From K-State
TCU tied an opponent school-record high with 15 made 3-point field goals, including 5 from senior Desmond Bane, as the Horned Frogs snapped a 7-game losing streak with a 68-57 win over Kansas State on Saturday afternoon before 6,288 fans at Schollmaier Arena.
The 15 triples by the Horned Frogs (14-11, 5-7 Big 12) were the most allowed by a Wildcat team in more 15 years, tying the mark set originally by Missouri on Feb. 28, 1998 and tied by Saint Louis on Jan. 3, 2004. In all, five players connected on at least one 3-pointer, including a combined 9 by Bane (5) and graduate student Jaire Grayer (4).
Despite record amount of 3-pointers, K-State (9-16, 2-10 Big 12) still had an opportunity to snap its losing streak, as the Wildcats led 50-48 after senior Xavier Sneed’s third consecutive field goal that forced TCU head coach Jamie Dixon to call a timeout with 8:09 to play. The Sneed jumper capped a 10-2 run by the Wildcats after they trailed 46-40 at the 11:20 mark after a Bane 3-pointer.
The two teams traded baskets out of the timeout, including a fourth straight by Sneed, but the momentum shifted on the next possession, as yet another Bane 3-pointer ignited a 15-1 run by the Horned Frogs over the next 5:12 that propelled them to a 66-53 advantage with 1:18 to play.
Both teams connected on 23 made field goals in the contest, but TCU’s 15 made 3-pointers proved to be difference, as K-State made just 2 of 12 attempts from long range. For the game, the Horned Frogs connected on 44.2 percent (23-of-52) from the field, including 45.5 percent (15-of-33) from 3-point range, while the Wildcats hit on 42.6 percent (23-of-54) of their field goals, including 16.7 percent (2-of-12) from long range.
Bane led three TCU players in double figures with a game-high 17 points on 6-of-14 field goals, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range, to go with a game-high 8 assists, 8 rebounds and 4 blocked shots, while Grayer and sophomore R.J. Nembhard added 15 points each.
Sneed paced the Wildcats with 15 points on 6-of-12 field goals, while juniors David Sloan and Cartier Diarra added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Senior Makol Mawien grabbed a game-high 9 rebounds.
With the win, the Horned Frogs swept the season series for the first time in the Big 12 era after the Wildcats swept 4 of the first 7 regular-season series between the teams.
K-State’s current 5-game losing streak ties for the longest of the Bruce Weber era (Jan. 27 to Feb. 11, 2015).
