First-half run keys TCU's 90-70 win over Indiana State

Dec 17, 2018, 12:50 am

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Jaylen Fisher scored 14 points and helped TCU outshoot the nation's most accurate 3-point shooting team in a 90-70 win over Indiana State on Sunday.

Indiana State entered the game tops in the nation in 3-point percentage, at 48.2 percent. But the Sycamores missed nine of their first 11 from 3-point range and made just 19 percent for the game.

TCU (8-1), meanwhile, made 40 percent from beyond the arc, led by Fisher, who shot 4 of 9. Desmond Bane led TCU with 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Kouat Noi finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.

"We wanted to guard the perimeter," TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. "We wanted to take away the 3. It was our big emphasis. If you had told me they'd shoot (19) percent, we're obviously very happy."

The Horned Frogs' defense harassed Indiana State (6-3) into more than just cold shooting. The Sycamores committed 20 turnovers, including several shot-clock violations.

"We earned what we got, and that's a 20-point loss," Indiana State coach Greg Lansing said. "They just got after us. They were a little more aggressive and a little more physical.

"We were really tentative on offense and stood around too much. We had some chances, but it was just turnovers, turnovers, turnovers."

Indiana State was attempting to work two transfer players into the rotation for the first time: Cooper Neese, a freshman guard from Butler, and Christian Williams, an Iowa transfer who started Sunday against TCU. Williams started and finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Neese added three points in 26 minutes.

Jordan Barnes led Indiana State with 17 points and seven assists.

TCU broke open the game about midway through the first half, thanks to a 16-2 run that put them ahead 38-26 at the break. The run began with a long-distance jumper from Bane, whose toes were on the 3-point line, and ended with a 3-pointer and then a jumper from Fisher.

BIG PICTURE

Indiana St: The Sycamores had been off to their best start in five years, since beginning 7-2 in 2013. That season, they finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference and reached the conference championship game.

TCU: The Frogs continue to try to work their way back into the Top 25 after a slip-up to Lipscomb cost them their No. 18 ranking. With Robinson tops in assists per game in the nation and a healthy Fisher back into the rotation, TCU leads the nation in assists per game and is in the top 20 in field goal percentage.

UP NEXT

Both teams are Hawaii-bound.

Indiana State travels to Honolulu for Christmas for three games in the Diamond Head Classic. The Sycamores play Colorado on Saturday and a day later play either Hawaii or UNLV. They will play Christmas Day against a team to be determined. Missouri Valley Conference play begins Jan. 2 at Loyola.

TCU begins the Diamond Head Classic with a game on Saturday against Charlotte and a day later against either Bucknell or Rhode Island, followed by a Christmas Day game against an opponent to be determined. The Horned Frogs extend the trip to play Dec. 28 against Hawaii Pacific.