TCU Falls To Houston
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FORT WORTH—Sophomore guard Kyan Anderson scored 20 points for the third straight game and senior forward Adrick McKinney pulled down a career-best 20 rebounds, but Houston held off the Horned Frogs late during a 54-48 Cougar victory Tuesday evening at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
The loss, which dropped TCU’s season record to 6-3, snapped the Frogs’ two-game winning streak overall, as well as a two-game streak against Houston. UH improved to 6-2 with the victory.
TCU fell victim to another slow start Tuesday, as the Cougars jumped out to a 10-point lead while holding the Frogs scoreless for the game’s opening 6:34. The cushion would be all that UH would need, as TCU was unable to climb within fewer than two points the rest of the way. Each time the Frogs appeared prepared to make a run, the Cougars were able to answer.
The Frogs did slice the deficit back to one possession late in the opening half thanks to a 10-1 spurt, but Houston responded by closing the half with 10 of the final 14 points to move back on top by eight at the break, 27-19.
Both teams’ offensive opportunities increased in the second half. Anderson took
over for the Frogs following a scoreless first half, hitting four 3-pointers, but TCU was unable to put more than four consecutive points together without a Houston answer.
Anderson recorded his third straight game with at least 20 points after drilling 7-of-19 field-goal attempts. It marked his team-leading fifth career 20-point performance. The four treys also set a career-best for the Fort Worth native.
McKinney was a beast down low all evening for TCU, as he recorded the best rebounding total for a Frog since Jamal Brown totaled a whopping 26 boards in a Dec. 21, 2001 win over North Texas. The total ranks as the top performance by a Big 12 player this season. McKinney, whose previous rebounding high was 14, also netted 10 points for his second career double-double.
Senior forward Connell Crossland chipped in six points on 3-of-6 shooting, while senior guard Nate Butler Lind also added six points with four assists, two blocked shots and a pair of steals in 40 minutes of game action.
Houston forward TaShawn Thomas, who battled down low with McKinney all game, recorded a double-double of his own with 19 points and 12 boards to lead the Cougars. Guard Joseph Young added 12 points while going 8-for-9 at the free-throw line. Houston posted a 12-point scoring edge over the Frogs at the charity stripe.
TCU leaves Fort Worth for its first true road matchup of the season Saturday, when it travels to Tulsa for a Noon matchup at the Golden Hurricane’s Donald W. Reynolds Center. The matchup will be televised live by FOX Sports Southwest.
