FORT WORTH, Texas − Playing his final Big East-Big 12 battle, Xavier made sure Fort Worth wouldn’t come to mind anytime soon as the Musketeers fell to TCU, 76-72, in the Schollmaier Arena on Thursday evening.
Xavier’s early season problems were still there in the Lone Star State, as the Musketeers’ offense stagnated and their defense consistently failed to get a stop. The Musketeers had a run in the second half, but TCU came away with takeaways and free throws in the final minute.
Xavier (7-2) has lost two of its last three games after a 6-0 start and the only win in that stretch was a close escape against South Carolina State. The Musketeers have several issues to resolve with several marquee matchups on the horizon.
Observations from Xavier Musketeers’ loss to TCU Horned Frogs
Xavier rallies in 2nd half but falls late
Xavier came out of the locker room and improved in several areas. The Musketeers’ biggest stretch came after the 12-minute media timeout with a 13-2 run to take a 60-54 lead, the largest of the night.
In a second half marked by eight lead changes, TCU was at its best when it mattered most. With the score tied 69-69 with just over a minute to play, the Horned Frogs recorded back-to-back steals, leading to Vasean Allette’s go-ahead layup and free throws.
Xavier suffered from poor ball security in its last two games (35 turnovers) and that was the biggest problem in critical moments as TCU finished the game on a 9-3 run. Xavier spat it 15 times on Thursday.
Dante Maddox gives Xavier big minutes off the bench
Dante Maddox played less than a minute in Sunday’s win over South Carolina State.
While Xavier desperately needed production, Maddox provided the biggest spark for the Texas Musketeers. It started in the first half, when the Toledo transfer hit his first 3-pointer since Nov. 16.
In the second half, Marcus Foster grabbed a long offensive rebound and found Maddox in the corner for another triple. On TCU’s next possession, Maddox recorded a steal and found McKnight on the fast break to punctuate a 13-2 run that gave Xavier a 60-54 lead with 7:26 left.
Maddox finished with 9 points on 3-of-4 shooting from downtown and fouled out late in the game.
TCU shoots scouting report early
Thanks to its 4-3 start, TCU shot just 40.7 percent from the floor and 28.7 percent from 3-point range, both last in the 16-team Big 12 Conference. The Horned Frogs threw those percentages out the window early in Thursday’s game.
TCU came out on fire, sinking four of its first half-dozen attempts from beyond the arc. Senior guard Brendan Wenzel and freshman forward Micah Robinson each made 2 of 3 from downtown in the first half as Xavier’s defense offered little resistance on the perimeter and allowed clear looks too often .
Bad rebound affects the Musketeers
While the first half started with TCU shooting hot, that eventually leveled off with the Horned Frogs shooting just 41.2% at intermission. The elimination in the first 20 minutes proved to be Xavier’s inability to get stops once TCU started to misfire.
The Horned Frogs turned nine offensive rebounds into nine second-chance points in the first half. Junior Ernest Udeh, a 6-foot-11 center, slammed in an alley-oop after a TCU offensive rebound to help the Horned Frogs take a 37-29 lead into the locker room.
Xavier has one final update before the big week
Xavier will return to Cintas Center on Tuesday to host Morgan State. Next, the Musketeers will be tested with three matches against ranked opponents over a seven-day period.
This week begins with the most anticipated game of the regular season as Xavier travels to No. 14 UC for the 92nd Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. Xavier then begins Big East play at No. 25 UConn on Dec. 18 and hosts No. 5 Marquette on Dec. 21 before the Christmas break.
However, Xavier cannot afford to ignore the Morgan State Bears. Last season, in the game before the Crosstown Shootout, Xavier suffered an 87-80 loss to Delaware. In Xavier’s last home affair, the Musketeers had to hold off South Carolina State by 3 in a game where they were favored by 25.5.
This article originally appeared on the Cincinnati Enquirer: Big East-Big 12 battle: Xavier defeat against TCU in Fort Worth
