TCU Loses To West Virginia

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — West Virginia used its relentless defensive pressure to wear down TCU and score an 86-66 victory Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship at the Sprint Center.

The ninth-ranked and second-seeded Mountaineers play No. 21 Iowa State (sixth seed) or No. 6 Oklahoma (third seed) in Friday’s semifinals.

West Virginia held the Horned Frogs to 35.2 percent shooting from the field and the Mountaineers forced 14 TCU turnovers. West Virginia is 9-0 against TCU, with all the games coming since the schools joined the Big 12 for the 2012-13 season.

West Virginia (25-7) was led by forward Devin Williams with 18 points. He was joined in double-figures by guard Jevon Carter with 15 points, guard Tarik Phillip with 13 and guard Jaysean Paige with 12.

TCU (12-21) was led by guard Chauncey Collins with 18 points. Guard Malique Trent had 15 points, while forward JD Miller had 12 and forward Vladimir Brodziansky had 11.

Neither team scored more than three points in a row until West Virginia rattled off nine straight to take an 81-61 lead beginning with three minutes remaining. The Mountaineers led

by 11 at halftime, and TCU could get no closer than eight.

West Virginia pulled away methodically in the first half. Each of the Mountaineers’ first six scoring possessions were three-point possessions, while TCU could get only two points on its first four scoring possessions. When West Virginia finally notched a two-point possession on a dunk by Jonathan Holton, the Mountaineers led 20-8.

Much like they did Wednesday night, the Horned Frogs climbed back into the game, cutting the deficit to 27-22. The Mountaineers took a 47-36 lead into the half.

The Mountaineers were led by Carter with 11 points, and Williams with 10 points.

TCU was led by Collins with 12 points.