TCU
6-4
Abilene Christian
4-7
TCU Defeats ACU Sunday, 80-69
12/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2015
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FORT WORTH, Texas - Sophomore Malique Trent had a career-high 24 points in leading TCU to an 80-69 decision over Abilene Christian inside Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena.
The Rundown
The Horned Frogs, who led by as many as 17 Sunday, moved to 6-4 overall with the win, while ACU dropped to 4-7 on the season. TCU played its inaugural game inside Schollmaier Arena, which underwent a $72 million renovation.
Trent carried the Frogs, scoring 24 points on 8-of-13 from the field. By scoring a game-high 24 points, the Virginia native, who also dished out four assists, became only the sixth Horned Frog under head coach Trent Johnson to score 20 or more points in a single-game, joining the likes of former all-conference honoree Kyan Anderson. Fellow sophomore Vladimir Brodziansky followed with a career-high 19 points, while Karviar Shepherd chipped in with 13 points and six rebounds.
For the game, TCU shot 48.3 percent from the field, including 50 percent in the second stanza of action. The Frogs out-rebounded the Wildcats to the tune of 33-32, while holding a 15-4 advantage in points off turnovers.
Simply put, the Purple and White never trailed throughout the contest after connecting on nine of its first 10 attempts from the field. The Frogs built their lead to 16 early on, but ACU was able to pull back within seven in the final minute to close the gap in the final score.
The Frogs and Wildcats opened the second half going back and forth the first couple of trips until Shepherd buried a turn-around jumper. ACU would pull back within eight around the 11-minute mark, but Trent would have nothing of it, driving to the hole and finding the bottom of the net to stall the Wildcat attack.
TCU pushed its advantage back up to 65-49 down the stretch as Trent and Brodziansky scored on back-to-back trips. The Slovakian native appeared to have given the Frogs a jumpstart at the 5:23 mark, scoring an old fashioned three-point play, but ACU continued to fight, pulling within 67-55 a few plays later.
The two teams would trade possessions the rest of the way, but TCU was able to ice the game at the line to win its inaugural game inside Schollmaier Arena.
Brodziansky gave TCU an early 4-0 lead, draining two-straight from the floor. The sophomore then watched Brandon Parrish tickle the twine from deep before nailing a turn-around jumper inside the paint to make it a 9-3 lead with 17 minutes showing on the clock.
By the time Shepherd drilled a triple from the top of the key, the Frogs had stormed out to a 12-3 advantage in the ballgame. The junior continued to go to work moments later, draining another three ball to make it a 19-7 advantage.
ACU would continue to battle, pulling within nine at 26-17 at the 8:22 mark, but Devonta Abron would have nothing of it, scoring a jumper to increase the TCU lead. The Frogs were able to push it to 31-18 at the 7-minute mark and never look back the rest of the half.
TCU took a 40-30 lead into intermission.
Quote of the Game
Trent Johnson
"Are we better? Yes, we are. Do we take care of the ball better, do we shoot free throws better, do we score the ball better? Probably. But my big concern is we don't take care of it as well as we need to, we don't rebound it as well as we need to, and I'm really concerned about our level of toughness and being able to make tough plays at crucial times. But that responsbility in the next two, three weeks lies on me to get these guys ready."
GAME NOTES
• TCU moved to 6-4 overall with the win.
• TCU moved to 1-0 all-time inside Schollmaier Arena.
• TCU has won 24 of its last 28 non-conference games.
• TCU is 38-7 when leading at the half under Johnson.
• TCU moved to 731-451 all-time at home.
• Malique Trent scored a career-high 24 points in the win.
• Trent led TCU in scoring for a fourth time this season.
• Trent scored in double-figures for a sixth time this season.
• Trent had a career-high in field goals made with eight.
• Michael Williams tied a career-high with six assists Sunday.
• Vladimir Brodziansky tied a career-high with 19 points.
• Brodziansky also tied a career-high in field goal attempts.
• Devonta Abron led TCU in rebounding for second-straight game.
