One more basket, and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff would have had its highest-profile victory in men's basketball as a Division I program.
Fourteenth-ranked Texas Christian University made a 46-35 halftime deficit evaporate to win 73-72 in Fort Worth at Schollmaier Arena on Monday. The comeback kept the Golden Lions (0-1) from scoring their first victory over a ranked team since joining the NCAA's highest division in 1997. Mike Miles made a 3-point basket to give the Horned Frogs (1-0) a 71-70 lead with 51 seconds left. Chuck O'Bannon made two free throws with 19 seconds to go to make it 73-70, but Ismael Plet pulled UAPB within 73-72 on a layup 10 ticks later. O'Bannon, who had 11 points and 7 rebounds, missed a bonus shot that Plet rebounded. Trejon Ware then missed a jump shot at the buzzer, as the Big 12 Conference's Frogs -- an NCAA tournament team last season -- dodged a big upset against a Southwestern Athletic Conference team that went 7-24 in Solomon Bozeman's first season as coach. Despite the loss, Monday's result might be a sign Bozeman and the Lions made some big gains over the offseason. Shaun Doss Jr., in his return to the Golden Lions from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, scored a game-high 25 points and had 6 rebounds. He was 9 for 19 from the field, including 4 for 5 from 3-point range, and made 3 of 4 free throws. Chris Greene, the transfer from Cleveland State University, had 13 points for the Lions. A.C. Curry and Brahm Harris each scored 8 points, and Kylen Milton had 10 assists to go with 7 points.
UAPB shot better from the floor, going 26 for 63 (41.3%) while holding TCU to 21 for 54 (38.9%). The Lions, who made 13 of 29 3-pointers (44.8%), found success in defending the 3-point arc, as the Frogs were held to a 4-for-21 (19%) clip. At the foul line, UAPB made 7 of 10 free throws, while TCU connected on 27 of 38. UAPB led 29-9 with 10:10 left in the first half. TCU's largest lead was 60-54 with 9:59 left in the game. Emanuel Miller led the Frogs with 19 points. Miles had 15 points and 6 rebounds, and Micah Peavy scored 10 points in the win. The Lions will host Champion Christian College at 7 p.m. Wednesday at H.O. Clemmons Arena.