Heard, TCU Come Back to Down Middle Tennessee, 83-77

Sunday, December 13

Fort Worth, Texas

1 p.m.

TCU

4-1,0-1Big 12

Middle Tennessee

-03,00 CUSA

Middle Tenn.

TCU

Heard, TCU Come Back to Down Middle Tennessee, 83-77

12/13/2020 4:16:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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Senior pours in season-high 25 points in come-from-behind win over Lady Raiders

FORT WORTH – The TCU Horned Frogs erased an 11-point second-half deficit on the way to earning a six-point non-conference victory over the Middle Tennessee Lady Raiders, 83-77, Sunday afternoon at Schollmaier Arena.

Lauren Heard led the way with a season-high 25 points, while Tavy Diggs (18) and Michelle Berry (13) posted double-digit scoring efforts in the Horned Frogs (4-1, 0-1) victory. Anastasia Hayes led the Lady Raiders (0-3, 0-0) with a game-high 28 points.

TCU moved to 4-0 in non-conference play, while also notching its 28th straight win at home over a non-conference opponent.

TURNING POINT
The Horned Frogs shot just .167 (3-18) from the field in the first quarter and trailed 18-12, but then came back to pour in shooting efforts of .714 (10-14) and .588 (10-17) in the second and third quarters, respectively, to tie the game at 61-61. TCU trailed 52-41 with 6:25 left to play in the third quarter, but the Horned Frogs used a 12-1 run to notch things up at 53-all.

The Horned Frogs opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back three-pointers from Berry and Aja Holmes. Following a lay-up from the Lady Raiders, Holmes connected on another three-ball and Heard followed with a pair of free throws to extend its lead to nine points, up 72-63. Middle Tennessee wouldn't go away though and came all the way back to tie the game at 72-72 with 4:11 left to play.

Caroline Germond hit a three-pointer, but the game would see two more ties before TCU blew it open with a runner from Diggs at the 23-second mark. MT missed its next three-point attempt and Berry pulled down the rebound and was fouled on the play. She drained both free throws and Aahliyah Jackson forced a turnover at the other end of the floor. Germond scooped up the ball and made her way down the court to put the exclamation point on the victory.

FROG FACTS
• TCU won at home against a non-conference opponent for the 28th straight time – a winning streak that dates back to the 2017-18 season. TCU's last defeat to a non-conference opponent at home came back on Nov. 21, 2017 (Yale).
• The Horned Frogs moved to 1-2 all-time against Middle Tennessee, avenging last season's road loss to the Lady Raiders.
• TCU moved to 55-57 all-time against teams from Conference USA, snapping a four-game losing streak to squads from that league. It was TCU's first win over a team from C-USA since Dec. 5, 2012.
• Head coach Raegan Pebley moved to 121-79 all-time at TCU and 277-254 overall.
• Sunday's game marked just the second time ever that TCU had been tied at the end of the third quarter under coach Pebley, since the NCAA adopted quarters in women's basketball. TCU is now (1-1) all-time after being tied at the end of the third quarter.
• TCU is now 2-1 on the season and 21-59 under coach Pebley when trailing at halftime.
• TCU notched a season-high 11 three-pointers in the game. It was TCU's most three-pointers in a game since going 11-for-28 from downtown against Oklahoma last season (March 4, 2020).
• Lauren Heard started her 62nd straight game for the Horned Frogs. TCU also started Michelle Berry, Tavy Diggs, Aahliyah Jackson and Yummy Morris. This particular starting line-up moved to 2-0 on the season.
• Caroline Germond has made a three-pointer in four of TCU's five games this season.
• Michelle Berry notched a double-digit scoring effort for the fifth time as a Horned Frog.
• Aja Holmes had a season-high nine points, shooting 3-of-5 from three-point range.

UP NEXT
TCU travels to Lubbock, Texas, next Saturday, Dec. 19, to take on Texas Tech in Big 12 action. Tip-off between TCU and Texas Tech is set for 2 p.m. inside United Supermarkets Arena.