TCU News: “I feel like we’re really close”

Football:

TCU had 1st and goal at 1-yard line but couldn’t finish against unbeaten Baylor in 3OT | The Star-Telegram

I mean, even if the Max touchdown had stood, how much faith did anyone have in the Frogs being able to get in the end zone for the two point based on what we had seen?

Baylor (9-0) kept its perfect season alive for another week, winning its fourth game decided by one score, while TCU (4-5) is now 0-4 in one-score games this year.

“I feel like we’re really close,” Iwuagwu said. “I feel like we just have to take that one little step. It’s like, we keep hesitating to take that step every time we get really close. It’s really weird, but I feel like we can do it.”

TCU has only itself to blame for now. It simply couldn’t close out a game late.

Baylor matched TCU’s touchdown in the second overtime when it scored on a fourth-down play, and then the Bears’ defense made a stand when it mattered most.

Baylor-TCU Started Slow, But the End Did Not Disappoint | The Big Lead

It was an epic addition to a great rivalry.

Baylor got the ball back late in the fourth and ended up at TCU’s 29-yard line down three. A false start and an illegal motion penalty on the quarterback later, Baylor faced third-and-19 from the TCU 34. Baylor QB Charlie Brewer missed a wide-open receiver by barely a yard for what would have been an easy touchdown and secured the win. Baylor lined up for a 51-yard field goal, took a timeout (and icing their own kicker in the process), before John Mayer lined up and absolutely smoked it through the uprights to send the game to overtime.

Then OT started, and it got even more fun. Baylor scored a touchdown to open it up before TCU tied it on what might be the best touchdown catch of the year. On fourth-and-nine, no less!

A day later, people are still buzzing about TCU WR Te’Vailance Hunt’s spectacular catch | The Star-Telegram

It was an all-time great catch that won’t be remembered as much as it should because the Frogs lost.

“Awesome,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said of the catch. “I’ll tell you this much, I couldn’t have made that catch. I know some of you guys are kind of surprised by that.”

It marked Hunt’s first career TD reception and was the only reception on the day for the sophomore out of Texarkana. For the season, Hunt now has 15 catches for 257 yards.

Frogs senior cornerback Jeff Gladney, who is also from East, Texas (New Boston), said: “bEAST, Texas. That’s my boy. That was a great catch. Great.”

Basketball:

TCU women overcome second-half surge by Cornell to move to 2-0 | The Star-Telegram

The women have gotten off to a 2-0 start.

Cornell (1-1) had a chance to tie the game, but Higgins missed a wide open 3 from the left side. On the next possession, TCU worked the ball inside before kicking it back out to an open Ray who drained it to give the Horned Frogs a 52-46 lead.

“I knew it was a big shot,” Ray said. “I saw that I was open so I took it, and we took that momentum and just tried to keep running with it.”

Ray finished with 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds, and junior guard Lauren Heard added 13.

TCU basketball’s early-season mission: Become a better rebounding team | The Star-Telegram

Getting out-rebounded by a DIII team does not bode well for Big 12 play.

“This has got to change,” Dixon said, repeating himself.

TCU sophomore center Kevin Samuel had a game-leading 12 rebounds and Jaire Grayer had eight. But no other Frogs had more than three.

Southwestern, meanwhile, had four players with at least four rebounds.

“It can’t be just Kevin rebounding,” Dixon said.

The players agreed.

Senior guard Desmond Bane admitted rebounding sometimes becomes a forgotten aspect with the 6-foot-11 Samuel so effective in that department. But it must become a group effort for TCU.

“We were talking in the locker room, we kind of just rely on him to rebound because he’s so big and so athletic,” Bane said. “He gets so many of them and we forget to go and crash ourselves. We got out-rebounded tonight, so that’s on us. We’re going to improve on that next week for sure going forward.”

Volleyball:

Volleyball dominates Kansas on Julia Adams’ career day | TCU 360

TCU has three games left to get ready for Big 12 Tournament play.

The fifth-year coach thought her team defended and transitioned well, and that the key to this game was the confidence and edge her team played with.

“Our conference is tough. Our league is tough. And you got to fight really hard for every single win,” Kramer said. “You want to win on the road, but you really want to protect your home court. You really want to do your best for the people that come out to support you.”

Even though their team has been struggling this season, TCU fans still showed up to support. It was the 10th largest crowd in program history with an attendance of 2,020.