‘We have work to do.’ TCU shoved around by more physical Xavier in loss at Schollmaier

A strong finish Sunday saved TCU from the worst home loss since coach Jamie Dixon was hired in 2016, but that’s about all the Horned Frogs salvaged in an otherwise forgettable performance heading into the Christmas break.

Xavier led from start to finish — much of the game by double digits — to defeat TCU, 67-59, at Schollmaier Arena.

After a strong first half, Xavier picked up where it left off after halftime. The Musketeers (11-2) opened the second half on an 8-0 run to extend its lead to 19.

Xavier led by as many as 22 with 7:14 left to play before TCU closed the game on a 20-6 run. But it was too little, too late for the Horned Frogs.

“They certainly came here and outplayed us in every way,” Dixon said. “The positive was we kept playing at the end and made some shots down the stretch, but that doesn’t do justice with the stats or shooting percentages. I’m extremely disappointed. We have work to do.”

The closing run by the Horned Frogs (8-3) did, however, keep them from the worst home loss of the Dixon era, a 15-point setback in March to Texas Tech.

The 59 points tied TCU’s season low. TCU’s only two previous losses were both by two points apiece (at Clemson in overtime and against USC).

Xavier shot 52.9 percent in the game to help offset 21 turnovers. The Musketeers often got to loose balls first and outscored TCU 34-20 in the paint.

Xavier held TCU leading scorer Desmond Bane without a made shot in the first half and only two points. The senior guard was 0-for-6 from the field, including four misses from 3-point range.

“I just wasn’t making shots,” Bane said. “I had open ones, good ones, and they just didn’t go down. That’s just part of it.”

Bane didn’t make his first shot until 16:36 was left in the second half. His driving layup was TCU’s first points after halftime.

Bane finished with 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting. Bane has really struggled with his outside shot recently. Over the last five games, he’s 5-of-23 from 3-point range. Over the last two games, he’s 8-of-27 from the field.

“We’re very reliant on him as most teams are with your leading scorers,” Dixon said. “When they don’t make shots when you’re running plays for them, it’s a concern. It’s going to happen, but what we need to be is consistent defensively, taking care of the ball and [better] rebounding.”

The game appeared to get away from TCU late in the first half. Xavier built an 11-point lead with 6:19 left before halftime, but TCU scored four consecutive points to build some momentum.

But freshman guard PJ Fuller then air-balled a 3-pointer from the top that left Dixon shaking his head and extending his arms as if to ask “why.”

“That wasn’t a great shot,” Dixon said. “Shot selection is one of our issues, so many new guys and getting an understanding. But also because Desmond not getting going early, it puts some added pressure on some guys to think they have to make a play and it’s maybe not a position they’ve been in before, especially not at this level.

“We got to execute better. We spent the whole week practicing on execution, and to be honest, they took us out of our stuff. Their aggressiveness, physicality took us out of it and we didn’t respond in a good way.”

After Fuller’s air ball 3-point attempt, Xavier made a 3-pointer on the other end. Fuller was then called for traveling, and Xavier then scored again to go up by 12.

“We’ve been talking about how we have to get better,” Bane said. “We have to get tougher and more physical. It’ll happen.”

This story was originally published December 22, 2019 at 7:55 PM.