How big of a step back did TCU take defensively at Texas Tech? Jamie Dixon says ...
Texas Tech is one of the best defensive teams in the country. TCU is hoping to be known as a defensive-minded program.
But the Frogs got a first-hand look at what an elite defense looks like on Monday night. Texas Tech just needed one half to put the game out of reach.
They forced the Frogs to make a season-low eight field goals in the opening half, including 2 for 10 from 3-point range. They forced the Frogs to commit eight turnovers, which led to 18 points. All of it led to TCU scoring a season-low 27 points in the opening half and facing a 16-point deficit at half.
It didn’t get much better in the second half as TCU never pulled to within single digits and sustained its biggest loss of the season, 84-65. The 84 points were the most allowed by the Frogs this season.
On paper, it sure seems like TCU (15-5, 3-4) took a step back defensively. This is a team that held its previous four opponents to fewer than 70 points. This is a team that coach Jamie Dixon described as “defensive-minded” after a 55-50 victory over Florida on Saturday.
“I don’t know if it’s a step back,” Dixon said. “It’s just simply we didn’t get it done. You can’t hide from the numbers, the facts. You can call it what you want, but we didn’t get it done tonight. It doesn’t mean the season is over. It’s a loss to a very good team, a highly-ranked team on the road. That’s one loss. That’s what it becomes.
“Hopefully we can get better for it and hopefully learn some things from them when we play them the next time. We have to play better than we played tonight.”
TCU’s defense did a good job containing Tech’s biggest offensive threat, sophomore guard Jarrett Culver, much of the game. Culver had just eight points before going off for 10 points in the final 7:27 to finish with a game-tying high 18.
But Tech (17-4, 5-3) didn’t solely rely on Culver. The Red Raiders made seven 3-pointers in the first half, and then shot 61.5 percent from the field in the second half.
The numbers suggest why Tech won and, as Dixon said, it’s easy to point to TCU’s defense.
“They scored so easy on us that really was the determining factor,” Dixon said. “They beat us obviously pretty good, and certainly disappointed by how we played. We got what we deserved. We got out-executed.
“They got off to a good start, made shots. To their credit, they made the shots, but I think our defense had something to do with it.”
The Frogs will look to rebound with another tough road game, at Baylor, on Feb. 2 at 7 p.m.
This story was originally published January 29, 2019 at 10:00 AM.