Rebounding Effort Leads Frogs to Win over Cyclones

Tuesday, February 9

Fort Worth, Texas

8 p.m.

TCU

11-7,4-5Big 12

Iowa State

2-12,0-9Big 12

Iowa St.

TCU

Rebounding Effort Leads Frogs to Win over Cyclones

2/9/2021 11:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Press Conference Photo Gallery

Nembhard scores 20, Samuel records double-double in win.

FORT WORTH – TCU had four players score in double-figures and grabbed 51 rebounds, the most by the Frogs in a Big 12 Conference game, en route to a 79-76 win over Iowa State Tuesday night at Schollmaier Arena.

TCU (11-7, 4-5 Big 12) was led by RJ Nembhard's 20-point performance and a double-double from Kevin Samuel. Iowa State (2-12, 0-9 Big 12) was led by Rasir Bolton's game-high 26 points.

TCU scored its first four buckets in the paint to jump out to an early 9-2 lead, but ISU responded with a 10-0 run over the next 2:37 to take its first lead of the game at 12-11. The Cyclones expanded their lead to as many as nine on two separate occasions, but the Frogs closed the half on a 9-0 run from three consecutive 3-pointers to tie the score at 38-38. Two of those 3-pointers were from freshman Terren Frank for his first collegiate points.

Iowa State outscored TCU 22-14 over the first eight minutes of the second half to stretch TCU's deficit up to eight. However, the Frogs battled back with stout defense, holding the Cyclones to just 2-of-17 shooting over the final nine minutes of the game. TCU retook the lead at 68-66 with 2:46 remaining following a basket from Taryn Todd. In the final two minutes of play, the Frogs made three of four shots and both free throw attempts to seal a 79-76 win.

Up Next
TCU plays at No. 13 Texas on Saturday at 1 p.m. on Longhorn Network.

Team Notes
- The Horned Frogs were without guards Mike Miles and Francisco Farabello.
- TCU has won six of its last seven contests against Iowa State to move to 12-12 all-time against the Cyclones.
- Coach Jamie Dixon earned his 95th win at TCU.
- TCU won back-to-back conference games for the first time this season and first time since it started 3-0 in Big 12 action last season.
- The Frogs outrebounded the Cyclones 51-34 to move to 9-3 this season and 80-25 under Jamie Dixon when outrebounding their opponents. Additionally, TCU's 51 rebounds were a season-high and the most since it had 51 against Texas Southern on Dec. 18, 2016.
- The 51 rebounds were tied for the most by the Frogs in a single game in the Jamie Dixon era, last occurring on Dec. 18, 2017 against Texas Southern.
- The Frogs' 51 rebounds were also the most they have had in a conference game since joining the Big 12.
- The Frogs collected 21 offensive rebounds. It was TCU's first game with 20 or more offensive boards since Dec. 30, 2017, when TCU had 20 offensive rebounds against Oklahoma.
- The Horned Frogs had seven blocked shots, none of which were by Kevin Samuel. It was the most blocks for TCU without a Samuel block since his first year in 2018-19.
- A 38-38 tie at halftime marked only the fourth time in the Dixon era the Frogs were tied with their opponents at half. TCU is 2-0 in such games this year.
- The Frogs started with a lineup of Taryn Todd, RJ Nembhard, PJ Fuller, Chuck O'Bannon Jr. and Kevin Samuel for the first time this season. It was TCU's 10th different starting lineup of the season.

Individual Notes
- RJ Nembhard scored a team-high 20 points. It was his ninth-career game scoring at least 20 points, and the Frogs improved to 8-1 all-time when Nembhard scores at least 20 points.
- Nembhard was 11-of-13 (84.6 percent) from the free throw line, a new career high in both attempts and makes.
- Nembhard's 11 free throws were the most by a Horned Frog in a game against Iowa State in program history and the most in any game since Feb. 27, 2016, when Malique Trent made 11 free throws against Baylor.
- Nembhard also dished out a game-high seven assists and played all 40 minutes for the second time in his career.
- Taryn Todd recorded season highs in points (11), rebounds (5) and assists (4).
- PJ Fuller also scored 11 points, including 2-of-3 shooting from 3-point range, and tied his season high with five rebounds.
- Kevin Samuel scored 10 points and hauled in 11 rebounds to record his fourth double-double of the season. TCU improved to 4-0 this season and 13-6 in Samuel's career when Samuel records a double-double.
- Samuel's double-double was also his first in a Big 12 game this season. The last time Samuel recorded one in conference play was Feb. 19, 2020 at Texas.
- Freshman Terren Frank played a season-high 20 minutes and scored his first career points on a 3-pointer and dished out his first career assist in the first half.
- Frank finished the game with eight points, including 2-of-3 shooting from 3-point range, and a season-high four rebounds.
- On the defensive end, Frank recorded his first career steal and his second career block.
- Chuck O'Bannon tied a career high with two blocked shots.