TCU earned a win Saturday by defeating the Idaho Vandals, 86-76, to claim the Warner Center Marriott Thanksgiving Classic championship.
“I think it’s really important for us to beat a team like Idaho,” head coach Raegan Pebley said. “They are going to be a high-RPI team that is really going to challenge for a conference championship, and they’ve been to the NCAA Tournament so many times and are really well coached.”
Pebley praised her team’s defense.
“They are a team that runs a system that we did not do a very good job of defending in Fort Worth against Yale, so it was really good to see our team lock in,” Pebley said.
The Horned Frogs began the game on fire from deep, draining nine three-pointers in the first half for a 16-point lead in the second quarter. Two scoring runs where the Frogs outscored Idaho by double-digits separated the two squads: TCU outscored Idaho 13-0 at one point in the first quarter and 12-0 at another point in the second quarter. With the hot shooting, TCU took a 47-36 lead into the halftime break.
Idaho did not go down quietly as the Vandals stormed back to trail by just four points in the third quarter during a sluggish offensive drought by the Horned Frogs. Some key late baskets from senior guard Toree Thompson and junior forward Jordan Moore halted the run and ensured the victory for the Frogs.
A season-best free throw percentage by the Horned Frogs left no doubt. The Frogs converted on 88 percent of their free throws, including a perfect 10-10 by junior forward Amy Okonkwo.
Okonkwo also claimed tournament MVP honors with 22 points and 11 rebounds in the final game. Moore added 20 points on 90 percent shooting from the floor and Thompson was named to the all-tournament team with her 14 points.
TCU also welcomed a familiar face back to the line-up. Sophomore Kianna Ray who missed the first five games of the season due to injury provided an instant spark off the bench. Ray knocked-down a three-pointer on her first possession and finished the night with eight points and seven assists.
TCU will return to Schollmaier Arena Friday after a six-day break and face the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Tip-off is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
