TCU Edges Kansas, Advances to Big 12 Quarterfinals

Thursday, March 9

Kansas City, Mo.

7:30 p.m.

TCU

8-22,1-17Big 12

Kansas

19-11,9-9Big 12

TCU

Kansas

TCU Edges Kansas, Advances to Big 12 Quarterfinals

3/10/2023 12:38:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score TCU Postgame Press Conference Quotes

Taiwo led TCU with 13 points, Cravens posted season-best 14 rebounds in win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – TCU defeated Kansas 57-52 in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Thursday night in Municipal Auditorium. With the win, the Horned Frogs advance to the Big 12 Championships Quarterfinals.

Tomi Taiwo led the Frogs with 13 points and Bella Cravens posted a season-best 14 rebounds.

The Rundown
TCU got off to a strong start defensively and finished the first quarter all tied up with the Jayhawks 15-15. TCU took its first lead of the game when Tomi Taiwo knocked down a 3-pointer with 3:54 remaining, giving the Frogs a 10-9 edge. Even though the Frogs never led in the second quarter, TCU never trailed by more than five points.

Trailing by four at the half, TCU's offense shined in the third quarter, outscoring the Jayhawks 19-11. Down 32-28, the Frogs started the frame on a 9-4 scoring run. Bella Cravens tallied six of her season-high 14 rebounds in the period and her layup with 2:59 remaining put TCU up 41-38. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Tara Manumaleuga increased TCU's lead heading into the final frame, 47-43.

The Frogs led the entire fourth quarter despite Kansas' attempts to complete the comeback. Up by one with 8:32 remaining, Bella Cravens scored another layup to give TCU the three-point lead. With 3:42 remaining, Lucy Ibeh scored a tough layup under the basket to put the Frogs up 53-48, a lead they held onto for the rest of the game.

Taiwo led the Frogs with 13 points. Cravens was one point shy of a double-double, posting nine points and a season-best 14 rebounds.

Team Notes
• TCU advances to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship Quarterfinals as the No. 10 seed. TCU's last win in the Big 12 Championship came on March 21, 2021, against Kansas.
• TCU improves to 16-11 all-time against Kansas and 2-2 all-time against the Jayhawks in the postseason.
• TCU outshot Kansas from the floor, .339 to .294. It was the ninth time this season TCU outshot its opponent.
• TCU held Kansas to a season-low field goal percentage (.294).
• TCU tallied 11 assists to Kansas' 10.
• TCU shot .400 (8-of-20) from downtown, edging its opponent for the 14th time this season in 3-point percentage. It was also the 11th time this season TCU has made at least seven threes.
• TCU tallied more free throw attempts (21) than Kansas (12). It's the 18th time this season TCU has attempted more free throws and the 16th time the Frogs have attempted at least 20 free throws.
• TCU recorded more second chance points (12) than Kansas (9). It's just the 10th time this season TCU has had more second chance points than its opponent.
• TCU's bench scored 18 points, while Kansas' bench scored just two points.

Individual Notes
• Tomi Taiwo led the Frogs with 13 points, the 18th time she has led TCU in points and the 23rd time this season she has scored double figures.
• Tomi Taiwo also led the team with three assists. It's the third time this season she has led the team in assists.
• Bella Cravens recorded a season-high 14 rebounds. It's the fourth time this season she has had at least 10 rebounds and the highest amount of rebounds a TCU player has had this season.
• Cravens and Lucy Ibeh each posted three offensive rebounds.
• Cravens also tied her season-best of three steals.
• Cravens led the team with two blocks, marking the 11th time this season she has tallied at least two blocks in a game.
• Ibeh scored 10 points, the 18th time this season she has scored double figures.

Up Next
TCU plays No. 14 Oklahoma in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship Quarterfinals at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 10 at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. The game will be televised on ESPN+.