TCU Women Dominate Houston
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HOUSTON, Texas – TCU used a 79-29 run to crush Houston Thursday night at Hofheinz Pavilion, 80-35.
The Horned Frogs, who led by as many as 47 Thursday, routed the Cougars on every front. After Houston jumped out to an early 6-1 lead, the Purple and White went on a 79-29 run to blow the game wide open en route to their second-straight victory and third of the year. In all, TCU, who shot almost 50 percent from the floor Thursday, held Houston to only four second half field goals as the Cougars didn’t even score from the field in the second half until the 7:58 mark.
When it was all said and done, TCU, now 3-4 on the year, hounded the Cougars (0-7) into going 4-of-25 during the second half, while only making a total of 9-of-47 from the floor to shoot 19.1 percent from the field for the entire game, which ranks No. 2 all-time in program history for lowest field goal percentage by an opponent.
By limiting the Cougars, who shot only 15.4 percent from three, to only nine field goals the entire game, the Frogs stifling defense held Houston to second lowest field goals made by the opposition in a single-game. The Cougars 35 points were not only the seventh-fewest in a game by an opponent, but also marked the fourth time this season the Purple and White have held an opponent to less than 50 points in a game.
Houston’s 17 second half points rank No. 6 all-time for fewest second half points scored by an opponent against TCU, while the Frogs 28 point scoring margin in the second half ranks No. 10 all-time in a single-game.
Briesha Wynn led the way for TCU, who posted a 47-10 bench advantage against Houston Thursday, with a season-high 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Wynn barely missed her first career double double with nine boards. Freshman Chelsea Prince also had a solid night with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, while Ashley Colbert collected 10 points to close out the Horned Frogs double-digit scorers. In all, 10 of the Frogs’ 11 players scored on Thursday.
Houston’s lone player in double-figures was Roxana Button who posted 10 of the Cougars 35 points Thursday. In all, Houston had 22 turnovers and managed only four assists in the game.
Delisa Gross would continue the Frogs heat wave from behind the arc on the very first possession of the second half, dropping a triple to give TCU its biggest lead up until that point at 20. The junior would score the Frogs’ first five points of the half before Whitney Williams stole the rock and found a wide-open Antoinette Thompson for the easy bucket.
The Cougars didn’t even score their first point of the second half until the 17-minute mark, connecting
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on back-to-back free throws. TCU went on a 24-2 run to open the second half and held Houston without
a bucket from the field until 7:58 to go in the half. During that stretch, Colbert notched four-straight points and Williams would drive the lane to increase the Frog lead to 59-20 and the Purple and White coasted to the easy victory Thursday. In fact, Houston didn’t score their second field goal in the second half until 1 minute, 26 seconds remained in the game.
With Houston clinging to an early 6-5 lead, Williams would push the Horned Frogs back up at 12-8 off a deep three with a little over 14 minutes to go. On the play, Thompson darted the ball ahead and found a wide-open Williams who proceeded to drop the trey.
During what was part of a 21-4 run, TCU received several contributions from freshmen as Natalie Ventress, Prince, Colbert and Logan Mittie all helped spark the Frogs to a 26-10 lead halfway through the opening frame. Prince connected on a tough-three point play during that stretch and the Purple and White clamped down on the Cougars on the other end of the court by forcing seven of its 10 first half steals and holding Houston without a bucket for over 9 minutes of play to put TCU comfortably in the lead.
Mittie would tickle the twine from deep with a little over 4 minutes to go in the half and the Horned Frogs continued to be business. Wynn then powered a bucket home and the Frogs moved the score to 33-15 at the 3:25 mark of the first half.
Williams put an exclamation point to an impressive first half of play for the Horned Frogs, scoring a running jumper as the seconds ran down in the first half to push the halftime score to 35-18.
TCU will return home to face Lamar on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. from Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
