TCU closes non-conference schedule with blowout win over Texas A&M-Commerce
With the biggest game on the schedule looming, TCU quickly dispatched Texas A&M-Commerce 77-42 on Monday behind one of its top defensive performances of the year.
“We wanted to guard the 3 and not foul, we progressed with our defense,” coach Jamie Dixon said. “I thought we did it the first 30 minutes or so. I’ve got to do a better job of getting us to play every minute the right way like every coach in America.”
The Horned Frogs made their first three field goals and shot over 60 percent most of the first half to take an insurmountable 47-20 halftime lead. TCU finished the non-conference portion of its schedule 11-2 and will now turn its focus to Big 12 play, which begins on Saturday at No. 2 Kansas.
Knowing the massive challenge that awaits with the Jayhawks, the Horned Frogs came out focused and quickly put the Lions in a big hole with a 13-2 run to start the game.
TAMU-C struggled with TCU’s ball pressure and four of TCU’s first seven bucket came off the fast break. It would be a recurring theme in the first 20 minutes as the Horned Frogs top-ranked fast break offense thrived in transition as the Lions struggled with TCU’s ball pressure.
The Lions did their best to hang around as an Alonzo Dodd bucket in the pain kept TAMU-C close, 23-13, midway through the half. However, that would be the closet the Lions would get for the rest of the way as the Horned Frogs hit another gear.
TCU broke the game open with a 20-4 run that featured highlights from everybody. Emanuel Miller and Micah Peavy had fast break dunks, while Jameer Nelson Jr. bullied his way through the defense for multiple layups at the rim.
Trevian Tennyson capped the run with a dunk off his own after Peavy forced a turnover and threaded a bounce pass to Tennyson for the finish.
The Horned Frogs weren’t challenged in the second half as they led by as many as 45. Ernest Udeh set new career-highs with 13 points and 18 rebounds while Avery Anderson added 13 points and four assists.
“We’ve seen improvement (from Udeh),” Dixon said. “When he got here, there was work to do and he has. He’s really improved his free throw shooting, his activity is there.”
TCU and Kansas will tip-off at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Udeh breaks out
Ahead of facing his former team on Saturday, Udeh had his most productive game of the season against the undersized TAMU-C front line. Udeh made an impact early with a block in the opening minute and then he threw down an alley-oop on the ensuing offensive possession.
Udeh was the ultimate deterrent inside as the Lions repeatedly passed up shots in the paint due to his length. On the offensive end, Udeh’s motor shined as he kept possessions alive with offensive rebounds or tip outs. He was rewarded with more touches than he’s seen most of the year like a smart entry pass from Miller that Udeh turned into a dunk that made it 34-17 with 5:52 remaining in the first half.
Udeh ended up with a season-high 10 points in the first half along with nine rebounds and two blocks.
“I was just focusing my approach to the game,” Udeh said. “I know as we get closer to conference play it’s going to heat up, competition is going to get tougher and I just wanted to go into this game with the mentality of staying aggressive and just make sure I’m attacking the offensive and defensive glass.”
Defensive prowess
TCU has shown it can score at an elite level, but it’ll be the defense that ultimately determines the ceiling of the Horned Frogs. The defense was dialed in against TAMU-C as the Lions shot just 31 percent in the first half and nearly had the same amount of turnovers as made field goals in the opening 20 minutes.
Part of was Udeh’s disruptive presence in the middle, but the perimeter defense of Peavy, Tennyson and Avery Anderson was a sight to see. The communication on switches was consistent and loud, loud enough to hear over the crowd at times.
“Coach Dixon has been stressing no middle,” Tennyson said. “Against Nevada and Clemson that’s how we lost both those games so it was just about stressing no middle and not letting them get to where they wanted to go.”
TCU also held the Lions without a 3-point field goal in the first half, which is improvement for that aspect of the defense that has been exploited at times this year. The Lions didn’t hit a 3 until there were less than five minutes remaining. TAMU-C shot 32 percent from the field.
Injury update
JaKobe Coles and Chuck O’Bannon both missed the contest against TAMU-C as Coles is dealing with a foot injury while O’Bannon is a nursing a thumb injury.
Their status for Kansas is undetermined. Coles is second on the team in scoring at 11.4 points per game while O’Bannon averages 7.3 and is currently making 40 percent of his 3-pointers.
This story was originally published January 1, 2024 at 4:53 PM.
