TCU Horned Frogs blow massive lead in 87-75 defeat at BYU in Big 12 showdown
With a chance to create separation in the Big 12 standings, TCU blew a double-digit lead in a shocking 87-75 defeat at BYU on Saturday night.
The Horned Frogs led by 17 at halftime, but with less than five minutes remaining the tide had turned and it was TCU that trailed by double digits, 82-69, with 2:24 remaining.
How is that type of collapse possible? TCU has done it before at Cincinnati and at Texas Tech, but neither of those collapses were as shocking and disappointing as this one. Despite being shut down in the first half, the Cougars only needed the second half to pick apart the TCU defense with 58 points in the final 20 minutes.
Five different Cougars scored in double figures, while four hit 3-pointers. TCU thought it had held off BYU’s comeback attempt midway through the second half when JaKobe Coles sparked a 7-0 run that put TCU ahead 57-49 with just over 11 minutes remaining.
Instead that was the last stretch of quality basketball the Horned Frogs played as BYU outscored TCU 26-5 over the next seven minutes and had a 75-64 lead with 4:34 remaining.
TCU didn’t get closer than nine points the rest of the way.
The jarring defeat has big implications for TCU relative to both the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments. TCU is now seventh in the Big 12 standings and tied with Texas with a 8-8 conference record, and the Longhorns have the tiebreaker over the Horned Frogs.
As for the Big Dance, TCU could have a hard time moving off the eight- or nine-seed line without a deep run in the Big 12 Tournament.
Defense goes missing
After one of its best defensive performances in the first half, TCU’s defense crumbled in the second half as the Cougars easily overcame a 17-point deficit. After hitting just one 3-pointer in the first half, the Cougars knocked down eight in the second, led by Trevin Knell, who hit four.
It took BYU less than 15 minutes of game time to produce 40 points in the second half. In preparing for the Cougars, TCU coach Jamie Dixon had said the Horned Frogs needed to be prepared to guard for 40 minutes. TCU was unable to complete that task. BYU continued to execute on offense, creating open look after open look, despite the struggles in the first half. There was a clear confidence from the top scoring offense in the Big 12 that the shots would eventually start falling.
BYU shot over 60 percent in the second half.
Flawless half
TCU couldn’t have asked for a better start in one of the most hostile environments in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs’ offense operated at a high level in the opening 20 minutes while the defense was at least as impressive.
TCU initially fell behind 6-3, but the deficit wouldn’t last long as the Horned Frogs tied the game at 15-15 with a fastbreak bucket by Chuck O’Bannon.
It was at this point, the Horned Frogs started to create separation: An 8-1 run put TCU ahead 23-16.
A big reason for the Horned Frogs’ early success was the 3-point shooting. TCU made its first five long-distance shots. O’Bannon hit the fifth one to keep TCU ahead 28-23 with 6:58 remaining in the first half. TCU’s defense became suffocating and held BYU to just one field goal for over three minutes.
As BYU struggled with TCU’s ball pressure, the Horned Frogs used it to turn the Cougars’ mistakes into points, such as when Micah Peavy picked off a pass going down the lane and turned it into a fastbreak slam dunk on the opposite end. His steal and score increased TCU’s lead to 41-25 and the Horned Frogs went into halftime with a commanding 46-29 lead.
While TCU shot 70 percent from 3 in the first half, BYU was held to just 7% percent on 13 attempts. The Cougars, who only average 10 turnovers a game, also had eight giveaways in the first 20 minutes.
It was as close to a perfect start as one could’ve hoped for.
But things clearly changed in the second half.
This story was originally published March 2, 2024 at 10:32 PM.
