TCU showed resilience on Saturday night, proving that even when shots aren't falling, a win is still within reach. In their 60-54 triumph over West Virginia at Schollmaier Arena, the Horned Frogs managed to secure a victory despite shooting just 34% from the field. Their perseverance down the stretch was key, particularly when they needed crucial baskets to seal the deal.
West Virginia, eager to bounce back after a tough loss to Utah, held a six-point lead with eight minutes left and maintained a 52-48 advantage with just over five minutes remaining. But the Mountaineers hit a cold spell, managing only a single layup from Brenen Lorient as TCU outscored them 12-2 in the final minutes. This marked TCU's eighth win in the last nine matchups against West Virginia at home.
West Virginia coach Ross Hodge reflected on the game, noting that both teams struggled at times. "For large stretches, it felt like neither team wanted to take control. But credit to TCU for stepping up when it mattered," he said.
The Mountaineers were outrebounded 39-28, surrendering 19 offensive boards, which compounded their woes from Wednesday's game. Xavier Edmonds and Liutauras Lelevicius led TCU with 14 points each, while David Punch added 12 and Brock Harding chipped in 11.
Hodge acknowledged TCU's late-game execution, saying, "They got the ball inside and finished when it counted, and we couldn’t match that."
West Virginia struggled offensively, failing to hit 60 points for the eighth time in conference play this season. Honor Huff led the Mountaineers with 13 points, with Lorient adding 10.
Turnovers were costly, as their 16 miscues led to 12 points for TCU. The Mountaineers also struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 5 of 21, contributing to a dismal 20.2% over their last four games.
Hodge summarized the game by pointing out the key factors: "Turnovers, free throws, and rebounding were our downfall. We knew what we needed to do, but couldn’t execute."
The victory boosts TCU's record to 17-10, leveling their conference play to 7-7. West Virginia, now 16-11 overall and 7-7 in the Big 12, will look to regroup as they head to Oklahoma State on Tuesday night.