Three takeaways from No. 12 TCU’s basketball game versus No. 21 Texas Tech
No. 12 TCU’s game against No. 21 Texas Tech on Sunday was a Big 12 tilt between the top two defensive teams in the conference, and the game lived up expectations, with the Horned Frogs falling 62-60 to the Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena.
Horned Frogs star Olivia Miles struggled against the Red Raiders, scoring 12 points with four assists and six rebounds, while shooting 5-for-17 from the field, due in part to physical defense from the Red Raiders.
The Red Raiders held the Horned Frogs scoreless for almost three minutes late in the game, but a drive from Miles set up an open Donovyn Hunter three-pointer in the corner to tie the game at 55 apiece with less than a minute left.
Texas Tech guard Snudda Collins, who led all scorers with 28 points, came down the next possession and hit a three-pointer over the outstretched arms of Hunter for the go-ahead basket.
Head coach Mark Campbell talked on KTCU FM 88.7 about trying to slow down Collins after the game and said his defense played well enough to win the game.
“Yeah, just a really good basketball player, we couldn’t slow her down. Kid made play after play after play. So credit her, and they just were running a lot of isolation,” Campbell said. “I know we played good enough defense to win this thing, but they just made all those hustle plays, the 50-50 balls, extra effort, offensive rebounds. And on the road, you got to come up with all those little extra things to get the job done and today, we didn’t do that.”
Here are three takeaways from TCU’s loss to Texas Tech.
Marta Suárez notches a double-double
With Miles struggling to score efficiently, Marta Suárez stepped up for the Horned Frogs, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, along with two steals and two assists. Suárez did a lot of her damage in the post, using her size to punish smaller Texas Tech defenders.
TCU, like Suárez, did most of its scoring in the paint, but Campbell thought they should’ve had more success.
“We had plenty of shots at the rim. I thought we missed too many easy shots right around the basket, especially in the first half,” he said. “We got a lot of bunnies that we didn’t make, and so we got to be able to finish those baskets and put pressure on the rim, but that’s what they do, they try to speed you up, and we didn’t make them pay.”
Suárez’s rebounding was especially needed on a day when the Red Raiders out-rebounded the Horned Frogs and grabbed more than double their offensive boards.
“They’re relentless on the boards. I mean, when we go back and watch film, I’m sure we’re going to see a lot of missed blockouts, and those are the things in February and March you got to do in order to win. Give Tech credit. They played a heck of a ball game,” Campbell said.
Big 12 ramifications
The Horned Frogs entered Sunday’s game tied with Baylor atop the Big 12 standings, with a record of 8-1 in conference.
The Red Raiders win puts them one game behind the Horned Frogs in the conference standings and hands the Horned Frogs their second Big 12 loss of the season.
However, the Bears couldn’t take advantage — they lost Sunday at West Virginia. The Bears and Horned Frogs remained tied atop the Big 12 standings.
Three point shooting woes
The Horned Frogs, the second-best three point shooting team in the Big 12 (36%), uncharacteristically struggled on Sunday going 1-for-8 through the first three quarters.
The final frame was the Horned Frogs best from three-point range, going 4-for-10, but wasn’t enough to help them secure the win.
The Red Raiders defense focused on not giving up open looks and limiting opportunities and were successful holding the Horned Frogs to a season low in makes (5) from three-point range.
TCU will be back in action against Houston at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Schollmaier Arena.
