Women’s Basketball: Smothering defense powers TCU to dominant win over Texas State

Horned Frogs move to 3-0 ahead of showdown with No. 13 NC State on Sunday

Through three wins to open the 2024-25 season, the TCU Women’s Basketball has an average margin of victory over 50 points after a dominant 90-31 victory over the Texas State Bobcats in Schollmaier Arena on Wednesday night. Texas State did not score double digits in any quarter as the Horned Frogs converted 21 forced turnovers into 32 offensive points while holding the Bobcats to just 22% shooting from the field.

The Bobcats were keeping it close early in the first quarter before the Frogs defense clamped down and closed the final 4:18 of the period without allowing a single point, building a lead that would only grow exponentially as the game wore on. Sedona Prince owned the paint defensively, adding six more blocks to her nation-leading tally.

TCU drained 16 three pointers for the second consecutive game, with Taylor Bigby & Madison Conner each making four, with Bigby scoring 16 on the night on 6-7 shooting from the field. Hailey Van Lith led all scorers with 17, despite a 1-7 shooting night from beyond the arc; she also led the team in assists with nine and tied for team lead with six rebounds.

As one of the top returning players from last season’s squad, Agnes Emma-Nnopu saw her first action of the season after missing the first two games with injury, jumping off the bench with a pair of three-pointers, six rebounds, an assist, and a blocked shot. Aaliyah Roberson continues to be another major contributor off the bench as a floor-stretching forward, knocking down three three-pointers. TCU assisted on 25 of 35 made baskets while only giving away 11 turnovers. It’s hard to find many flaws with TCU’s performance to open the season, though perhaps one could point to a foul and free throw rate that could become problematic vs. better competition; on Wednesday TCU only attempted five free throws while committing 15 fouls and giving the Bobcats 16 opportunities at the charity stripe.

While the Horned Frogs have made it look easy through three games, gradually playing increasingly more difficult foes, the competition will take a big leap forward on Sunday as TCU will be hosting No. 13 NC State in Schollmaier Arena, broadcast nationally on ESPN. It’s the first of three non-conference opponents that reached the Sweet 16 last season, including No. 6 Notre Dame in Grand Cayman and Defending Champion No. 1 South Carolina in Dickies Arena.