TCU Women Fall To Baylor In Front Of Sellout Crowd
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FORT WORTH, Texas – A young TCU squad played in front of a school-record 7,394 spectators Wednesday night, but couldn’t overcome a rough shooting night, falling to No. 2 Baylor at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, 74-35.
The 7,394 in attendance marks the largest crowd in DMC history for either a men’s or women’s game. The 7,394 broke the previous school record of 7,262, which was set against Tennessee in 2000.
The Horned Frogs, who moved to 7-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play, showed some life in the second half, doubling their point total from the opening frame and forcing Baylor into nine turnovers. The young Frogs played till the very end Wednesday despite shooting a season-low 21 percent from the floor.
TCU appeared to be on their way to sticking with the defending national champions during the first 5-minutes of the contest, jumping out to a 7-5 lead, but the Bears showed why they have only lost once in a two-year span, storming to a 40-11 halftime lead, while limiting the Frogs on the offensive end.
Natalie Ventress and Donielle Breaux led the way for the Purple and White Wednesday night. The sophomore tandem tallied seven points apiece, respectively.
Baylor (11-1; 1-0 Big 12) was carried by two-time All-America honoree Brittney Griner who totaled a game-high 24 points and 12 boards. Fellow All-American Odyssey Sims followed
with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field.
The Frogs went to work in the second half when Kamy Cole tickled the twine from deep off an assist from Zahna Medley with 15:24 to go in the second frame. A few moments later, Ventress got into the act, scoring a three of her own and the Frogs continued to battle. TCU appeared to have something cooking midway through when Breaux found the bottom of the basket off a cross from Cole, but Baylor responded with four-straight.
A few moments later, Veja Hamilton would push the Frogs closer off a jumper from the corner. Medley then beat the shot clock and the young and pesky Frogs continued to show some fight and determination when Hamilton ripped the nets midway through the second period.
After forcing a turnover on one end, Chelsea Prince powered home a tough layup at about the 7-minute mark and the Frogs continued to chip away at the Bear lead. Medley then dialed up a trey, but Baylor once again responded until the freshman found Lovings down low off a wrap-around with less than a minute to play.
TCU got out of the gates quickly, following a triple from Breux, but Baylor bounced right back on the very next possession and cashed in on a three of its own. The Frogs tied the game at 5-5 at the 16:43 mark when Cole split two Bear defenders and connected on a jumper. In all, the Frogs were relentless during the opening stages of the game on the defensive end of the court, limiting Baylor to 2-of-9 from the field, while forcing two turnovers.
The two teams would continue to battle back-and-fourth until the Frogs took a 7-5 lead midway through off a jumper from Ventress. The Bears then went on a 20-0 run to make the scoreboard read 25-7 before the sophomore would rattle two home from the charity stripe with a little over seven minutes remaining in the opening frame.
Breaux ended the closing minutes of the first half, stealing the rock and going coast-to-coast for the bucket. The Bears took a comfortable 40-11 lead into the break.
TCU will continue league play with a road contest at Kansas State on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. CT.
