TCU
Texas Tech
Frogs Beat TTU, Overcome 15-Point Deficit
12/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas -- TCU overcame a 15-point second half deficit to post a 78-69 win over Texas Tech on the road and open league play with a victory for the first time as a member of the Big 12 Conference.
TCU (9-3, 1-0) used a 15-0 run near the start of the fourth quarter to erase a the Lady Raider deficit for good and help TCU build a 69-59 lead following a three by Toree Thompson.
TCU won a conference opener for the first time since the 2010-11 season and for the first time as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The Frogs are in their fourth season as a member of the Big 12 Conference and last won a league opener on Jan. 5, 2011 as a member of the Mountain West Conference when it defeated San Diego State 48-47.
Texas Tech (9-3, 0-1) built an early eight-point lead on the Frogs in the first quarter at 19-11 following a three from Dayo Olabode. The early success for the Lady Raiders was thanks to a span in which Texas Tech made 7-of-8 shots. TCU fought back to within one on three occasions late in the first quarter at 21-20, 23-22 and 25-24.
The Lady Raiders responded to TCU's runs to narrow the gap by scoring the first seven points of the second quarter to force a TCU timeout with 7:37 to go in the half as the lead ballooned to 32-24. The Frogs finally ended their own drought to start the second quarter when Toree Thompson drove baseline and scored with 5:27 left in the period to cut it to 32-26. The Frogs held the Lady Raiders without a basket for nearly four minutes but were only able to get Thompson's baseline basket during that time period. The Frogs scored four straight after getting down nine at 37-28 thanks to a pair of free throws by Jordan Moore and a basket from Veja Hamilton before Texas Tech's Japreece Dean's three at the halftime buzzer gave the Lady Raiders a 40-32 lead at the break.
After a respectable start from the field, TCU cooled off quickly in the second quarter and shot just 38.2 percent in the opening half, making just 1-of-6 shots from beyond the three-point arc.
Texas Tech scored eight of the first 11 points out of the gate in the second half and eventually built a 15-point lead at 54-39 with 4:24 to go in the third quarter.
The Frogs responded with baskets from Caitlin Diaz, Jada Butts and Toree Thompson to but the lead back to single-digits at 54-45. Thompson added a pair of free throws before Destynee Hives-McCray's basket in transition extended the TCU run to 10-0 and cut the lead to five at 54-49.
Texas Tech ended the run with a pair of free throw with 2:05 to go in the third quarter but the free throw line was the Lady Raiders' only form of offense for the second half of the third period as they missed their final seven shots and failed to make a field goal after hitting a shot with 5:12 to go in the period.
Thompson knocked down a three to open the fourth quarter to pull within 57-54 before Texas Tech hit a field goal. AJ Alix then knocked down a three to pull within 59-57 with 8:19 to go.
The Alix three ignited a 15-0 run that saw TCU retake the lead, its first since 2-0 in the opening minute of the game. The lead got to 10 at 69-59 before Texas Tech got a basket with just over four minutes to go. Alix added another three to extend the lead to 72-61 with just under three minutes remaining.
Texas Tech fought and cut it to three at 72-69 with 40.3 left before TCU secured the win.
TCU won in Lubbock for just the third time in school history. The Horned Frogs, picked to finish fifth in the Big 12 Conference in a survey of league's head coaches, are tied for first following the opening night of the season.
NOTES
• TCU erased a deficit of eight points or more to win for the eighth time in the Pebley era.
• TCU has won four of its last five games.
• With its second road win of the season, TCU has matched its total number of road wins from the 2014-15 season. TCU was just 2-9 on the road last season.
• TCU ended a five-game road losing streak in Big 12 Conference play with the win.
• TCU's senior class ends their collegiate careers with a 2-2 record against the Lady Raiders in Lubbock.
UP NEXT
TCU returns home to play three of their next four games at home in Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth. The series of games starts with a Saturday afternoon contest with Kansas State on Jan. 2, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest with Chuck LaMendola (play-by-play) and TCU great Janice Dziuk (analyst) on the call. The game is also available on on the radio via KTCU 88.7 FM in the DFW Metroplex and through GoFrogs.com.
The game marks the return of former TCU coach Jeff Mittie, now the head coach at Kansas State, to Fort Worth. Mittie won 303 games in 15 seasons as the TCU head coach from 1999-2014, helping the Horned Frogs reach nine NCAA Tournaments and 11 postseason appearances.
Tickets are available through the TCU Ticket Office in the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena, by calling 877-828-3764 or by visiting GoFrogs.com.
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