STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Basketball Writer
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — TCU coach Trent Johnson and senior guard Kyan Anderson experienced a lot of losses their first two seasons together.
Now they are part of the best start in school history, 11 wins in a row for the undefeated Horned Frogs after an 88-57 win over UTSA on Saturday night. Anderson had 16 points to move into the top 10 on the school’s career scoring list and added a career-high nine assists.
“I don’t want to say he’s like me, or an extension of me, but I think the most important thing to Kyan right now is winning … he didn’t say anything about (top 10),” Johnson said. “Bottom line is we’ve lost enough games, I’m talking about me and Kyan in two years, for a lifetime, so I think he wants to win.”
The Frogs already have two wins more than they had overall all last season, when they lost all 18 conference games. They were 20-43 overall in Johnson’s first two seasons, also their first two in the Big 12.
TCU’s previous best start had been nine in a row with coach Billy Tubbs in 1997-98. That was also the season of the Frogs’ last AP Top 25 ranking and last NCAA tournament appearance.
“They’re very methodical and they know exactly what to do,” UTSA coach Brooks Thompson said. “They play the right way, they’re disciplined. They should have a nice year.”
Brandon Parrish, who like Anderson had three 3-pointers, added 18 points and a career-high five blocked shots for TCU. Kenrich Williams had 12 points and seven rebounds, while Trey Zeigler had 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting.
Keon Lewis scored 23 points for UTSA (4-5), which was held 20 points under its season scoring average while shooting a season-low 32.6 percent (15 of 46).
TCU, which shot 61 percent (31 of 51) and had a 40-18 rebounding advantage, took control with an 11-2 run in a span of just less than three minutes late in the first half.
Anderson had an assist on Williams’ jumper that started the spurt with 4:43 left in the first half. Chris Washburn then had a steal and a breakaway layup, and by time he made a jumper with 1:51 left on another assist by Anderson, the Frogs led 36-24.
Anderson scored five points and had two more assists in a 12-0 run for the Frogs early in the second half to go ahead 55-32. The Roadrunners missed nine consecutive shots in that 4-minute spurt.
TCU has two more games before getting into Big 12 play on Jan. 3 at homes against No. 22 West Virginia
“We’ve got a long ways to go,” Johnson said. “But I am pleased in my own way.”
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TIP-INS
UTSA: The Roadrunners played their fourth consecutive road game, and haven’t played a home game since Nov. 30. After its next game at home, UTSA’s first two Conference USA games are on the road.
TCU: Anderson is 10th on TCU’s career scoring list with 1,324. … Washburn had eight points and eight rebounds.
UP NEXT
UTSA takes a 10-day break for Christmas before its next game Dec. 30 at home against Cameron.
TCU is back at home Monday to play Grambling State.
TIGHT EARLY ON
The game was tied five times in the first 10½ minutes, a stretch during which the biggest gap was three points. TCU went ahead to stay when Williams converted a three-point play with 9:29 left in the first half for a 19-16 lead. At the first media timeout, both teams were 2-of-6 shooting with four rebounds and two turnovers each.
GETTING THEIR DIPLOMAS
Before playing Saturday night, TCU seniors Amric Fields and Trey Zeigler got their diplomas during winter graduation ceremonies earlier in the day. Thomas Montigel, who played last season and is now a TCU graduate assistant, also got his diploma.