TCU Tops #18 New Mexico
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FORT WORTH—Six Horned Frogs scored in double figures Saturday as TCU earned its second straight victory over a top-25 opponent by topping No. 18 New Mexico at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, 83-64. The win marked the team’s seventh straight at home.
TCU improved to 17-11 overall with the win and 7-5 in Mountain West play while climbing to within one game of conference leaders New Mexico, UNLV and San Diego State. The Lobos, who entered the day in sole possession of first place, dropped to 22-6 overall and 8-4 in the league standings.
The win helped the Frogs post wins in consecutive games against ranked foes for only the second time in program history, and the first time since 1998. TCU downed No. 11 UNLV on Feb. 14 at the DMC, 102-97, while the Lobos entered the week ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 21 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
The Frogs played one of their most well-rounded games of the season while handing UNM its most lopsided setback of the year. New Mexico actually led by two points early in the second half, 43-41, before TCU tooktotal control with a 23-8 run that pushed its lead to 13 points.
Sophomore forward Amric Fields came alive during stretch, scoring eight straight points for TCU after entering the half scoreless. Senior guard Hank Thorns drained his second 3-pointer with 8:20 remaining, while two free throws by fellow senior guard J.R. Cadot pushed the score to 64-51 on the following possession. TCU’s defense was key to its big run, as the squad held the Lobos to only a 3-pointer by freshman guard Hugh Greenwood during the more than seven-minute stretch.
New Mexico tried to piece together a comeback late, scoring on five straight possessions while
cutting the Frog lead to eight points with 4:01 remaining, but TCU was up to the challenge. Senior forwardCraig Williams answered with his fourth 3-pointer of the game, and the Frogs started a parade to the free-throw line late, going a perfect 5-for-5 at the stripe in the final two minutes. Junior guard/forward Garlon Green scored the five points in the last minute to help account for the final 19-point margin.
Cadot led an inspired TCU effort, collecting his second straight double-double with a game-high 15 points and 10 rebounds. Six of Cadot’s board total came on the offensive glass, as he helped the Frogs match the Lobos in total rebounds (35) after the squad fell nine shy of UNM during the two teams’ earlier meeting this season. Thorns added 14 points and a season-high nine assists in 39 minutes.
Joining Cadot and Thorns in double figures were Green (13), Williams (12), Fields (11) and freshman guard Kyan Anderson (10). The six Frogs combined to shoot 11-of-26 from 3-point range, the fifth time in the last seven outings TCU has made at least 11 treys. The squad also regrouped from a recent slump at the free-throw line, making 20-of-25 attempts, while it shot 45.6 percent overall from the field.
New Mexico featured two players in double figures, including forward A.J. Hardeman, who scored 15 points, and guard Kendall Williams, who totaled 10. Forward Drew Gordon pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.
TCU came out firing from the game’s outset, jumping on top of the Lobos with 13 of the first 17 points to gain a nine-point edge. Williams hit two treys in the opening five minutes, Cadot added a pair of buckets and Thorns an old-fashioned 3-point play. The Frogs feasted on New Mexico errors early, forcing eight Lobo turnovers in the first 10 minutes of the game.
UNM quickly found its footing, scoring 15 of the game’s next 20 points to claim its first advantage of the game, 19-18. TCU was held to only a pair of Anderson free throws during a four-minute stretch while the Lobos made their run.
TCU gained a two-point edge in the final minute of thehalf after a Thorns trey and two Green free throws, but Greenwood knotted the game at 38-all at the buzzer after laying in a putback off a missed shot byMcDonald.
TCU looks to keep its momentum rolling when it takes to the road for the final time during the regular season Tuesday at Wyoming. Tip-off from the Cowboys’ Arena-Auditorium is set for 7:30 p.m. MT.
