TCU Women Fall To NC State
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FORT WORTH, Texas – In a game that saw 14 lead changes and nine ties, TCU battled to the very end Sunday, ultimately falling to NC State at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, 85-79.
The feisty Horned Frogs made the Wolfpack work all day Sunday, diving on the floor for loose balls in the second half and clamping down on a NC State squad that was picked to finish in the upper-half of the ACC this season. The Frogs finished the game going 11-of-32 from deep, marking the second time this season they have recorded 11 made triples during a game, which is one short of the DMC record of 12 set last season against Oral Roberts. Overall, the Frogs’ 79 points were the most this season and the most since scoring 88 against Air Force last March. TCU’s 32 three-point attempts ranks No. 5 all-time in program history and also fell one short of the coliseum record set last March against ORU.
When it was all said and done, the Purple and White, who shot 41.9 percent from the floor Sunday, couldn’t catch a break down the stretch after leading by as many as four over NC State in the second half. The Wolfpack capitalized on some key free throws late to escape Daniel-Meyer Coliseum with a tough six-point victory.
The Frogs had four players score in double-figures Sunday afternoon, including freshman Natalie Ventress who posted a game and season-high 21 points on 8-of-19 from the field, marking the second-straight game in which the freshman has led the Horned Frogs in scoring. Ventress also recorded a team-high six boards on the day to go along with a season-high three blocks. Fellow freshman Ashley Colbert came up huge for TCU down low the entire afternoon, scoring a season-high 16 points on a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor. By remaining perfect from the floor, Colbert became only the sixth player in program history to go 6-of-6 from the field. Junior Delisa Gross was also solid Sunday, connecting on 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from behind the arc. Finally, Whitney Williams scored 14 points by hoisting a new career-high total of 14 shot attempts. She also dished out seven assists against the Wolfpack, which ties a career-high.
NC State, now 3-0, was led on the day by returning all-ACC selection Bonae Holston, who scored 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Kody Burke also had a solid outing for the Wolfpack, scoring 15 points, while grabbing a game-high 13 boards.
The Frogs, who are now 1-3 on the year, continued their hot shooting on the first possession of the second half when Gross dropped a trey to give TCU a 46-44 lead right off the bat. The junior from Waco would tie the game at 48-48, this time on a running jumper a few moments later. Colbert would give the Frogs a two-point lead, but it was short lived as NC State nailed a triple the next trip down the court.
Ventress then proceeded to score five-straight for the Purple and White to regain the lead at 55-54. On the very next possession, Williams drilled a deep triple to move the Frogs up by four.
The two teams would trade bucket-after-bucket with TCU clinging to a 61-60 lead following a three by sophomore Briesha Wynn at the 11:41 mark of the second half. NC State would battle back though, regaining the lead at 70-61 halfway through the second period of play off a 10-0 run.
The Frogs would continue to battle, turning up the defensive pressure, while also using a 6-0 run off a running Ventress layup, which brought TCU within three at 70-67. Just like before though as soon as the Frogs would get close, the Wolfpack connected on a three-point play to halt the Horned Frog rally with a little over 6 minutes remaining.
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Williams’ three at the 5:32 mark and a jumper by Gross inside the lane down the stretch made the score 82-76, but NC State was able outlast the Frogs Sunday afternoon, even though Thompson banked in a three with 16 seconds left.
Following an 8-0 run to start the game by the Wolfpack, Ventress went to work, scoring a tough three-point play early on in the contest. A few moments later, the Frogs would pull within five off a couple of free throws by Colbert.
Colbert continued to work at the 13-minute mark, scoring four-straight points for the Frogs, including
a tough lay-up down low to make it 17-13 early on, which was part of a 11-4 run for the Purple and White. The two teams would trade triples the next couple of trips down the court and the Frogs appeared to be in business.
Straight hustle brought TCU within 22-19 at the 12:16 as Wynn followed up an offensive rebound and rattled home a trey off a kick from the right side of the court. Ventress would carry the Frog momentum the next trip down the court, draining one of her own from deep and momentum was definitely on the Frogs side halfway through the period as the Frogs jumped out to a 27-23 lead at the 9:55 mark.
Gross would continue the Frogs barrage from behind the line, tickling the twine with 8 minutes, 29 seconds to go in the half to keep TCU ahead at 30-29, but NC State would regain the lead slightly before Williams connected on a running jumper to tie the game at 36-36.
Overall. the Purple and White closed out their hottest half of the season down only one at 44-43.
TCU will head to the UCF Thanksgiving Tournament next week to face off against Hartford and Fordham on Nov. 25-26. Tip-off for both games is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT.
