TCU Women Lose To UNLV
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FORT WORTH, Texas – TCU tried everything Wednesday night to catch up to a hot shooting UNLV squad, pulling within eight in the finals minutes of the second half, but couldn’t complete the late rally, falling to the Rebels at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, 72-57.
The Horned Frogs, who went on a 22-5 run midway through the second half to crawl within single-digits, held UNLV without a bucket from the field for over 7 minutes of action in the middle of the second frame. Playing with a lot more fire and passion, the Frogs ramped up their defensive play during that stretch to the tune of harassing UNLV into four turnovers and forcing the Rebels into several bad shots, which resulted in them going 0-for-7 from the field during that stretch.
Sophomore Meagan Henson led the charge for the Frogs with some timely passes and several key buckets, which included a tough three-point play at the 2:57 mark that seemed to have lit a fire under the Purple and White for the time being. In all, the ball just bounced the wrong way on some key possessions down the stretch and UNLV was able to escape with only its third win ever in 18 tries against the Frogs.
Freshman Natalie Ventress led the TCU attack Wednesday with a new career and game-high of 23 points, while senior Antoinette Thompson also scored in double-figures with 13 points, marking the third-straight game in which the Fort Worth native has scored in double-digits. Henson had a career-night with a new career-high of six points, while also tallying four assists and three steals.
On the defensive end, sophomore Latricia Lovings accomplished a rare feet in a game as she blocked a new career-high six blocks against the Rebels, which are the most in a single-game since current professional Sandora Irvin blocked eight against Saint Louis in 2005. With her six blocks, Lovings moved all the way up to No. 5 all-time in blocked shots in a career with 63, passing both Micah Garoutte and Janelle Hunter Wednesday night.
UNLV had four players score in double-figures Wednesday as Jaime Smith led
the way with 16 points. Lenita Sanford added 15, while Kelli Thompson and Sandrine Nzeukou chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
With the loss, TCU fell to 8-10 overall and 1-2 in the Mountain West, while UNLV improved to 14-5 overall and 2-1 in league play. Overall, the Rebels snapped a four-game loosing streak to the Frogs and won for only the second time in regular-season action in 18 games against TCU all-time.
Down 40-21, Thompson drove coast-to-coast on the opening possession for TCU to try and ignite the Frogs early on in the second half. UNLV continued its hot shooting, scoring the next seven points until Thompson found Briesha Wynn wide-open for a three from the top of the key at the 16:43 mark.
Henson drilled a deep trey after some nice ball movement to move the score to 51-29 and the sophomore then proceeded to steal the rock and find Ventress in the corner. Thompson’s running jumper on the next possession was part of a 10-2 run for the Purple and White and the Frogs started to inch their way back into the game with a little over 13 minutes remaining in the contest. TCU would show solid defense the next trip down the court in which Thompson swiped the ball away from a UNLV player and found Ventress in the lane to make the score 55-38 at the 12:17 mark.
Another triple by Ventress pulled TCU within 14 and Henson proceeded to find Thompson on the next possession in the corner whom promptly nailed a triple to ignite the crowd and make it an 11-point game halfway through the second frame.
Ventress would score again a few moments later and the Frogs were now in business, crawling all the way back, now only down eight at 55-46 with 8:50 left to go in the game.
Henson, who seemed to really spark the Frogs Wednesday night, would catch an outlet pass and score on a tough three-point play to pull TCU within 63-55 at the 2:40 mark, but UNLV answered with a three of its own to halt the Frog and Henson attack.
Ventress cut the Rebel lead to single-digits one last time, connecting on back-to-back free throws with 1:35 showing on the scoreboard, but UNLV was able to make a couple of free throws and a late three to bring the final score to 72-57.
UNLV jumped out to a 10-2 lead early, but Gross found Thompson on a backdoor cut to halt the Rebel run three minutes into the contest. Following a bucket by UNLV, Whitney Williams drove the lane and sliced through the UNLV defense to bring the Frogs within six at 12-6 at the 15:56 mark of the opening period.
The two teams would trade three’s at about the 14-minute mark and Ventress scored on an up-and-under move the next trip down the court to bring the score to 17-11 at 13:39. In what was part of a 7-3 run for the Frogs, Chelsea Prince drilled a jumper on the following possession to make the score 17-13 during the early stages of the contest.
UNLV, who simply couldn’t miss from behind the three-point line in the first half, shooting 75 percent halfway through the opening period, would make the score 22-14, but Ventress made a nice spin move and looped the ball over the front of the rim to close the gap for the Frogs with 9 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the first half.
The Rebels would push the score to 38-18 on a 16-4 run as the Frogs missed on several makeable buckets down the stretch of the first half until Ventress dialed it up from deep with 44 seconds remaining in the period to bring the score to 38-21 at the break.
TCU will hit the road to take on Boise State on Saturday, Jan. 21. Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. CT.
