FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Desmond Bane made six of TCU’s 16 3-pointers while scoring a career-high 24 points and the Horned Frogs overwhelmed Tennessee Tech 100-63 on Monday night.
Five players scored in double figures for the Frogs (2-0), who have a seven-game winning streak when counting their postseason run to the NIT championship last March.
“This is a great start for us for down the line,” said JD Miller, who had 17 points and nine rebounds. “We just have to keep it going the rest of our games, and stay solid.”
Vladimir Brodziansky and Jaylen Fisher scored 11 points each for TCU, and Kouat Noi had 10. Alex Robinson had nine points and nine assists.
After Tennessee Tech (1-1) went from a timeout to a turnover with about 5 minutes left in the first half, TCU went up 38-19. Kenrich Williams had a steal right after the stoppage of play, then Bane hit a 3-pointer after some nifty ball movement by the Frogs.
Mason Ramsey, Aleksa Jugovic, Kajon Mack and Curtis Phillips each had 12 points for Tennessee Tech. Courtney Alexander had 11 rebounds.
Bane finished 9-of-13 shooting overall, including 6-of-10 on the 3s. He also had five rebounds and four assists.
“Back in high school,” Bane said, when the sophomore was asked when he last had a game like that. “Probably the best game I’ve had since I’ve been here.”
His 3-pointer for the 19-point lead came only a couple of minutes after Robinson fed Bane on the break for a layup, and before TCU had a 52-24 halftime lead.
“It’s really a credit to my teammates. They just happened to find me when I was open,” Bane said. “Funny, we were on the bench talking. The whole team is capable of it. … Just when the shots are coming to me, I’m going to step back and knock them down.”
BIG PICTURE
Tennessee Tech: The Golden Eagles dropped to 0-8 against teams from the Big 12 in their first-ever meeting against TCU.
TCU: With the starting five of Brodziansky, Miller, Bane, Robinson and Williams, the Horned Frogs have won six straight games. Fisher, who is coming off the bench, tore meniscus in his right knee Aug. 1 and was cleared to return to practice Oct. 31. The sophomore point guard was 3-of-3 on his 3-pointers, all the shots he took.
MORE LIKE IT
Even though the Frogs won their opener by 10 points, coach Jamie Dixon felt his team was flat. “This is our team, I think, going forward,” Dixon said after TCU shot 63 percent overall (35 of 56) and 55 percent on 3-pointers (16 of 29). “Comparing last game to this game, that was a little aberration. We didn’t make shots (early against Louisiana-Monroe) and I think it affected us,” he said.
CLASSIC PLAY
The game was part of the Emerald Coast Classic that will be completed Thanksgiving weekend in Niceville, Florida. Both teams have one more game at a campus site before going to Florida. TCU is home next Monday night against Omaha, and Tennessee Tech plays at New Mexico on Nov. 21, two days before Thanksgiving.
UP NEXT
Tennessee Tech plays its next two games at home, Thursday against Boyce College and Saturday against Kennesaw State.
TCU plays its third home game in six days to start the season, when the Horned Frogs host South Dakota on Wednesday night.
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