Samuel's Career Game Not Enough as Frogs Fall 78-67

Saturday, January 25

Fayetteville, Ark.

3 p.m.

TCU

13-6,4-2Big 12

Arkansas

15-4,3-3SEC

Team	1	2	F
TCU	29	38	67
Arkansas	33	45	78

Samuel's Career Game Not Enough as Frogs Fall 78-67

1/25/2020 6:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The sophomore center recorded career-highs in points (24) and rebounds (18)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Kevin Samuel's career highs in points and rebounds were not enough as TCU fell at Arkansas 78-67 Saturday in front of a capacity crowd of 19,200 at Bud Walton Arena in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

Samuel finished with 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting and had 18 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end. The 18 rebounds were the most by a TCU player in three seasons.

Samuel scored 11 of TCU's (13-5, 4-2 Big 12) first 14 points as the score was tied at 14-14 through the first eight minutes of action. Arkansas (15-4, 3-3 SEC) stretched its lead to as many as seven and took a 33-29 lead at halftime.

The Horned Frogs committed 12 first half turnovers, but Samuel's dominating first half, featuring 16 points on 7-of-7 shooting and eight rebounds kept TCU in the game.

Arkansas stretched its lead to as many as 15 in the second half and the Razorbacks made seven of its final eight free throws down the stretch to secure a 78-67 win.

Arkansas won despite being outrebounded 34-26, but it was 66.7 percent (6-of-9) from 3-point range and held TCU to just 31.6 percent (6-of-19). The Frogs were forced into 19 turnovers.

Up Next
TCU will return to Big 12 Conference play when it hosts Texas (12-7, 2-4) Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Team Notes
- TCU moved to 38-105 all-time against Arkansas and 15-55 against the Razorbacks in Fayetteville.
- The Frogs fell to 4-3 all-time in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
- The Horned Frogs outrebounded the Razorbacks, 34-26, dropping TCU to 11-2 and 70-20 under Dixon when outrebounding its opponent.
- TCU lost the turnover battle 19-12, its third-highest turnover total of the season. The Horned Frogs fell to 2-3 this season when losing the turnover battle.
- Arkansas attempted 25 free throws, the most by a TCU opponent in a game ending in regulation since Oklahoma attempted 25 free throws against the Horned Frogs on Jan. 12, 2019.
- The Razorbacks shot 6-of-9 (66.7 percent) from 3-point range, the highest 3-point percentage allowed by TCU since Washington shot 10-of-12 (83.3 percent) in a loss to TCU on Nov. 30, 2016.
- TCU tied a season-low with only three steals.
- TCU started with the lineup of Edric Dennis, Desmond Bane, RJ Nembhard, Diante Smith and Kevin Samuel for the first time this season.
- The announced attendance of 19,200 at Bud Walton Arena was the most a TCU team has played in front of in the regular season since Jan. 8, 2005 when the Frogs played at Louisville (19,583).

Individual Notes
- Kevin Samuel recorded his second straight double-double and tenth this season, leading TCU with career-highs in points (24) and rebounds (18).
- Samuel also set career-highs in free throws made and attempted, going 6-of-9 from the charity stripe.
- On the defensive end, Samuel swatted away two shots, giving him his 13th game this season with multiple blocks.
- Samuel joins Isaiah Stewart of Washington and Tyere Marshall of Rider as the only players in NCAA D-1 men's college basketball this season to record at least 24 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks in a game. He is also the only Horned Frog to accomplish that feat since at least the 2009-10 season.
- Samuel's 18 rebounds were the most by a Horned Frog since Kenrich Williams recorded 18 rebounds in a win over UNLV on Nov. 25, 2016.
- RJ Nembhard scored 11 points, giving him his 12th game this season scoring in double-figures.
- Desmond Bane started his 101st career game as a Horned Frog, moving him past JD Miller and into sixth place alone on the TCU all-time games started list.
- Bane scored eight points, all of which came in the second half, and dished out a team-high five assists.
- In his second start of the season, freshman Diante Smith scored eight points and tied a career-high with two made 3-pointers in three attempts.