TCU overwhelmed by No. 1 Oklahoma as NBA’s Kevin Durant watches
Forgive TCU coach Trent Johnson’s honesty. He knows where his team stands in the Big 12 following a 95-72 loss at No. 1 Oklahoma with NBA star Kevin Durant watching from the baseline.
“Was he going to suit up and play for us?” Johnson said with dry humor. “I don’t know if he could have helped us tonight.”
Well, that will never be known.
What is clear, however, is that TCU is not in the Sooners’ league, at least not Tuesday night at the Lloyd Noble Center.
This is something you guys already know: Oklahoma’s really good.
TCU coach Trent Johnson
Oklahoma scored the first eight points, led by 20 with five minutes left in the first half, and got double-figure scoring from six players. TCU got within 13 points in the second half, but Johnson wasn’t fooled.
“We were never in a situation where we were a threat to them, I thought,” Johnson said. “We got it to 13, they come down and go boom, boom.”
Vladimir Brodziansky had 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting for TCU (10-12, 1-8 Big 12) after going scoreless the previous two games. But much of that production was with the game long decided.
Buddy Hield had 17 for Oklahoma (19-2, 7-2). Every starter for the Sooners, plus reserve Christian James, had 10 or more points. Ryan Spangler (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Isaiah Cousins (13 points, 10 rebounds) both had double-doubles for the Sooners.
“This is something you guys already know: Oklahoma’s really good,” Johnson said. “They put a lot of pressure on you to be really good offensively.”
With Oklahoma making eight of its first 16 shots from 3-point range, TCU couldn’t keep up. The Frogs shot 37 percent (10-for-27) in the first half, trailing 52-33 at the break after Chris Washburn’s 3-pointer.
Washburn finished with 15 points, and Malique Trent added 12 for TCU.
I think both games were super competitive and really tough, especially because they were road games and we are a young team. So it’s good experience for us.
TCU forward Vladimir Brodziansky
on playing No. 1s Kansas and OUPlaying a No. 1-ranked team on the road for the second time in league play, the Frogs were not nearly as close to Oklahoma as they were against Kansas in Lawrence three weeks ago.
“I think both games were super competitive and really tough, especially because they were road games and we are a young team,” Brodziansky said. “So it’s good experience for us. And we tried to compete as much as possible. We are trying to take it step by step. And both teams were really good teams.”
That last part is what Johnson emphasized — Kansas is a good team, Oklahoma is a good team.
The Frogs? Well, they’re a ways away.
“When you play against people like this, teams like this, you know what? They’re good,” Johnson said. “So I’m not going to say we weren’t competing. They’re good players. They’re a better team. Let’s be honest about it.”
Then maybe Kevin Durant would have helped.
Carlos Mendez: 817-390-7760, @calexmendez
No. 1 OKLAHOMA 95, TCU 72
TCU (10-12): Collins 3-6 0-0 9, Trent 5-14 0-0 12, Parrish 3-9 0-0 7, Abron 0-1 4-6 4, Washburn 5-12 4-5 15, Shreiner 0-0 0-0 0, M. Williams 0-1 2-2 2, Brodziansky 8-11 0-2 17, Miller 1-4 2-2 4, Dry 0-0 0-2 0, Shepherd 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 26-63 12-19 72.
OKLAHOMA (19-2): Spangler 5-8 1-1 11, Woodard 2-8 9-9 14, Cousins 5-11 1-1 13, Lattin 5-6 0-0 10, Hield 7-13 0-1 17, Odomes 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 0-4 0-0 0, James 4-6 0-0 12, McNeace 0-1 3-4 3, Buford 2-3 2-4 7, Manyang 3-5 2-2 8. Totals 33-65 18-22 95.
Halftime—Oklahoma 52-33. 3-Point Goals—TCU 8-21 (Collins 3-6, Trent 2-6, Washburn 1-2, Parrish 1-3, Brodziansky 1-3, M. Williams 0-1), Oklahoma 11-30 (James 4-5, Hield 3-8, Cousins 2-3, Buford 1-2, Woodard 1-6, Walker 0-3, Spangler 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—TCU 33 (Brodziansky 8), Oklahoma 41 (Spangler 11). Assists—TCU 11 (Collins, Parrish 3), Oklahoma 20 (Cousins 7). Total Fouls—TCU 18, Oklahoma 16. A—NA.
This story was originally published February 2, 2016 at 9:44 PM with the headline "TCU overwhelmed by No. 1 Oklahoma as NBA’s Kevin Durant watches."