Miles, Nembhard help TCU battle past N. Dakota St. 89-82
- Dec. 22, 2020 11:40 PM EST
North Dakota State forward Rocky Kreuser (34) dunks the ball after getting through TCU defenders Kevin Samuel, left, Mike Miles (1) and Kevin Easley in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State forward Rocky Kreuser (34) dunks the ball after getting through TCU defenders Kevin Samuel, left, Mike Miles (1) and Kevin Easley in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State forward Rocky Kreuser (34) drives against TCU forward Jaedon LeDee (23) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State guard Dezmond McKinney (0) defends as TCU guard Mike Miles (1) works on the perimeter in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State guard Boden Skunberg, left, and TCU guard Taryn Todd, right, compete for a loose ball in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State forward Rocky Kreuser (34) defends as TCU forward Jaedon LeDee (23) works for a shot opportunity in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State forward Rocky Kreuser (34) center, celebrates his 3-point basket with Jarius Cook (11) and Sam Griesel (5) as head coach David Richman, right rear, and the rest of the bench look on in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
TCU guard PJ Fuller (4) goes up to dunk the ball in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Dakota State in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State guard Dezmond McKinney (0) strips the ball away from TCU guard Mike Miles (1) as he drives to the basket for a shot in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
TCU forward Jaedon LeDee (23) and forward Chuck O'Bannon Jr. (5) combine to block a shot attempt by North Dakota State forward Rocky Kreuser (34) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State head coach David Richman watches from the bench as his team shoots free throws in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State forward Rocky Kreuser (34) blocks a shot attempt by TCU guard RJ Nembhard (22) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
TCU guard Mike Miles (1) looks to the basket as North Dakota State guard Boden Skunberg defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State coach David Richman gestures during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
TCU head coach Jamie Dixon instructs his team in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Dakota State in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State forward Rocky Kreuser (34) dunks as TCU's PJ Fuller, bottom left, and Kevin Samuel (21) watch during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
TCU forward Kevin Easley celebrates a 3-point basket during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against North Dakota State in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
North Dakota State forward Grant Nelson, center, loses control of the ball on a drive to the basket as TCU forward Kevin Easley Jr., left, and Kevin Samuel, right, defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
TCU guard RJ Nembhard (22) shoots after getting past North Dakota State guard Maleeck Harden-Hayes, rear, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Fort Worth, Texas, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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FORTH WORTH, Texas (AP) — Mike Miles scored a career-high 26 points and RJ Nembhard added 22 as TCU battled past North Dakota State 89-82 Tuesday night.

Kevin Easley and Kevin Samuel scored nine straight points as TCU (7-2) pulled away from upset-minded North Dakota State late in the game. Easley finished with five points and 11 rebounds and four assists while Samuel scored 14 on 7-for-9 shooting with six rebounds and four assists.

Jarius Cook scored a career-high 22 and Rocky Kreuser added 21 points to lead the Bison (2-6). Kreuser scored 16 after halftime, including all three attempts from distance, as the Bison flirted with an upset, either leading by a few or trailing by one for nearly 15 minutes.

Nembhard and Miles scored on back-to-back layups to give the Horned Frogs a 73-70 lead and kick off a 15-5 run that put TCU in control through the closing minutes.

TCU opened a 17-point lead with just under five minutes left before halftime, finishing the opening period on a 62% clip from the floor. NDSU had whittled the gap to 49-45 by the break, however, after a 16-0 run.

TCU's cooldown continued through the first 10 minutes of the second half when the Frogs were just 6-for-14 from the field and 1-for-5 from deep.

Thanks to the strong finish, TCU was back up to 59% shooting for the game, winning its third straight.

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