TCU Tops Southern
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FORT WORTH–Senior guard/forward Garlon Green scored 20 points to lead TCU to one of its most complete performances of the season Tuesday during a 68-57 victory over Southern at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
The Horned Frogs moved to 7-4 overall with the win, snapping a two-game skid, while the squad also improved to 6-2 at home. Southern dropped to 4-6 with the loss.
Green posted his second consecutive strong offensive showing to lead a well-rounded TCU effort, making 7-of-15 shots from the floor overall and matching a career best with three 3-pointers on six attempts. He set the tone early for the Frogs, scoring eight points in the opening three-and-a-half minutes.
Green’s offensive play was matched by his teammates all evening, as TCU shot an even 50 percent from the floor overall (24-of-48) and beyond the arc (4-of-8). The Frogs also worked the ball inside resulting in several trips to the line, where they made 16-of-23 attempts.
It wasn’t just TCU’s shooting that was sharp Tuesday. The squad also went to work on the glass, winning the rebounding battle (33-29) for the first time in four games, while also taking care of the ball. The squad turned the ball over just 10 times, its low figure so far this season.
Senior forward Adrick McKinney continued his breakout season with another strong performance featuring 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. He led the Frogs on the glass for the fifth consecutive game and has now pulled down nine or more board in three straight contests. Characteristic of his
team’s play Tuesday, McKinney was efficient from the field, making 5-of-6 field-goal attempts.
Sophomore guard Kyan Anderson also reached double figures with 11 points while collecting a game-high four assists. Junior forward Connell Crossland and sophomore forward Devonta Abron chipped in eight points each.
Three Jaguars reached double figures, including guard Derick Beltran, who totaled 17 points. Guard Jameel Grace and forward Malcolm Miller added 12 points a piece.
With the exception of 5-2 Southern run to begin the game, TCU led for nearly the entire evening thanks in part to Green’s quick start. The Houston native drilled a pair of early 3’s to give TCU the lead for good, but the Jaguars still proved difficult for TCU to put away.
The Frogs led by four points at the half, 35-31, and scored the first bucket of the second period, but Southern crept back to within two points only seconds later. TCU then leaned on its defense for the crucial stretch of the game, holding the Jaguars to only one field goal over the next 11:47 while pushing its advantage out to double digits. Green recorded five straight points with just over seven minutes remaining on a pair of free throws and another trey while pushing TCU out to a 55-43 edge.
TCU grew the lead to as large as 16 points inside the final three minutes with a 6-0 spurt featuring four points by Abron. The Jaguars attempted to come back late, scoring six straight points of their own inside the final two minutes, but TCU’s large lead proved to be too much to overcome.
TCU hits the hardwood one more time prior to Holiday Break when it travels to Houston to take on Rice this Saturday at 7 p.m.
