North Texas upsets TCU, 92-85
12/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 23, 2001
North Texas' Chris Davis scored 25 points Sunday to lead the Mean Green to a 92-85 win over TCU at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The Mean Green, who have won three in a row, improve to 4-6 this season, while the Frogs drop to 9-4.
North Texas took a 45-24 lead into the locker room at the half, then hung on as the Frogs mounted a second-half rally. The deficit proved to be too large to overcome. In the opening half, the Frogs shot a dismal 21.1% as they converted only eight shots in 38 attempts. North Texas shot 46.2% in the first half, hitting 18 shots, including four three-pointers. The Mean Green committed only three turnovers in the first half, and just 14 for the game.
The lone bright spot for the Frogs was the play of Jamal Brown. The junior forward posted career-highs with 33 points and 26 rebounds, including 15 offensive rebounds. In the first half, Brown had 10 of TCU's 24 points, and 13 of the team's 25 boards. Brown's 26 boards are the most since Lee Nailon pulled down 22 against SMU in 1999, and it ties him with two others for fourth in single-game school history. He came within two boards of tying Eugene Kennedy's school-record of 28.
"I have to give North Texas credit, because they came ready to play," said head coach Billy Tubbs. "They were the aggressor in the first half. This was another search and discovery game for us. It seems that every game we have to search and discover what is going to work for us. On the positive side, Jamal Brown gave us an inside presence today. It was an embarrassing first half, and probably the worst that I have ever been a part of. Without JB, it could have been a lot worse. North Texas controlled everything in the first half, but we also missed some good shots."
The Frogs shot the ball better in the second half, hitting 47.8% from the field. TCU outscored North Texas, 61-47 in the second half, but the Mean Green held off the Frogs, thanks to free-throw shooting. In the final half, North Texas hit 16-of-21 free throws. The Frogs cut the deficit to five points on a Brown put back with 13 seconds remaining. North Texas' Jerome Rogers made two free throws to seal the win.
TCU will return to action next Saturday, December 29, when they host Baylor at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The contest, part of the Fort Worth Classic, will tip-off at 8:05 p.m.
