FORT WORTH, Texas — In a thrilling matchup, the TCU Horned Frogs, ranked 10th, secured their 10th straight victory with an 81-73 win over the 23rd-ranked Utah Utes on Friday night. Hailey Van Lith was a standout performer, contributing 24 points, while Sedona Prince added an impressive 23 points to the scoreboard. The Horned Frogs improved their record to 19-1 overall and maintained an unblemished 7-0 in Big 12 play.
Madison Conner also played a pivotal role in TCU’s success, recording 13 points and six assists. The victory marked TCU’s 17th consecutive triumph at home, although they faced some challenges in the second half after heading into halftime with a commanding 21-point advantage.
For the Utes, Gianna Kneepkens was the top scorer, netting 26 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Utah, now sitting with a 13-5 record and a 4-3 mark in conference play, has struggled on their recent Texas road trip, falling to Baylor earlier in the week and losing three of their last four games after a promising seven-game winning streak that included a victory over No. 3 Notre Dame.
TCU has encountered some sluggishness in the second half during their recent home games. After establishing a significant lead, they allowed UCF to come within six during a previous match. Similarly, Utah managed to narrow the gap to six points with under six minutes remaining in the game.
A turning point occurred when TCU’s lead shrank to six; however, the Frogs responded with a pair of critical stops on defense. Conner’s free throws were followed by Prince scoring, and Van Lith adding points afterward, which expanded TCU’s lead back to 12 with just 3:33 left in the game.
In terms of performance, TCU excelled at the free-throw line, converting 18 of 20 attempts. Notably, both missed shots occurred in the game’s final minute as they tried to seal the victory. After a missed attempt by Prince while holding a six-point advantage, Kneepkens had a chance to inflict further damage but missed a 3-pointer with only 19 seconds left.
Looking ahead, Utah will return to their home court to take on Kansas on Wednesday, while TCU will travel to face No. 24 Oklahoma State on the same day.
