The West Virginia men’s basketball team committed a season-high 19 turnovers en route to an 81-65 loss to TCU in Ft. Worth on Monday.
The Horned Frogs scored 26 points of WVU turnovers and dominated down low, scoring 44 points in the paint, 54% of their total points.
The Mountaineers also struggled shooting in the second half, shooting just nine of 30 (30%) from the field.
TCU had four players end in double-figures, with Emmanuel Miller, Jameer Nelson Jr. and Trevian Tennyson all having 14 points apiece.
WVU out-rebounded TCU 35-34 but was unable to fully capitalize, having clear offensive struggles.
RaeQuan Battle led the Mountaineers with 21 points, shooting seven of 17, with five rebounds, two blocks, an assist and steal.
West Virginia got out to a hot start, shooting 75% from the field, going up 10-5 in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the game.
TCU didn’t waiver, however, tying the game at 10 right after the first media timeout.
Then both teams would go on scoring droughts, lasting over two-and-a-half minutes until TCU made a layup.
WVU stayed in a scoring drought lasting over six minutes, committing five turnovers and allowing the Horned Frogs to go on a 9-0 run to go up 14-10.
The drought eventually ended after a Jesse Edwards layup, pulling West Virginia back within two.
TCU grew and held their lead with under 10 minutes to play in the first half, up by a score of 22-17 by the U8 timeout.
It was much of the same for the remainder of the first half, with the Horned Frogs steadily growing their lead over West Virginia.
The Horned Frogs ended the first half going five of five from the field, up 47-35 heading into the locker room.
WVU committed 11 turnovers in the first half compared to just four TCU turnovers.
Both teams shot fairly well from the field in the first 20 minutes, with TCU shooting 55.2% and West Virginia shooting 50%.
The Horned Frogs also had success from the arc in the first, shooting five of nine (55.6%).
The Mountaineers out-rebounded TCU in the first half 15-12.
To begin the second half, West Virginia began to close the gap, pulling within nine down 51-42 with 16:33 left to play.
The Mountaineers made all three of their last field goal attempts before the U16 timeout, staying within 10, with a score of 56-47 with 15:08 left to play.
WVU would then go on a scoring drought lasting over five minutes, missing seven straight field goal attempts and allowing TCU to go on an 8-0 run.
The Mountaineers wouldn’t make a field goal in over eight minutes on nine attempts until Kerr Kriisa knocked down a triple with just under seven minutes left to play.
West Virginia continued to struggle down the stretch while TCU stayed in control.
In the end, TCU cruised to a victory, breaking a two-game losing skid.
