Top-seeded TCU pulls away from Sam Houston State
JD Miller scored 15 points, and Alex Robinson added 13 points and 11 assists as top-seeded TCU rolled past eighth-seeded Sam Houston State 82-69 on Wednesday in NIT first-round play in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Horned Frogs (21-13) will meet No. 4 Nebraska, an 80-76 winner over fifth-seeded Butler on Wednesday, in the second round.
TCU trailed for most of the first half before taking a four-point lead into halftime. The Horned Frogs opened the second half by scoring 16 of the first 24 points and building a 50-38 advantage after a free throw by Miller with 12:54 to play. Sam Houston State never get closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Desmond Bane also had 13 points for the Horned Frogs, while RJ Nembhard scored 12 points, Kevin Samuel had 11, and Kendric Davis hit for 10 for TCU in the win.
Sam Houston State's Kai Mitchell led all scorers with 24 points, while Cameron Delaney hit for 15 points and Zach Nutall added 12 for the Bearkats.
Sam Houston State (21-12) lost to New Orleans in the Southland Conference tournament semifinal but earned an automatic berth in the 32-team NIT because of its regular-season conference championship.
The Bearkats led by as many as eight points twice in the first half, the latest when R.J. Smith's layup with 6:06 to play in the half staked Sam Houston State to a 27-19 advantage. TCU charged back with an 8-0 run and tied the game at 27 on a Bane free throw with 3:13 remaining and then moved in front at 31-30 via a Nembhard basket at the 52-second mark.
Bane capped the 7-3 run to end the half with a 3-pointer to provide the Horned Frogs a 34-30 edge at intermission.
Delaney led all scorers in the half with 11 points while Bane paced TCU with 10. The Horned Frogs were just 5 of 11 from the free-throw line in the half while Sam Houston State did not record an attempt from the charity stripe over the first 20 minutes of play.
--Field Level Media
