Olivia Miles did almost everything she could to drag her team across the finish line on Monday night. Still, it wasn’t enough.
In the latest matchup between the No. 9-ranked TCU Horned Frogs and the No. 12 Ohio State Buckeyes, the Horned Frogs’ star delivered one of her most complete performances of the season, in front of a home-state crowd in Newark. The senior guard finished the matchup with a game-high 24 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, repeatedly answering the pressure created by the Buckeyes.
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She attacked the paint, lived at the free-throw line, and kept TCU composed during long stretches when the Buckeyes threatened to flip the script. For much of the night, she looked every bit like a player capable of leading her team to a signature win.
However, individual brilliance can only carry a team so far.
The Buckeyes ultimately escaped with a 71–69 win in the Coretta Scott King Classic, turning what could have been a defining moment for TCU into a defeat against an elite opponent. The loss underscored a familiar tension – even with Miles operating at a high level, the Horned Frogs struggled.
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So as the final buzzer sounded, the conversation quickly shifted away from what Olivia Miles did right and toward what the Horned Frogs failed to overcome, prompting fans to zero in on the bigger problems.
Fans debate whether Olivia Miles is being asked to do too much
As impressive as her stat line looked, fans watching the game were divided on what it actually meant about TCU’s situation.
“She lowkey has to do everything for this TCU team,” one fan wrote. “Some good passes, got blown by on defense plenty. Had some rough turnovers but not as egregious as they can be. Scored well enough and when TCU needed it (I’m being nice).”
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Miles has now led the Horned Frogs in scoring in six straight games and in eight of the Horned Frogs’ last nine, all while averaging a career-high 19.0 points per game. This season alone, Olivia Miles has logged “15-5-5” performances (15+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists) in 12 different games.
Let’s look at the kind of impact she has on the team. Against Ohio State, Miles never left the floor, playing all 40 minutes of the game as the coaching staff cycled through other starters, as they clearly couldn’t afford even a brief stretch without her.
But not all reactions were sympathetic as a fan zeroed in on her decision-making during the closing moments.
“I have great respect for her ability, but question her decision-making. When you’re down one point with 46 seconds left, why would you take a 31 or two would give you the lead and has a much better probability of going in? I think that cost them the game,” the fan wrote.
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With just over one minute remaining in the game, the Horned Frogs were behind by just a single point. But Miles quickly turned it into a one-point lead by calmly knocking down two free throws. However, what happened after made sure the Buckeyes secured the win. Within a few seconds, the Horned Frongs committed a foul, allowing the Buckeyes’ Jaloni Cambridge to make two free throws.
January 19, 2026, Newark, New Jersey, USA: TCU Horned Frogs guard Olivia Miles 5 at the free throw line in the second half at Prudential Center. Newark USA – ZUMAs325 20260119_zsp_s325_051 Copyright: xJessxStilesx
But still, even when the Buckeyes reclaimed the lead at the line, Olivia Miles had a chance to respond. With 45 seconds left on the clock, the Horned Frogs’ guard had possession of the ball when she attempted a 25-foot three-pointer, but came up empty. And the Buckeyes made sure to exploit it.
Chance Gray buried a deep triple with 15 seconds remaining, putting her team in a four-point lead (66-70). While Miles attempted another 3-pointer, it was no good either.
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Furthermore, one fan added, “Her whistle is crazy. Sis shot almost the same amount of free throws as Ohio State…the entire team!!!
Her stats look incredible until you see that she shot 37% and 17% from 3 with 4 turnovers.
” While another wrote, “How many TOs?”
Compared to the Buckeyes’ total of 15 free throws, the Frogs had 12, all of which were attempted by Miles. But Turnovers remained a costly issue for the team.
Miles finished with four giveaways while handling a heavy share of the playmaking load, but this problem extended well beyond her. As a team, TCU turned the ball over 20 times, one of its highest totals this season, which allowed their opponent to capitalize on the mistakes and turn them into 18 points.
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Another fan added, “TCU vs Ohio was actually a good game. Cambridge is solid fa sho, and Olivia Miles had elite court vision per usual. Came down to one or two possessions at the end and TCU just failed to do what was needed to come out with the W. I still lowkey wish Miles was w Hidalgo.”
Against a powerful opponent, TCU continues to live on a thin margin, and that pressure won’t ease anytime soon.
For their next conference game of the 2025-26 NCAA season, they will play against the UCF Knights on January 24. Will they once again lean heavily on Olivia Miles to set the tone? Or whether the rest of the roster can lighten that load remains to be seen!
The post NCAA Fans Spot Bigger Problems After Olivia Miles’ Big Night Falls Short vs. Ohio State appeared first on EssentiallySports.
