TCU Women Lose To K-State
{fshare id=3436}
FORT WORTH, Texas – Zahna Medley’s game-tying three-point attempt with six seconds left fell off the front of the rim and Kansas State was able to escape Saturday night with a narrow 57-54 victory over TCU at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
The Horned Frogs, who led by one with 3:27 left to go in the contest, watched as K-State took a three-point lead with a little over two minutes to play, but the Frogs continued to battle, pulling within one at the 1:41 mark. That was as close as TCU would come as the Wildcats’ Brittany Chambers connected on two-of-three from the charity stripe in the closing seconds to seal the victory.
Chambers’ miss from the line with 12 seconds left gave the Frogs one final chance, but Medley was unable to dial up her fifth three of the game. The Illinois native scored 10 of the Purple and White’s final 16 points.
With the loss, TCU fell to 7-10 overall and 0-6 in league play, while Kansas State improved to 11-7 overall and 2-4 in conference action.
On the night, Medley led the way for the Frogs, scoring 21 points on 6-of-15 shooting. By scoring 21 points, the freshman has now hit the 20-point mark four times this season. Fellow freshman Kamy Cole was the only other Frog in double-figures with 14 points. The freshmen duo combined to score all of TCU’s final 21 points of the first half.
Chambers carried the Wildcats Saturday, scoring a game-high 24 points on 7-of-14 from the field. She also grabbed eight boards, while tallying five assists on the night. Mariah White followed with 11 points, six boards and five assists.
In the end, TCU had several chances to record its first Big 12 victory Saturday night, but couldn’t get over the hump despite holding a 21-13 advantage in points off turnovers. Kansas State, who hoisted a new DMC record 36 three-point attempts, was able to make enough
plays at the line, despite shooting only 35.7 percent from the field for the game.
K-State opened the second frame of play on a 6-0 run, draining two from downtown to push its lead to 35-27 early on in the period. TCU answered though when Veja Hamilton drove by her defender and connected on a scoop shot to make the scoreboard read 35-29 at the 18:18 mark.
With the scoreboard at 39-29 in favor of the Wildcats, Delisa Gross got into the act, draining a three from the left side of the court to inch the Frogs closer. The senior continued to go to work on the next couple of possessions, scoring four more points to bring TCU within three at 39-36. In all, the Waco native netted seven-straight for the Frogs before Donielle Breaux found Latricia Lovings down low for the bucket at the 12:40 mark.
TCU was in the midst of a 9-0 run when Chambers ended the run, knocking down her fifth three of the game midway through the second half. K-State would push it to 45-38, but the Frogs answered right back with Medley hitting two at the charity stripe.
The freshman made it a 48-42 game with a little over six minutes to go, scoring on a tough layup. On the very next possession, Cole rattled one home, which pulled TCU within four. The Brock native then found Chelsea Prince down low to make it 48-46 down the wire.
TCU then got defensive, forcing two-straight turnovers, including a shot clock violation. Medley’s triple at the 4:41 mark ignited the crowd and gave TCU its first lead of the contest at 49-48, but the Wildcats were able to tie it at 49-49 on the very next possession.
K-State took a 52-49 lead, but Medley once again was able to knock down two-straight from the line to pull the Frogs within one at 52-51. The Wildcats answered with yet another basket and some key free throws to make it a 55-51 lead.
Medley closed the gap to 57-54 and had one final look at a game-tying three, but it fell off the front of the rim.
Cole opened the game finding Lovings down low to pull TCU within one at 3-2 early on in the contest. K-State answered with a three on the very next possession before Hamilton went to work. The freshman crossed over her defender and cashed in a midway jumper at the 16:02 mark to make the scoreboard read 6-4.
The Wildcats darted out to a 14-6 lead off an 8-2 run until Medley connected on a mid-range jumper with a little over 12 minutes remaining in the opening frame to end the run. The two teams would go back and fourth the next couple of trips until Cole drove to the bucket and scored on a running jumper to pull TCU within four at 16-12 midway through the half.
K-State pushed its lead to 22-12 off a mini 6-0 run before Cole tickled the twine at the 5:13 mark to make it 22-15 in slight favor of the Wildcats. A few plays later, the freshman continued her hot shooting from deep, cashing in on another triple, which made the scoreboard read 24-18.
Medley then went to work, knocking down her first three of the game at the 2:26 mark to pull the Frogs within 26-21 down the stretch. The freshman would go on to hit two more triples to end the half and bring the scoreboard to 29-27 at the break. In all, the freshmen duo of Cole and Medley combined to score the last 21 points of the half for the Purple and White.
TCU will return to the road to face Texas Tech on Sunday, Jan. 27. Tip-off is set for Noon.
