Baylor Downs TCU
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WACO, Texas—TCU’s bid for its first Big 12 victory came up short Saturday, as league-leading Baylor rallied in the second half for a 51-40 victory over the Horned Frogs at the Ferrell Center.
The setback dropped TCU’s season record to 9-7 overall and its Big 12 mark to 0-3. Baylor improved to 11-4 while remaining undefeated in league play at 3-0.
The Frogs held the lead at the half, 22-21, and also found itself in front by one with 18 minutes remaining before Baylor pushed ahead with a huge run to take control of the contest. The Bears scored 17 of the game’s next 21 points to move in front by 12, 42-30, following a tip-in by BU forward Rico Gathers.
TCU was able to cut the advantage back to single digits at 42-34 following a 3-pointer by freshman guard Charles Hill Jr. and free-throw by sophomore guard Kyan Anderson, but Baylor followed with another big run, those one a 9-0 spurt highlighted by a trey from guard Pierre Jackson and four points by sophomore Deuce Bello, to seal the decision. The Frogs fought until the end, scoring the game’s final six points.
Hill, making his first start for the Frogs, had a breakout performance, leading the squad in scoring with 12 points and on the glass with eight rebounds. He set career highs in both
categories while also playing a personal-best 38 minutes, 14 more than in any previous contest.
Sophomore forward Devonta Abron joined Hill in double figures with 10 points, his sixth game with at 10 or more this season. Senior forward Adrick McKinney shared the team rebounding lead with Hill, pulling down eight boards.
Baylor featured three players with double-figure scoring totals, including the inside duo of forward Cory Jefferson and center Isaiah Austin, who combined for 25 points and five blocked shots. Jefferson totaled game highs of 15 points and three blocks, while Austin had 10 points, eight boards and two blocks. TCU was able to hold Jackson, the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and current league scoring leader, to only 11 points, eight points less than his season average.
TCU played one of its better periods of the season in the first half against the Bears, controlling the tempo from the tip to final buzzer. The squad held BU to only 9-of-29 shooting from the field (31.0 percent), including only 2-of-8 from beyond the arc.
The up-tempo Bears were unable to get out and run against TCU in the opening stanza, recording only one fastbreak bucket in the early going. Meanwhile, the Frogs’ big men held their own inside, winning the rebounding battle by a 19-17 count. The 19 first-half rebounds were two more than the squad recorded the entire game in Wednesday’s road loss at OSU.
Things turned in Baylor’s favor following intermission. The Bears found more opportunities inside in the second half, scoring 24 of their 38 points in the paint for the game. The squad found the net on 13-of-25 shots in the final period compared to only 32.0 percent for the Frogs.
TCU returns to Fort Worth to tip off a two-game homestand next week that begins with a Wednesday night matchup vs. No. 18 Kansas State. The 8 p.m. contest will be televised live by ESPNU.
