In an Elite 8 game with a Final Four berth on the line, TCU’s championship hopes didn’t end with a buzzer-beater, but with an awkward step and a painful limp from its biggest star, Olivia Miles. As the team’s leader in points and assists per game, TCU needed Miles at her best to get past the No. 1 seed Gamecocks. Unfortunately, Miles went down with an ankle injury in the third quarter and has now provided an update.

During the game, Miles drove hard in the paint for a layup. She lost her footing and came down hard on her ankle. Miles tightly held the back of her right leg and limped out of the game. Miles returned to action to start the fourth quarter, but looked stiff as she moved around the floor, and TCU eventually stumbled to a 78-52 loss to the Gamecocks, ending their tournament run. Fans were worried about a major injury to Miles, but she has revealed it was cramps. 

“I’m doing better now,” Miles said after the game. “Obviously, not playing, but just dealing with some cramping that was preventing my movement a little bit. Our athletic team did a great job trying to get me back out there, and I got to play. It’s an Elite Eight game, trying to get to the Final Four. I just want to help my team as best I can, so I tried to play through it.”

Obviously, it was a significant moment in the game. From her tone, we can tell she would not have returned if it were a regular-season game. Miles finished with 18 points and 6 assists, along with 3 rebounds. But she went 6-20 from the floor and committed 4 turnovers. TCU was in the game for the first three quarters, that is, until Miles’ injury. 

The scoreline read 49-41 going into the 4th. A comeback was still on the cards. But Miles’ condition was not the best as she went 0-4 in the fourth before eventually subbing out with 2:54 still to go. She was also playing more off the ball than usual. Meanwhile, South Carolina went on a 12-0 run that left TCU far too behind. 

While this has been a sad end, Miles and TCU still had a successful season. Miles averaged 19.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.6 assists as the program took a big step in competing among the best. Now, Miles looks to move on, eyeing that WNBA draft a couple of weeks from now. 

Olivia Miles Announces Clear WNBA Intentions After Elite 8 Loss

Last year, Olivia Miles had options. She was a projected lottery pick in the 2025 draft, but could extend her college career for another year. Miles decided to do the latter and transfer to TCU. “I knew deep in my heart that I needed one more year to be ready… This year has paid off for me in ways that I can’t even describe,” she said. Now that the season is over, Miles is more than prepared for the upcoming phase of her career.  

“For me, the next step is the WNBA,” Miles told ESPN. “I’m excited, and I’m grateful that I’ve had my time in college, but I’m ready for the W at this point. It’s not like last year, where I could kind of choose what I wanted to do. My path is more clear this year.”

Another reason for the delay was the stalled CBA negotiations. There was a lot of uncertainty about the WNBA’s future. Now that it has been agreed, Miles enters the league with a much higher rookie salary and a clear path ahead. The Athletic projects that she will be picked at No. 3 by the Seattle Storm. 

Bleacher Report has her at No. 2, going to the Minnesota Lynx. “She’s the best passing prospect of the last decade outside of Caitlin Clark, with the ability to create her own shot and keep defenders off-balance as a driver,” wrote Hunter Cruse. There is no question that Miles will be tested against more athletic and physical players in the WNBA, but after a 5-year grind in college, she is prepared.