Men’s Basketball: Overmatched Frogs endure 30-point loss to Cyclones in Ames

TCU has lost six straight games against Iowa State.

The TCU Horned Frogs suffered their largest defeat in over four years. The Iowa State Cyclones dominated the Horned Frogs on both ends of the floor to amass a 30-point victory. TCU kept it somewhat close at the beginning of the contest, but it quickly got out of hand. Besides Trazarien White, no Horned Frog could buy a bucket. White scored eight of TCU’s first 15 points, including two three-pointers.

Following White’s third field goal of the game around the eight-minute mark, Iowa State proceeded to go on a 12-3 run over the next four minutes of action. A TV timeout would stop the bleeding. TCU then scored the next three points, only to allow the Cyclones to finish the first half on a 9-3 run. TCU trailed by 18 points as the clock hit zero.

Iowa State’s first 20-point lead came less than a minute into the second half. A pair of David Punch free throws would lessen the deficit to 18, but not for long. Milan Momcilovic and the Cyclones put together a 28-point advantage with just over 16 minutes remaining. TCU would respond, scoring nine straight points and holding Iowa State scoreless over the next three minutes of action. The next few minutes went back and forth as the Horned Frogs were unable to bridge the gap.

Iowa State’s already insurmountable lead began to balloon around the six-minute mark. The Cyclones’ first 30-point advantage came with four minutes and 16 seconds remaining. TCU’s largest deficit of the contest occurred after two Curtis Jones free throws built a 33-point lead. Freshmen Malick Diallo and Jace Posey chipped in five points in the final minutes of the contest to ensure a 30-point defeat.

The Cyclones slaughtered TCU’s solid defense to the tune of 82 points. Iowa State shot 59.6 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from beyond the arc. Four Cyclones scored in double-digits, led by Curtis Jones’ 24 points.

The Frogs scored merely 52 points and shot 35.8 percent from the field and 14.3 percent from three-point range. Although the Horned Frogs nearly won both the rebounding and turnover battles, their porous shooting numbers and inadequate defense doomed the Jamie Dixon-led squad. Not one Horned Frog reached double-digits. White and Vasean Allette led TCU with nine points apiece.

Next up: TCU will battle the Oklahoma State Cowboys at home on Wednesday, February 12 at 6:00 p.m. CT.