Anderson Leads TCU to 80-69 Victory Over Furman

From TCU Media Relations:

FORT WORTH, Texas – Kyan Anderson scored 21 points to lead TCU to an 80-69 victory over Furman Tuesday night at Wilkerson-Greines.

With the win, the Horned Frogs moved to 9-0 on the season, which hasn’t happened since 1997-98. The Purple and White, who are receiving votes in both national polls, have now tied the best start in program history.

Anderson was one of four Frogs in double-figures Tuesday, scoring 21 points on 6-for-11 from the field, while also dishing out a season-high in assists with six. With his 21-point outing, the senior has now posted 19 20-point games as a Horned Frog. Fellow senior Amric Fields followed, tallying a season-high 14 points on 5-of-8 from the floor. Kenrich Williams and Trey Zeigler rounded out the TCU notables, totaling 11 and 10 points, respectively. Not to be outdone, sophomore Chris Washburn was also solid in 31 minutes of action, scoring eight points, while grabbing a game-high seven boards.

Stephen Croone led the way for Furman, scoring a game-high 23 points on 8-of-14 from the field. Devin Sibley and Kendrec Ferrara both scored 14 points apiece, but the Paladins fell to 2-5 on the season.

In a game where TCU controlled points in the paint to the tune of 46-24, the Frogs dished out a total of 15 assists, while outscoring Furman in second-chance points, 17-3. TCU shot a blistering 59.6 percent from the field and out-rebounded their eighth opponent this season.

Williams made it a 37-31 ballgame early in the second half, driving by his defender and finding the bottom of the net, but Furman would score on the other end during the next possession to continue to make a run at the Frogs.

Washburn got into the act, wrapping around a Paladin and connecting on a tough layup at the 16:25 mark, which made it a 41-35 contest. Anderson then drove by his defender and found pay dirt, scoring an old fashion three-point play, which brought the scoreboard to 44-35 in favor of TCU with 15:55 showing in the second half.

The Frogs would increase it to 50-40 a few moments later as Washburn scored four-straight for the Purple and White. The two teams would trade buckets the next couple of trips and TCU held a nine-point advantage at the about the 10-minute mark of the second stanza of action.

Furman cut it to six at 56-50, but Washburn and the TCU defense responded as the sophomore swatted away a would be attempt and then watched as junior Devonta Abron took a charge, which seemed to ignite the Frogs. On the very next possession, Anderson buried a three from deep to give TCU a 61-50 advantage with a little over 8 minutes remaining in the game.

With the scoreboard reading 66-58 in favor of the Frogs down the stretch, Anderson dished the rock to Fields on a run out, who then went up and over his defender for a tough three-point play with 2:50 showing on the clock.

TCU was able to close it out the rest of the way to remain unbeaten on the season.

Anderson started the game off, tickling the twine from deep to give TCU an early 3-0 lead. On the very next possession, Zeigler connected on a backdoor layup and the Frogs were off and running at the 17:26 mark of the opening frame.

Furman continued to battle, going on an 8-0 run, but Williams would have nothing of it, scoring inside the paint to bring the scoreboard to 8-7 at about the 15-minute mark of the first half. The Purple and White would go and score the next seven points to take a 14-8 lead at the 12:12 mark. During the stretch, Anderson crossed over his defender and faked a pass one way before kissing it off the glass for the bucket midway through the opening frame.

With the scoreboard reading 16-10 in favor of TCU, Fields went to work, scoring on a tough bucket inside the paint. A few plays later, Zeigler increased the Frog lead to 10 and then watched as Hudson Price buried a deep triple on the next possession to make it a 23-10 ballgame at the 8:45 mark of the period.

The two teams would go back and forth the next couple of trips, but the Paladins would cut it to 26-20 down the stretch before Shepherd scored on a turnaround hook off the glass.

Furman would not back down, pulling within 30-29 in the final minute, but Anderson was able to hit a triple late to bring the halftime score to 33-29 in favor of the Frogs.

TCU will return to action Saturday against McNeese State, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Game Notes
• TCU moved to 9-0 on the season.
• With the win, TCU brought the all-time series record to 1-1.
• TCU is 9-0 for the first time since 1997-98.
• The Horned Frogs are now 24-4 when leading at the half under Trent Johnson.
• TCU out-rebounded its opponent for the eighth time this season Tuesday.
• Kyan Anderson posted his 19th 20-point outing of his career Tuesday.
• Anderson dished out a season-high six assists in the win.
• Amric Fields scored a season-high 14 points Tuesday.
• Kenrich Williams scored in double-figures for the fifth time in nine games.
• Williams tied a career-high with 11 points Tuesday.
• Williams also set a career-high in field goals made Tuesday.