Asked what has to happen for TCU to knock off a ranked team, RJ Nembhard had a simple answer.
“Minimize errors,” Nembhard said.
TCU didn’t do that in a 70-55 loss at No. 13 Texas on Saturday afternoon at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas. Instead, the Frogs had 15 turnovers and only six assists.
The Longhorns eventually pulled away midway through the second half to secure the victory.
TCU (11-8, 4-6 Big 12) is now 0-5 against ranked teams. Texas (13-5, 7-4 Big 12) has won two straight following a three-game losing streak.
“We’ve still got eight more conference games,” said Nembhard, who led TCU with 15 points. “We’ve got to regroup and go into Monday confident and more focused.”
For as bad as the final score looked and TCU shooting just 37% from the field, the game was close with 10 minutes left.
TCU cut the deficit to 49-46 on a couple free throws by Taryn Todd, but that was the last time it would be a one-possession game. Texas closed the game in impressive fashion, going on an 11-0 run in building a 62-47 lead with just over five minutes left.
“We had our opportunities, but eventually the poor play just continued and it wore us down,” TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “I thought we’d be better. Their physicality really bothered us, and I was surprised by that.”
Texas won the rebounding battle 37-31 and scored twice as many points in the paint as TCU (32-16). That helped the Longhorns overcome a disappointing day from deep (6 of 21).
Texas junior guard Andrew Jones finished with a game-high 19 points, while senior guard Matt Coleman III had 15 points and freshman forward Greg Brown added 13 points.
Nembhard and TCU freshman guard Mike Miles (10 points) were the only Frogs in double figures. TCU entered the game shooting 45% from the field, but it’s 37% was its worst since shooting 35% more than two weeks ago in a loss at Kansas.
At the end of the day, Dixon said, it comes down to execution.
The Frogs went on scoring droughts multiple times and had costly turnovers. After pulling to within 49-46, the Frogs turned it over four times and went 3 of 9 from the field in the final 10 minutes.
It became the latest setback against a ranked team for a TCU squad that had won two straight overall. Do the Frogs feel like they’re close to getting over the “ranked hump” this season?
“You would like to think that, but you’ve got to sustain it and have to finish it,” Dixon said. “They pulled away down the stretch on us. We’ve got to find a way to execute better throughout.”
TCU has a quick turnaround before its next ranked game. No. 7 Texas Tech and TCU are set to play on Monday in Fort Worth, Texas. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. at Schollmaier Arena. As of Saturday afternoon, the game was expected to go on as planned despite an unfavorable weather forecast. Tech was scheduled to travel to Fort Worth on Saturday to avoid possible weather issues.
Following Monday’s game, TCU will play its third game in five days when it’s at Tech on Wednesday.
