TCU Earns Third Place at Diamond Head Classic with Win over Hawai’i

Sunday, December 24

Honolulu, Hawaii

5:30 p.m.

TCU

10-2,0-0Big 12

Hawai'i

8-4,0-0Big West

TCU

Hawaii

TCU Earns Third Place at Diamond Head Classic with Win over Hawai’i

12/24/2023 9:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Horned Frog defense leads to victory over Rainbow Warriors

HONOLULU – A stout defensive effort led the TCU men's basketball team to a 65-51 win at Hawai'i on Sunday to earn third place at the Diamond Head Classic, held at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Horned Frogs (10-2) held the Rainbow Warriors (8-4) to just eight field goals made in the second half and a shooting percentage of 29.6 percent, the lowest by a TCU opponent in a half this season. Hawai'i's 51 points were also a season-low for a TCU opponent.

Without Essam Mostafa and Chuck O'Bannon Jr. due to injury, TCU used a balanced scoring effort, led by Jameer Nelson Jr.'s 13 points. The senior guard came off the bench for the first time this season and finished 3-of-6 from the field and made his only 3-point attempt as well as all six free throws.

Trevian Tennyson, who earned his first start of the season, joined Nelson in double-figures with 10 points.

TCU led 36-27 at the half and scored the first four points in the second half to push the lead to 13 points. The lead didn't dip below double digits until a bucket by Ryan Rapp brough the 'Bows to within nine points, 57-48, with just under five minutes to play.

The Frogs scored the next eight points, six of them by Nelson, to give TCU its largest lead of 17, 65-48, with just over a minute remaining.

TCU shot a season-best 60.0 percent (6-of-10) from 3-point range and held Hawai'i to 25.0 percent (7-of-28) from beyond-the-arc. Tennyson made two of his three attempts from three.

The Horned Frogs will return to action on Jan. 1 for their final nonconference game against Texas A&M Commerce at 3 p.m. at Schollmaier Arena.

Team Notes

TCU improved to 8-3 all-time against Hawai'i.
It was head coach Jamie Dixon's first win against Hawai'i where he served as an assistant coach for three seasons under Riley Wallace.
TCU outrebounded Hawai'i, 37-35, and improved to 8-1 this season and 123-37 under Jamie Dixon when outrebounding its opponent.
TCU improved to 95-15 against nonconference opponents under Dixon.
Under Dixon, TCU is 78-13 in the months of November and December combined.
TCU, which entered the game first in the nation in fastbreak points, finished with a season-low 10.
TCU shot a season-best 60 percent (6-of-10) from 3-point range.
Hawai'i was 7-of-28 from 3-point range. The 28 attempts were the most by a TCU opponent this season.
Hawai'i scored just 51 points, a season-low by a TCU opponent.
Hawai'i shot 29.6 percent in the second half, the worst by a TCU opponent in a half this season. It was previously 33.3 percent by UTRGV.
TCU used a different starting lineup for the first time this season.
TCU lost the opening tip for just the second time this season.

Individual Notes

Xavier Cork brought down a season-high eight rebounds to lead the team.
Cork tied a season-high with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field.
Jameer Nelson Jr. came off the bench for the first time this season and scored a team-high 13 points.
Emanuel Miller scored eight points, breaking his double-digit scoring streak at 10-straight games.
Miller was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 17.7 points and 7.3 rebounds over the three games.
Avery Anderson III and Trevian Tennyson earned their first starts of the season.
Tennyson scored 10 points, the most he's scored since the season-opener (13).
Tennyson played a game and season-high 34 minutes.
Micah Peavy was 1-of-3 from 3-point range. He's made one 3-pointer in three of the last four games.
TCU was without Chuck O'Bannon Jr. (thumb) and Essam Mostafa (shoulder).