TCU Tops Texas Tech 75-69
FORT WORTH—TCU ran out to a fast start and coasted to victory in the second half Tuesday, running its winning streak to four games with a 75-69 victory over Texas Tech at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The Horned Frogs hit a season-high 11 3-pointers in victory, including nine in the first half alone.
The win moved the squad’s season record to 7-2 for the first time since the 2000-01 season. The Frogs also improved to 4-0 at home for the first time since 2004-05.
Senior guards J.R. Cadot again came up with the plays in crunch time to help TCU hold off a late, slow charge by Texas Tech. After trailing by as many as 16 points early in the first half, the Red Raiders shot a sizzling 61.9 percent from the field in the stanza to climb back into thecontest.
After Tech was able to cut the advantage to only six points on a dunk by forward Jaron Nash with 3:07 remaining, Cadot answered with the first of his late plays. He pulled down an offensive rebound after missing a pair of free throws, then layed the ball in to give his squad a 70-62 edge with only 2:49 left.
Cadot later iced the game on a pair of clutch free throws after Red Raider guard Toddrick Gotcher cut the Frogs’ lead to only two points with 22 seconds remaining. Cadot calmly stepped to the line and sank both shots to put TCU up by four, 73-69, with only 13 seconds left. Senior guard Hank Thorns added two more free throws in the final seconds to provide the game’s final margin.
Cadot recorded his sixth career double-double, and histhird this season, by totaling a season-high 18 points and 10 rebounds. Five of his boards came on the offensive glass, as TCU reached double figures in offensive rebounds for the sixth consecutive game. Cadot also was successful reaching the charity stripe, where he sank 8-of-12 shots. The Frogs went 26-of-34 as a team at the line, both season high figures.
Junior guard/forward Garlon Green led a strong TCU outside scoring attack, totaling a season-high 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Greenmade 3-of-7 shots from beyond the arc to lead the Frogs to an 11-of-25 showing. Nine of the treys came in the first half as the squad built a 42-29 lead atintermission.
Senior guard Hank Thorns and sophomore forward Amric Fields also reached double figures with 15 and 11 points, respectively. Thorns scored eight in the first half and finished the contest with four assists. Fields went 6-of-6 on free throws while breaking the 10-point barrier for acareer-high fifth consecutive game.
The Frogs were able to hold off a signature performance by freshman forward Jordan Tolbert, who scored 27 points despite being limitedthroughout the second half in foul trouble. Gotcher added 14 points and a game-high seven assists.
TCU erupted from outside the arc in the first half while building a 13-point lead at intermission, 42-29. Five players hit treys in the first half, including three with at least two each. The Frogs also took advantage of a sloppy Red Raider squad that turned the ball over 11 times resulting in 20 TCU points. Green went 3-of-6 alone from long range, while Cadot (2-of 3) and Thorns (2-of-3) added a pair of treys each.
TCU continues its two-game homestand Saturday, when itwelcomes Big Ten Conference opponent Nebraska to Daniel-Meyer Coliseum for a 7 p.m. matchup. The contest will be televised by The MountainWest Sports Network (The Mtn.).
