today.
 
The junior had an opportunity to put West Virginia back into the lead with seven seconds to go in regulation but his short jumper was off the mark, leading to a Desmond Bane game-winning breakaway layup attempt.
 
However, Bane was called for an offensive foul when he charged into Jermaine Haley and his go-ahead basket with two seconds left was waved off.
 
For WVU, this afternoon's performance was a complete 180 in every aspect from the first time these two teams met in Morgantown last month when West Virginia won by 32 points. West Virginia had a 14-rebound advantage, shot 57.7 percent from the floor and dominated TCU in the paint in that victory.
 
Today's defeat was WVU's 16^th in its last 17 conference road games, and its third straight here in Fort Worth dating back to the 2018 season.
 
"This is a game we should have won, but I'm tired of saying that," Huggins said. "I'm tired of watching it. It's frustrating."
 
The loss now puts West Virginia (19-8, 7-7) within range of Oklahoma, TCU and Texas in the Big 12 standings. 
 
The Mountaineers remain in fourth place a game-and-a-half behind Texas Tech, but the Longhorns routed Kansas State earlier today to improve to 6-8 in conference play and will face West Virginia on Monday night in Austin.
 
Oklahoma plays at Texas Tech later tonight. 
 
The top six teams in the Big 12 standings at the end of the regular season earn first-round byes in the conference tournament coming up in mid-March.