A lot right, just enough wrong as TCU falls to West Virginia
Monday night, the TCU men’s basketball team followed its coach’s orders.
It just about meant an upset of West Virginia at Schollmaier Arena.
The Horned Frogs took care of the ball, attacked the basket, made 35 of 40 free throws and pushed No. 17 West Virginia before unraveling late in a 95-87 loss in a Big 12 game against the best team they’ve played this season.
Sophomore guard Chauncey Collins had 20 points, and junior center Karviar Shepherd added 18 for TCU (8-6, 0-2).
It was the result of a marked turnaround in approach for the Frogs, whose freelancing in a loss Saturday at Oklahoma State disappointed coach Trent Johnson enough to call it “some bad basketball.”
We were doing exactly what we practice. We were doing exactly what we tell them to do. This is the team that I saw about a month and a half ago, two months ago.
TCU coach Trent Johnson
Monday, there was only a tiny amount of bad basketball from the Frogs. But it was enough.
“We were doing exactly what we practice; we were doing exactly what we tell them to do,” Johnson said. “This is the team that I saw about a month and a half ago, two months ago, in terms of how we play.
“We just need to maintain that focus and maintain that intensity, and more and more and more, we’ll put ourselves in a situation where we’ll have a chance to finish a game against good teams. There’s a lot of good teams in this league.”
West Virginia (13-1, 2-0) is one of those good teams. The Mountaineers, who finished with six players with at least four fouls, got 38 points combined from reserve guards Jaysean Paige and Tarik Phillip in rallying from a 60-53 deficit.
Phillip’s 3-pointer produced a 77-75 lead with 5:40 to go, and Paige’s 3-pointer made it 88-77 with 2:56 remaining. Paige had 20 points, and Phillip had 18. Each went 2 for 2 on 3-pointers to douse any threat.
“Their perimeter play really put a lot of pressure on us, and they made some tough shots,” Johnson said.
A 3-pointer by Collins gave TCU a 60-53 lead with 15:24 left. And after Daxter Miles Jr. made one of two free throws for West Virginia, TCU had the ball and a 60-54 lead.
But Malique Trent’s turnover was the first of three on the next three possessions, and West Virginia tied the score at 60.
We made some great plays down the stretch. We had slip-ups on some plays, made some bad decisions. It cost us. It’s a learning experience.
TCU center Karviar Shepherd
The Frogs then fought within 79-77 on a dunk by Trent. But Miles’ 3-pointer made it 82-77, and Shepherd missed two chances for a tip-in at the other end. Paige controlled the rebound, drew a foul and then a technical foul on TCU’s Chris Washburn.
The Mountaineers made 3 of 4 foul shots for an 85-77 lead, and Paige’s 3-pointer made it 88-77.
“Yeah, we were really close,” Shepherd said. “We made some great plays down the stretch. We had slip-ups on some plays, made some bad decisions. It cost us. It’s a learning experience.”
That was better than Saturday, when 15 turnovers and 30 percent shooting resulted in a meager 48 points.
Johnson saw only the bottom line.
“I’m tired, and they should be tired, of playing good teams and getting close,” he said. “This moral victory stuff is long gone.”
WEST VIRGINIA (13-1): Holton 6-8 3-3 15, Ahmad 0-1 0-0 0, Williams 3-8 7-8 13, Carter 5-8 1-4 13, Miles Jr. 4-8 3-8 14, Myers 0-1 0-0 0, Paige 6-8 6-8 20, Adrian 0-1 0-0 0, Phillip 5-8 6-8 18, Watkins 1-1 0-0 2, Macon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-52 26-39 95.
TCU (8-6): Brodziansky 1-4 6-7 8, Shepherd 4-9 10-11 18, M. Williams 1-3 4-4 7, Trent 5-11 5-6 15, Parrish 2-5 0-0 5, Shreiner 1-3 0-0 2, Collins 6-13 4-4 20, Miller 1-4 5-6 7, Abron 0-0 0-0 0, Washburn 2-2 1-2 5. Totals 23-54 35-40 87.
Halftime—TCU 47, West Virginia 45. 3-Point Goals—West Virginia 9-17 (Miles Jr. 3-5, Paige 2-2, Phillip 2-2, Carter 2-4, Adrian 0-1, Myers 0-1, Ahmad 0-1, Holton 0-1), TCU 6-13 (Collins 4-8, M. Williams 1-2, Parrish 1-2, Trent 0-1). Fouled Out—Macon, Trent, Washburn, Williams. Rebounds—West Virginia 35 (Holton, Williams 6), TCU 30 (Parrish 6). Assists—West Virginia 17 (Carter 5), TCU 12 (Washburn, M. Williams 3). Total Fouls—West Virginia 33, TCU 27. Technical Fouls—Phillip, Washburn. A—4,739.
This story was originally published January 4, 2016 at 10:50 PM with the headline "A lot right, just enough wrong as TCU falls to West Virginia."