Career night for Hackett lifts Horned Frogs to victory over Grambling
12/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2005
FT. WORTH, Texas - A trio of Horned Frogs led by sophomore Brent Hackett scored in double figures to pace the team to a 79-64 victory over Grambling State Wednesday night at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The game was also the last of a five-game homestand for TCU.
The win also keeps the Frogs undefeated in its series against the three opponents from the Southwestern Athletic Conference played this year as TCU continues its sweep over Jackson State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and now Grambling State.
Sophomore Brent Hackett had another career-setting performance of 2005-06. He set career marks for points (21) and three-pointers made (5) and tied a career high with seven field goals made. Hackett scored 14 of his 21 career-high points in the first half.
The scoring streak continued for Nile Murry as the senior posted double figures for the 14th straight time with 12 points. Murry is currently one of two players in the Mountain West Conference to have tallied double-digit points in every game this season.
Judson Stubbs scored in double digits for the seventh time this season, finishing with 18 points. He also flirted with a third double-double of the year, grabbing nine boards.
Playing in his third game of the season, senior Chudi Chinweze made his first start in over a year after being sidelined from a knee injury at Kansas on Dec. 9 last year. The 6-foot-7 forward totaled six points and six rebounds for the second time in 27 minutes of action.
In the opening half, both teams teetered back and forth as the lead shifted and the scored tied five times apiece. Hackett proved to be the spark for the Frogs as he drained a 3-pointer in back-to-back team possessions to push the Frogs ahead 24-18 under eight minutes in the opening half.
An Art Pierce dunk with 5:32 remaining gave TCU an eight-point cushion, 28-20, and attempts by Grambling to close in would be futile.
Hackett nailed a three at the buzzer, lifting the Frogs 42-31 at intermission.
The Frogs never relinquished their lead in the second half, taking their largest lead in the stanza by 16 points. TCU improved to 4-8 overall, while the Tigers dropped to 2-5.
GSU's Brion Rush led all players with a game-high 29 points and also grabbed a team-high six boards. Senior Jamar Lewis also contributed for the Tigers, finishing with 16 points.
TCU will cap off the 2005 year at SMU on Friday, Dec. 30. The game will be televised on CSTV with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. Central. It will be the Frogs' fifth television appearance of the season.
Post-Game Notes
• TCU now leads the overall series against the Tigers, 7-0.
• This is the sixth straight time that TCU has defeated Grambling State by 15 or more points.
• Tonight's 15-point win ranks as the second-largest margin of victory the Horned Frogs have defeated their opponent for the 2005-06 season. The highest margin of victory came on Dec. 18, 2005 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff with a 17-point difference.
• The Horned Frogs remain undefeated against Southwestern Athletic Conference teams played this season with an all-time 11-0 record against Jackson State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Grambling State.
• This is the 12th consecutive game that at least two Horned Frogs have scored in double figures.
• Guard Brent Hackett posted a career high with 21 points. He also broke an individual game high for most three's in a game with five. The most Hackett had recorded this season was four on Dec. 22 against Colorado.
• Hackett tied his career for field goals made in a game with seven.
• Forward Judson Stubbs scored double figures for the seventh time this season, recording 18 points.
• Stubbs was one rebound shy of a double-double, finishing the night with 18 points and nine boards.
• Guard Nile Murry extended his streak to 14 consecutive games where he has scored in double figures. Murry ended the night with 16 points. The 14 dates back to last season and includes all 12 games this season.
• Forward Chudi Chinweze started for the first time this season. The last time Chinweze started for the Horned Frogs came on Dec. 9, 2004 at Kansas.
