Fresh off its upset of No. 17 West Virginia, can TCU keep momentum going at Iowa State?
Not much has gone right for the TCU men’s basketball team in the last six weeks.
The Horned Frogs have endured loss after loss, and it usually hasn’t been pretty. A 32-point loss at West Virginia. A 20-point loss at Oklahoma. An 11-point loss at Arkansas, just days after knocking off then-No. 18 Texas Tech. A 14-point loss against a short-handed Texas team in Austin, just days after defeating K-State.
TCU could have easily folded down the stretch, knowing its dreams of reaching the NCAA Tournament were becoming more and more remote with each loss, but it hasn’t.
Instead, TCU responded with one of its best games of the season on Saturday, avenging that ugly loss at West Virginia with a stunning 67-60 overtime victory over the Mountaineers.
“It was great,” senior guard Desmond Bane said afterward. “I hope it gives some of the younger guys confidence that it can be done. We went out there and got flat-out embarrassed in West Virginia. To come back here and beat that team is huge for us.
“Hopefully we can build off this moving forward.”
TCU will have a chance to build off it when it takes on Iowa State on Tuesday night in Ames. The Horned Frogs (15-12, 6-8 Big 12) will be looking to win consecutive games for the first time in more than six weeks.
The last time it happened was at the start of Big 12 play early last month when TCU opened 3-0, including an 81-79 overtime victory over Iowa State in Fort Worth.
RJ Nembhard played a starring role in that game with 31 points. Bane and Kevin Samuel both had 16 points.
But, like most teams, the Frogs have evolved since then. They’ve since started six different lineups and have given point guard duties to Nembhard.
Nembhard feels the transition has gone well, although he still must limit his number of turnovers (he’s had 12 in three games since taking over at point guard).
“It’s definitely been a smooth transition,” Nembhard said. “It makes it easier when you have the best big [Samuel] and the best guard [Bane] in the Big 12. It’s not that difficult.
“It’s been fun. I look forward to keeping it going and getting more wins in this conference.”
Haliburton sidelined
Iowa State had a major blow earlier this month when standout guard Tyrese Haliburton sustained a season-ending wrist injury in a 73-63 victory over Kansas State on Feb. 8.
Haliburton had a triple-double in the first meeting between TCU and ISU, scoring 22 points with 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
Without Haliburton, Iowa State has gone just 1-3, including a 30-point home loss to Texas Tech on Saturday.
Senior Prentiss Nixon and sophomore Rasir Bolton have handled the bulk of point guard duties since Haliburton has been out.
Briefly
▪ TCU has won five straight against Iowa State, including consecutive wins in Ames.
▪ TCU overcame a 10-point deficit in its victory over West Virginia, which is the largest deficit it has overcome this season.
▪ Bane is scheduled to play in his 137th game on Tuesday, which would move him alone for second all-time (Brandon Parrish played in 136 games from 2013-17). Former forward JD Miller holds the all-time record with 140 games played from 2015-19.
