Home College BasketBall No. 10 TCU Triumphs Over No. 23 Utah In Thrilling Matchup 81-73

No. 10 TCU Triumphs Over No. 23 Utah In Thrilling Matchup 81-73

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Courtesy Of The TCU Athletic Communications

Forth Worth, TX—-The game started at a measured pace, with both teams trading possessions and feeling each other out. Utah briefly held the lead for 17 seconds early in the first quarter, but the real action unfolded midway through the second quarter.

TCU’s standout center, Sedona Prince, picked up her third personal foul with just over five minutes left in the first half. Up until that moment, she had been a dominant force in the paint, controlling the game.

This shift opened the door for TCU’s Hailey Van Lith to take over. Van Lith went on a tear, scoring seven points and assisting on a three-pointer, contributing to a 10-point surge.

By halftime, both Van Lith and Prince had reached double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively, propelling TCU to a commanding 45-24 lead. Van Lith scored 24 points and Prince chipped in 23 for the game.

A Tale of Two Halves:

The second half showcased a completely different narrative. Utah came out with renewed energy, while TCU struggled to find its rhythm. It took nearly four minutes for TCU to score, finally breaking the drought with a layup by Prince. From that point, Prince reasserted herself, scoring, facilitating with assists, and dominating the boards.

Courtesy Of The TCU Athletic Communications

However, Utah’s offense caught fire, led by Gianna Kneepkens and Maty Wilke.Kneepkens attacked the rim aggressively, drawing fouls and converting three-point plays, while Wilke sank multiple three-pointers to fuel Utah’s comeback.

Despite Utah’s surge, TCU managed to respond at critical moments. Madison Conner and Donavyn Hunter drained clutch three-pointers to maintain TCU’s advantage. With under a minute remaining, Utah closed the gap to just five points, keeping the game on edge. However, Kneepkens fouled out with five seconds remaining, and Hunter sealed the victory with two free throws.

The final score stood at 81-73 in favor of TCU.

Key Performances:

Utah outscored TCU 49-36 in the second half, showcasing incredible resilience. Kneepkens was the game’s top scorer with 26 points, leading three Utah players in double figures.

Up Next:

Utah returns home to play Kansas on Wednesday. TCU travels to No. 24 Oklahoma State on Wednesday.