TCU Rolls Past Houston Christian in Season-Opener – TCU Athletics

FORT WORTH – TCU eased by Houston Christian and into the 2024-25 season, overpowering the Huskies, 78-41, on Tuesday in Schollmaier Arena.
 
The Horned Frogs forced a Big 12 and Mark Campbell era program record 36 turnovers. TCU limited its Southland Conference foe to 30 percent shooting (15-50) and just 20 points inside the arc.
 
Sedona Prince and Hailey Van Lith both flirted with triple-doubles to commence their final college seasons.
 
Prince collected 29 points on 14-22 shooting along seven rebounds and six blocks. The 6-7 center has scored in double figures in all 22 of her games played in purple and white. She set a career-high in field goals made and came four points shy of matching her single-game scoring record
 
Van Lith was the straw that stirred the drink at both ends of the court. She paired 21 points – 14 of which came in the first half – with seven assists, a career-best six steals and five rebounds. 
 
The graduate student duo accounted for 20 of TCU’s 31 makes from the field. TCU finished with 24 assists against just five giveaways.
 
The offensive efficiency helped offset an uncharacteristically cold shooting night from behind the arc. TCU shot 46 percent from the field but finished 3-21 on 3-point attempts.
 
Prince and Van Lith combined to score TCU’s first 18 points. 
 
Prince tallied seven points and three rebounds in the first quarter.
 
Leading by two early in the second period, Van Lith ignited a decisive 17-0 run with eight unanswered points that staked TCU to a 27-8 edge with 4:13 to go. Aaliyah Roberson netted six of TCU’s final 10 points in the half to give the Frogs a 36-19 lead entering the intermission.
 
Prince powered home 18 of her points in the second half. Houston Christian never got within 20 points of the Horned Frogs in the final frame.
 
Madison Conner matched Van Lith for the game-high in assists. 
 
The Horned Frogs also set Campbell era records for steals (18) and points off turnovers (38).
 
Van Lith was one of a six Frogs to collect multiple steals. Donovyn Hunter and Roberson each  finished with three while Prince, Conner and Knisha Godfrey had two apiece.
 
TCU produced a 42-18 advantage in points in the paint.
 
Team Notes

• TCU extended its nonconference winning streak to 16 games.
• TCU won its 12^th consecutive season and home-opening game.
• The Horned Frogs improved to 14-0 in nonconference tilts under Campbell.
• TCU is now 29-4 in November home games dating back to 2015-16.
• TCU boosted its home record under Campbell to 16-4.
• TCU has now won 41 consecutive ballgames when limiting its opponent to 50 points or less.
• The Horned Frogs boosted the program’s all-time record vs. current Southland Conference members to 42-12.
• TCU produced an assist rate of 75 percent or better for the 13^th time under Campbell. 
• The Horned Frogs dished out at least 20 assists for the 11^th time in Campbell’s tenure. 
• TCU’s 24 dimes were its second-most in a game with Campbell at the helm.
• TCU’s five turnovers were tied for its fewest in a game under Campbell. 
• TCU outscored the Huskies by a combined 50-23 margin in the second and fourth quarters, shooting 57 percent (20-35) from the field.
• The Horned Frogs are now 31-5 when leading after the first quarter and 34-3 when taking a lead into halftime over the last three seasons.
• Under Campbell, TCU has kept 21-of-34 teams at-or-below 40 percent shooting from the field. The Frogs are now 19-2 when preventing their opponent from eclipsing the threshold.

Individual Notes

• Van Lith scored in double figures for the 101^st time in 134 career games played.
• Van Lith finished with 20-or-more points for the 36^th time in her career.
• Van Lith knocked down a game-high 7-8 free throws.
• Van Lith and Prince gave TCU two 20-point scorers in a game for the first time since Conner and Sydney Harris did so on Feb. 17 in a 79-72 win at Cincinnati.
• Van Lith is now 43 points shy of reaching 2,000 for her career. 
• Prince finished as TCU’s points leader for the 12^th time in her two-season tenure in Fort Worth.
• Prince eclipsed 20 points for the 10^th time as a Horned Frog.
• Prince has stuffed three or more shots on 13 occasions in purple and white.
• Prince’s six blocks were the most of any player nationally on games played on Tuesday. 
• Conner’s seven assists were two shy of matching her career-high.
• Godfrey suited up for the first time in two years. The fourth-year junior utilized her redshirt season in 2023-24 due to injury. Godfrey earned 12 minutes in her return to the court.
• Van Lith, Hunter and Taylor Bigby each made their first career starts as Frogs.
• All 12 active players checked in for TCU, including Ella Hamlin, a preferred walk-on who joined the team in January after the Horned Frogs were forced to hold open tryouts due to compounding injuries. Hamlin scored her first career points on TCU’s final possession of the ballgame. She hit a floater in the paint fading to her non-dominant left with 13 seconds left.