Quick turnaround pits TCU against winless Alcorn State

TCU made it through finals prep and finals week without giving away a gift to either McNeese State or Texas Southern.

But Tuesday is the last remaining nonconference game on the schedule, as the Horned Frogs (7-3) host Alcorn State (0-9) at Schollmaier Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Though TCU’s hot hand from 3-point range has cooled somewhat in the team’s last four games (30 of 76, 39.5 percent), the Horned Frogs’ offense has been consistently efficient with different players stepping up each game.

Against Texas Southern, post players Jordan Moore (15 points, six rebounds) and Amy Okonkwo (11 and 6) exploited some mismatches inside to help TCU pull away before halftime. But at different points, Jada Butts, AJ Alix and Amber Ramirez have also led the Frogs’ offense this season.

That makes it harder for opposing defenses to key on one or two players and is one of the traits the Horned Frogs have developed that coach Raegan Pebley celebrates the most, as No. 14 West Virginia looms in the Big 12 opener on Dec. 29 when TCU comes back from break.

“We distribute our scoring,” Pebley said after the win over Texas Southern on Sunday. “If we’re really committed to moving the ball, sharing the ball and executing details, every game we should have about four players up near double figures.”

Four players average more than 10 points per game for TCU: Okonkwo (11.7), Alix (10.7), Butts (10.6) and Moore (10.6). Ramirez, who will sit out her third consecutive game Tuesday with an injury to her lower left leg, has scored 9.6 per game in the first eight games of her collegiate career.

Pebley, who would get career victory No. 200 with a win Tuesday, said Ramirez will be out until at least Christmas, making her earliest possible return to the floor coincide with the start of conference play on Dec. 29.

This story was originally published December 19, 2016 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Quick turnaround pits TCU against winless Alcorn State."