When you shoot 37.5 percent but win by 31 points because you forced 26 turnovers. pic.twitter.com/xSsbJxVMjP

— Mike Casazza (@mikecasazza) February 13, 2016

TCU’s the best. Fewest points by any Big 12 team in any game this season, the fewest points by any conference opponent since Bob Huggins returned to Morgantown. Only one opponent scored fewer points since that 2007-08 season. West Virginia has eight wins against TCU since the two teams joined the Big 12 in the 2012-13 season. TCU has eight Big 12 wins in those same four seasons.

This time last week we marveled at how WVU beat a pretty good team with pretty average numbers. The Mountaineers were, statistically speaking, mediocre again Saturday, but the Horned Frogs were bad enough and made to look bad enough that it didn’t matter.

You could see the cracks in TCU early. By the 16:42 mark of the opening half, the Horned Frogs had four turnovers.

“You can tell when [opposing players] are getting tired and need a breather and we’re running in guys with the same amount of energy,” Paige said. “That’s when it’s working.”

TCU tried to pass over the top of WVU’s press on numerous occasions. Sometimes it turned into an easy bucket. Mostly, it didn’t.

“People are going to take a lot of time to figure out ways to try and break our pressure,” said WVU coach Bob Huggins. “I thought honestly today it helped more than hurt us. We came up with a bunch of balls. If I had anybody that played Little League and could judge a foul ball, we would get a lot more.”

“Once we did crack it and get on the back end, I can’t tell you how many layups we missed,” said TCU coach Trent Johnson. “They’re good. They force you to play out of your comfort zone. We did a decent job at our place, but this morning it was men versus boys out there.”

The story and the highlight, though, was the return of Jon Holton.

Simply put, he was the best player on the floor, and that comes after an 18-day, four game absence and just two practices before the game. Apart from coming off the bench for the first time since joining WVU and playing but 18 minutes, he was his normal self.

He could have played more than 18 minutes but he was part of an angry five-for-five switch with 5:33 to go, and as Holton came off the floor and passed Huggins on the way to the bench, he took a shellacking from the coach.

And only then was Holton back.

“It’s always going to be tough love,” Holton said. “Coach Huggins is going to push everyone on this team to do better. He’s really the heart of the team. He’s got to make sure we give our best and give our all, and I really respect him for that”

Holton finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, and his return coincided with WVU’s reversion to vintage Press Virginia. The Mountaineers (20-5, 9-3 Big 12) forced 26 turnovers for 26 points and held TCU (11-14, 2-10) to 33.3 percent shooting and the lowest point total by any Big 12 team in any game this season.

WVU had the previous low from the 56-49 home loss to Texas last month. The Mountaineers, who remain tied for first place with No. 6 Kansas, which beat No. 3 Oklahoma 76-72 Saturday, play at No. 24 Texas at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

“Jon played like Jon,” guard Jaysean Paige said. “Nothing special. Nothing too great. He played his game. It was like he never left.”

The message Huggins wanted to send with the mass substitution as his team coasted to the largest Big 12 margin of victory this season was received. WVU scored the next 13 points, and though Holton was out, he was not done.

He left the bench to help carry guard Daxter Miles to the sideline after Miles injured his right leg with 3:54 to go, and was then waving players from the end of the bench, like walk-on Richard Romeo, to the front so they could get into the game.

“Of course I was,” said Holton, who was vindicated when Romeo forced a turnover and made two free throws in his two minutes. “I want to see everyone play. Like Coach Huggins says, we can use all 13 guys. We need everyone to win.”

Actually, I lied. The highlight was Huggins’ postgame news conference. I need a ruling on this sport coat he attempted to either compliment or disparage.