Women’s Basketball: No. 9 TCU held to season-low in loss at No. 12 Kansas State

Defensive battle atop the Big 12 goes to Wildcats in Manhattan

Amid the toughest stretch of it season ninth-ranked TCU Women’s Basketball completed a road swing with a top-15 tilt in Manhattan, KS vs. No. 12 Kansas State. The battle between the two top scoring squads in the Big 12, each averaging over 80 points per game, became a physical defensive battle as the Horned Frogs are held to a season low scoring output in the 59-50 loss to the Wildcats on Wednesday.

A contest both programs have had circled on the calendar all season with conference supremacy on the line, both teams struggled with the pressure early in the game, scoring just eight points each through the game’s opening quarter. TCU entered the game ranked 7th nationally in total turnovers, but gave away six in the opening frame. The Frogs have five games where it’s committed six or fewer turnovers through the entire contest, including Sunday win in Ames over Iowa State. TCU turned to sharp-shooting forward Aaliyah Roberson for most of its offense to open the game, draining a pair of threes off the bench for the Frogs.

TCU turned defense into offense in the second quarter, generating eight points off five KSU turnovers. Hailey Van Lith and Madison Conner finally found the scoreboard as well, combining for 13 points in the quarter. The Frogs were able to carry a six point advantage into halftime as the Frogs were able to contain K-State to just 33% shooting from the field in the first half.

Unfortunately that TCU success did not find its way out of the locker room for the third quarter, but even worse news for the Frogs, KSU’s Serena Sundell certainly did. After scoring just four points on 2-8 shooting in the first half, the senior guard took over the contest in the 2nd half, ultimately finishing with a season-high 27 points. In her monster 3rd quarter, Sundell scored 15 on 5-6 shooting as the Wildcats flipped the halftime deficit into a 7-point lead.

The Horned Frogs briefly regained the lead with under seven minutes to play in regulation, but were held scoreless over the game’s final four minutes as the fatigue led to defensive lapses and a continued accumulation of turnovers. It was a tough night for that third guard role along side Conner & Van Lith; Taylor Bigby, Una Jovanovic, and Donovyn Hunter combined for 0 points on 0-7 shooting in 42 minutes on the court. Sedona Prince led the Frogs with a 14 point, 11 rebound double-double, her 24th as a Horned Frog.

The Horned Frogs, now 21-3 overall and 9-2 in the Big 12 will be back in Schollmaier Arena on Saturday afternoon, looking to bounce back with a battle vs. Texas Tech.