TCU has to fight to hold off scrappy Belmont
TCU met the expectation that comes with its recently acquired status as a Top 25 team — to win — even though the Horned Frogs had to scrap on Wednesday to close the door on a never-say-quit Belmont.
The No. 23 Frogs led by as many 21 in the first half before ultimately winning 87-76 against the Bruins at Schollmaier Arena.
Vladimir Brodziansky scored a game-high 22 points, showing Larry Bird range on 5-of-6 on 3-pointers, including three straight in the first half.
Brodziansky’s dunk off an Alex Robinson assist from a baseline drive extended a seven-point lead to eight with 29.3 seconds left.
Desmond Bane hit six free throws in the final 24 seconds, plus a exclamatory dunk in the final 10 seconds.
Kenrich Williams had another double-double, 11 points and 10 rebounds, and JD Miller pitched in 16 points, eight rebounds, and defensive energy for TCU (7-0), which extended its national-leading win streak to 12 games, dating to last season.
Jaylen Fisher had a team-high eight assists.
The Frogs spread the ball around with 20 assists and registered a season-low 11 turnovers. They outrebounded Belmont by 14 and limited the Bruins to one offensive rebound.
TCU outscored Belmont 15-0 on second-chance points.
Though TCU led for more than 37 minutes, defensive troubles let the Bruins back in. TCU gave up too many layups.
“We’ve got to finish games better,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “We’ve got to sustain. We can’t give up the layups we did.
“We had some good stretches. They just kept coming at us.”
Belmont (4-4), a program that has won more than 20 games and advanced to the postseason 11 of the past 12 years, was led by Dylan Windler’s 17 points.
TCU led by five midway through the first 20 minutes, but the Frogs’ 20-4 run over 6:25 of the first half opened up a 21-point lead.
The points came in threes and fours. Robinson converted a free throw off a made 3-pointer, Miller and Williams each had a 3-pointer, and Fisher and Brodziansky each had three-point plays during the run.
The Frogs, though, left the back door open, allowing the Bruins back in the game.
TCU made one shot on its last eight field-goal attempts of the half, and went scoreless over the last 2:36.
The drought coincided with a 13-3 Belmont run.
The Frogs led by as many as 15 in the second half, but Belmont chipped away, finding itself down by only nine with 5:21 left. TCU kept them at bay.
Bane will likely see more opportunities to score. Dixon noted the sophomore needs more shots, considering what he’s doing with the ones he has gotten.
Bane is shooting 72 percent from the field this season after going 3 for 4 against Belmont. He has hit 63 percent from 3-point range.
“Why you play the games, to get better,” Dixon said. “We are playing better, and we will get better.”
BELMONT (4-4): Egekeze 6-12 0-0 15, Adelsperger 3-4 0-0 6, Luke 2-2 0-0 6, McClain 5-9 2-2 15, Windler 7-12 3-3 17, Hollander 0-2 0-0 0, Mercer 2-3 0-1 5, Hadden 1-2 0-0 2, Benkert 0-3 0-0 0, Sampson 0-0 0-0 0, Hopkins 4-10 0-0 10. Totals 30-59 5-6 76.
TCU (7-0): Brodziansky 8-11 1-1 22, Miller 7-13 1-3 16, Bane 3-4 6-6 12, Fisher 3-10 1-1 7, Williams 5-9 0-0 11, Noi 3-5 1-3 8, Hamdy 2-4 2-2 6, Olden 0-0 0-0 0, Robinson 1-7 2-3 5. Totals 32-63 14-19 87.
Halftime—TCU 42-31. 3-Point Goals—Belmont 11-35 (McClain 3-7, Egekeze 3-9, Luke 2-2, Hopkins 2-8, Mercer 1-1, Hollander 0-2, Windler 0-3, Benkert 0-3), TCU 9-19 (Brodziansky 5-6, Williams 1-2, Noi 1-3, Miller 1-3, Robinson 1-3, Fisher 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Belmont 20 (Windler, Egekeze 4), TCU 36 (Williams 10). Assists—Belmont 24 (Luke 8), TCU 20 (Fisher 8). Total Fouls—Belmont 17, TCU 11. A—6,237 (7,201).
This story was originally published November 29, 2017 at 11:06 PM with the headline "TCU has to fight to hold off scrappy Belmont."