Overtime win keeps TCU alive

By Matt Stiver
Skiff Staff

TCU head coach Billy Tubbs turned around and brushed his shoulder. Along with nine Tulsa shots, the monkey had been swatted away.

“Is (the monkey) there?” Tubbs asked. “I don’t see it anymore.”

The Horned Frogs defeated Tulsa 93-87 in overtime to end a six-game losing streak to the Golden Hurricane. With the win, the Frogs move into a tie for second place in the Western Athletic Conference.

Against a team that owned them the previous four meetings, the Frogs managed to hang around and prevent another blowout with timely shooting and hustle around the basket.

Senior forward Ryan Carroll drove into the lane, spun around and nailed a jump shot with 20 seconds left that gave the Frogs their first lead of the second half. Carroll’s shot (only his second field goal of the game) was set up by a steal by senior forward Myron Anthony, who played perhaps his best overall game of the season. With Tulsa leading 79-78 with 59 seconds left, Anthony stripped Tulsa’s Kevin Johnson of the ball.

Senior guard Thomas McTyer, who scored nine of his 12 points in overtime, said the win gives the Frogs much-needed confidence.

“We know we can play going down the stretch with anybody now, especially Tulsa,” McTyer said.

David Dunai/SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Senior point guard Thomas McTyer draws contact from a Tulsa defender as he makes a layup Thursday at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. McTyer scored 12 points as the Frogs defeated the Golden Hurricane 93-87 in overtime.

Tulsa had a chance to put the game away in the closing minutes. Leading 79-74 with 1:48 to play, the Golden Hurricane missed on two consecutive one-and-one free-throw opportunities. The Frogs responded with baskets after each miss, and cut the lead to 79-78 on two Davenport free throws.

On Tulsa’s next possession, Anthony stole the ball and set up Carroll’s jump shot.

Leading 81-79 with four seconds to play, TCU allowed Tulsa’s Greg Harrington to drive the length of the court and beat the buzzer with a layup, forcing overtime.

McTyer, who missed a free throw that would have given the Frogs an 82-79 lead, responded in the extra session. McTyer scored nine of TCU’s 12 overtime points, including 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. McTyer drained a three-pointer with 1:44 left in the extra session to give TCU a four-point lead that seemed to break Tulsa’s back.

TCU outrebounded Tulsa 43-41. Against a team that dominated the Frogs inside last season, Davenport and, Anthony, in particular, responded with much-needed performances. Anthony consistently hustled and fought for rebounds. After recording 14 rebounds in three losses to the Hurricane last year, Anthony grabbed 13 Thusday night.

“Myron really played well,” Tubbs said. “He stepped his game up.”

Tubbs said the Frogs’ ability to rebound keyed the victory. During their previous four losses, including an 82-66 loss on Jan. 6, the Frogs were outrebounded by an average of 10 rebounds a game.

Tulsa jumped out to an early 16-9 lead. Throughout the first half, the Golden Hurricane seemed to answer every TCU challenge with a three pointer. The Frogs responded by shooting 0 of 9 from beyond the arc. When sophomore guard Bingo Merriex tied the score at 40 with a three-point play, Tulsa responded with three consecutive three pointers.

During the second half, TCU switched from its 2-3 zone to a man-to-man defense and stepped up its pressure. The Frogs held Tulsa to a lower field goal percentage (55 to 52 percent).

“I think that’s the best I’ve seen TCU’s half-court defense,” Tulsa coach Buzz Peterson said. “They did a good job of double-teaming Johnson inside.”

Matt Stiver
m.r.stiver@student.tcu.edu