Frogs stay close but lose to Marquette
By Joi Harris
Skiff Staff

The men’s basketball team gave No. 11 Marquette, the first ranked men’s opponent to visit Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in more than two years, a better challenge than many expected in a 79-68 loss Saturday afternoon.

On paper, TCU (8-17, 2-11 Conference USA), ranked last in C-USA, should have been no match for the conference-leading Golden Eagles (20-4, 11-2 C-USA). The Frogs were under-manned and out-sized at about every position and had to contend with

Marquette’s 6-5 junior guard Dwyane Wade, who leads C-USA in scoring with 21.2 points a game.

But the Frogs managed to keep the game close for most of the game.

With senior forward Bingo Merriex out with a foot injury, TCU had only four players to battle Marquette’s big men who were on average two to three inches taller than TCU’s forwards.

The Golden Eagles won the battle of the boards as Marquette grabbed 44 total rebounds.

TCU had 31 rebounds with 30 of those coming on the defensive end.

With the Frogs post game being rendered obsolete, the burden was placed on guards Junior Blount and Corey Santee. Had it not been for a slow start, a problem that has plagued the Frogs consistently this season, the game’s outcome might have been a little different.

While TCU struggled hitting only two of 11 shots during the first 8:51 of the game, the Golden Eagles went on a 13-2 run pushing the score to 18-5 in Marquette’s favor. TCU only shot 31 percent on nine of 29 shooting in the first half.

“The first half we just played off emotion,” Santee said. “We knew we were playing hard on defense. It was just all about just being patient and let the shot come to us.”

The Frogs turned that nervous energy into steady momentum in the second half behind the scrappy and confident play of Blount and Santee. The tandem has been one of the teams consistent offensive threats throughout the season, each averaging more than 16 points a game.

“That’s one of the most explosive tandems in the country,” said Marquette head coach Tom Crean. “I don’t know exactly where they’re ranked but they’re certainty up there.”
With Blount and Santee leading the way, the Frogs dwindled a nine point halftime deficit to nothing in less than five minutes. With 15:01 left in the game, Blount hit a three-pointer to give the Frogs their first lead of the game. The one-two punch combined for 30 of the teams 42 second half points on eight of 19 shooting. None of the other Frogs scored in double figures.

TCU head coach Neil Dougherty said he was more than satisfied with the play of his players, but frustrated that the team lacks the type of players at certain positions to change the outcome of many of this season’s games.

“The things that you would want to do we don’t necessarily have the personnel to do” he said.

j.s.harris@tcu.edu