TCU Triumphs Over UCF 89-78, Allette Scores 17

FORT WORTH, Texas — Vasean Allette played a pivotal role in leading TCU to an 89-78 win against UCF on Saturday, marking their 14th successful game on home turf this season.

In the later half, although the Horned Frogs could not build on their 19-point half-time lead, they managed to hold onto a double-figure margin. It was not until Darius Johnson’s basket with just under three minutes left that the lead was sliced to 82-73. The Horned Frogs sealed the victory by executing crucial free throws, despite only hitting 7 of 13 in the closing minutes. Overall, their free-throw accuracy stood at 61%, converting 17 of 28 attempts.

Ernest Udeh Jr. contributed significantly for TCU (16-13, 9-9 Big 12) with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Other notable performances came from David Punch with 14 points, Micah Robinson who scored 12, and Jace Posey with 10.

For the Knights (15-14, 6-12), Johnson stood out with a game-high of 20 points. Keyshawn Hall, who leads the Big 12 in scoring, scored 14 points but suffered from poor accuracy, hitting only 3 of 17 attempts. Nonetheless, he grabbed 13 rebounds and was flawless from the line, going 8-for-8, although he also turned the ball over seven times. Moustapha Thiam registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Mikey Williams added 11 points.

The Horned Frogs came out of the gates strong, sinking five of their first six shots to establish a 12-4 lead just four minutes into the contest. A 3-pointer from Noah Reynolds gave them a 37-20 advantage six minutes before the break, a margin they maintained for the rest of the first half. TCU entered the locker room with a 49-30 lead, shooting 51% from the floor and dominating the paint with 28 points.

Currently boasting a 14-2 home record this season, TCU has secured victories in their past four home games. Their next challenge will be against Baylor on Tuesday before concluding the regular season at Colorado on Saturday. Meanwhile, UCF is set to host Oklahoma State on Wednesday and will visit West Virginia on Saturday.