Thorns Leads TCU Past Air Force, 59-56
FORT WORTH—Senior guard Hank Thorns scored a career-high 22 points and TCU came up with big defensive stops late again Wednesday evening during a 59-56 victory over Air Force at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
The win, the second straight for TCU, pushed the squad’s overall season record to 12-7 overall, while it also evened up its MountainWest record at 2-2. Air Force dropped to 11-7 overall and 1-3 in the MW.
Just like in Saturday’s big comeback win over Boise State at the DMC, TCU came up big on the defensive end of the court late in the game. The Frogs held the Falcons scoreless for the final four-plus minutes following a traditional 3-point play by forward Mike Fitzgerald at the 4:05 mark that cut TCU’s lead to one point, 57-56. Thorns recorded a long jumper with 2:59 remaining to push his squad ahead by three points, and the Frogs were able to hold from there. Falcon guard Todd Fletcher missed a tying 3-point opportunity at the buzzer as TCU survived with yet another close victory.
Thorns came up big again for the Frogs, who earned their ninth win in 10 games this season decided by six points or fewer. The returning All-Mountain West performer connected on 9-of-12 field-goal attempts on theevening, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The output surpassed his previous high total of 21 points, which he had recorded on three different occasions.
Senior guard J.R. Cadot experienced his best offensivenight in well over a month, scoring 13 points and going a perfect 7-for-7 at the free-throw line. Cadot also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds while collecting three assists, three blocked shots and a pair of steals. The blocked shots total marked a new career best.
Senior forward Craig Williams and junior guard/forwardGarlon Green added seven points each for
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TCU, which posted its fourth consecutive victory at the DMC.
Air Force featured three players who scored in double figures. Center Taylor Broekhuis led the squad with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Fitzgerald and Fletcher added 14 and 12 points, respectively. TCU was able to put the clamps on Falcons leading scorer Michael Lyons, whomanaged only six points Wednesday.
TCU trailed by two points at the half in a tight contest that saw neither team lead at any point by more than seven points. The Falcons led nearly the entire first half, and, in the few moments they didn’t, were able to regain the advantage the four times that TCU was able to tie the score.
The Frogs pushed ahead for the first time early in thesecond half with an 8-0 run that made the score 34-30 with 16:48 remaining. Air Force regrouped midway through the period with a 6-0 run to even the game up at 47-47, but TCU’s defensive effort took the game over from there. The Frogs limited the Falcons to only two baskets in the game’s final nine minutes.
TCU returns to the road this weekend, taking on New Mexico on Saturday at The Pit in Albuquerque, N.M. Tip-off for the contest, which will be televised by The MountainWest Sports Network (The Mtn.), is scheduled for 5 p.m. CST.
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