The men’s basketball team opened up its 2007-2008 home conference schedule with an 83-56 blowout win against the Wyoming Cowboys on Saturday night.
Wyoming entered tonight’s game averaging 73.6 points per game, ranking fourth in the Mountain West Conference, but the Horned Frogs’ tenacious defense kept the Cowboys from ever coming close to hitting that mark.
“It’s not that we didn’t have any mistakes, because we had plenty,” head coach Neil Dougherty said. “But tonight we played hard and we were committed to compete the entire 40 minutes without getting mental lapses.”
Mental lapses were not a part of Henry Salter‘s performance as he opened the game with back-to-back 3-pointers to contribute to a 13-0 early run.
Shooting guard Salter recorded his 14th double-digit scoring performance in 15 games this season, finishing with 20 points.
“When I start off making my shots like I did tonight, I am able to gain a lot of confidence as the game goes on,” said Salter, who is ranked in the top five in scoring average in the conference. “I’m just trying to stay consistent making shots, which allows me to open up my penetration and drive.”
Aside from good execution on offense and holding Wyoming to only 22 points in the first half, the Frogs dominated on rebounds, finishing with a 46 to 32 advantage.
The Frogs also doubled Wyoming’s steals and assists totals.
Although the Frogs have a reputation of gaining on opposing teams quickly in the first half, but not always being able to maintain that momentum, the team showed it might be past that.
Tonight was perhaps the first time the team played two halves equally well, forward Kevin Langford said after scoring 16 points and handing off two assists for the night. Brent Hackett also contributed 15 points and four assists while forward John Ortiz of the Frogs ended the night with 11 total rebounds and Jason Ebie came down with seven.
TCU took its biggest lead in the second half after a 12-0 run, resembling the start of the game.
Langford said the team plans to have the same focus they had this game when they play the University of New Mexico at home this Wednesday.
