TCU clamps down on Hawaii, takes third place at Diamond Head

Field Level Media|published: Sun 24th December, 20:48 2023

Mar 19, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; TCU Horned Frogs forward Xavier Cork (12) and guard Rondel Walker (11) and forward JaKobe Coles (21) celebrate on the bench in the first half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Ball Arena. credits: Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports

A superior defensive effort from TCU yielded a 65-51 victory for the Horned Frogs over Hawaii in the third-place game of the Diamond Head Classic on Sunday evening in Honolulu.

After allowing 80-plus points in each of its first two games at the tournament, TCU's performance against Hawaii marked the fewest points the Horned Frogs (10-2) have allowed in a game this season.

Jameer Nelson Jr. led TCU's balanced scoring effort with 13 points, including a 6-of-6 mark at the free throw line. Trevian Tennyson was the only other Horned Frog who scored in double figures, with 10 points.

Xavier Cork had nine points and eight rebounds and Micah Peavy added nine points and seven boards for TCU, which held a 34-20 advantage in points in the paint.

Noel Coleman paced Hawaii (8-4) with 19 points.

A pair of TCU 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the opening half gave the Horned Frogs a 6-1 lead, though Hawaii scored the next five points and tied the score with 14:56 remaining. The Rainbow Warriors claimed their only lead with 13:16 in the half, as Mor Seck's layup made it 10-9.

TCU then took back the lead and maintained a narrow advantage before an 11-2 scoring run turned the momentum in the Horned Frogs' favor. JaKobe Coles closed the spurt with his offensive rebound and putback at the 3:00 mark, as TCU went up 31-20.

The run coincided with a 3:27 field-goal drought from Hawaii, and TCU took a 36-27 lead into halftime.

TCU's lead widened back to double digits on Peavy's layup 1:12 into the second half, and for the first 15 minutes of the final period, the Horned Frogs led by 10 points or more.

TCU led by as many as 15 before Hawaii countered with a number of defensive stops and cut the deficit to 57-48 on Ryan Rapp's drive to the lane.

But Nelson scored four straight points in the next 55 seconds for the Horned Frogs, and Tennyson kept the run going on a layup with 2:23 left. Hawaii head coach Eran Ganot called a timeout with the Rainbow Warriors trailing 63-48, but in Hawaii's first possession out of the stoppage, TCU forced a shot-clock violation. Hawaii only scored once in the final four minutes.

—Field Level Media