Gonzaga defeated TCU 84-81 in the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. TCU led in the second half but couldn’t hold onto the lead and lost the game. The absence of center Eddie Lampkin, who quit the team the day before the start of the Big 12 tournament, was a crucial factor in TCU’s loss against Gonzaga. Lampkin would have provided some much-needed defense in the middle, which could have made a difference in the game against Gonzaga. TCU had another good season, going to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season and winning an NCAA Tournament game for the second consecutive season, but it was also a disappointing season as the team had the potential to reach at least the Sweet 16.
TCU Falls to Gonzaga in NCAA Tourney Due to the Absence of Eddie Lampkin
The TCU Horned Frogs lost to the Gonzaga Bulldogs 84-81 on Sunday night in Denver in the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. This is the second year in a row that TCU played the final game in the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament out west against a higher seed and couldn’t hold on to the lead in the second half, leading to a loss. TCU finishes the season with a 22-13 record, and missed the Sweet 16 in a season where it had the potential to be a Final Four team.
TCU should not have ended the season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year, given the talent and experience on the team. The absence of center Eddie Lampkin, who quit the team the day before the start of the Big 12 tournament, was a crucial factor in TCU’s loss against Gonzaga. Lampkin starred in TCU’s overtime round of 32 loss against top-seed Arizona last year, and his physical presence in the middle would have made a difference in the game against Gonzaga.
Drew Timme, a former Richardson Pearce star, led Gonzaga to victory with his creative low post scoring. Timme scored 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting with eight rebounds and three assists, eight points above his season average. Without Lampkin, TCU was too undersized to cover a quality low post player like Timme, and throwing different defenders and looks at him did not make much difference. TCU was out-rebounded 43-36 and was unable to consistently run out in transition the way it had during the season.
Although Lampkin was not having a great season before he quit, he is a 6-foot-11 big who can body up an 18-wheeler, and his physical presence in the middle would have made a difference in the game against Gonzaga. TCU’s season is a successful disappointment, but with Lampkin on the team, it should have at least been a Sweet 16 team. Considering how dramatically this roster changed in the last few weeks, losing in the second round fits.
Gonzaga Takes Down TCU in NCAA Tourney Due to Strong Defense
Gonzaga’s strong defense stopped TCU’s ball penetration, and the Horned Frogs struggled as they are not a great outside shooting team. TCU made 12-of-20 from the foul line, which didn’t help their cause either.
Junior guard Mike Miles scored 24 points on 8-13 shooting, but was unable to get a shot for more than 10 minutes of the second half when Gonzaga pulled away. TCU hung around, and a few times it looked like they might actually regain the lead, but the Zags had Drew Timme in the middle, where TCU had nothing. Timme’s lay-in with 1:43 remaining pretty much sealed TCU’s fate.
The absence of center Eddie Lampkin, who quit the team the day before the start of the Big 12 tournament, was a crucial factor in TCU’s loss against Gonzaga. Lampkin would have provided some much-needed defense in the middle, which could have made a difference in the game against Gonzaga. Maybe if he had been on the floor, TCU could have gotten a few more stops, Timme would have been more limited, and the Horned Frogs might have gone to Las Vegas for the Sweet 16. But TCU will never know.
Despite the loss, TCU had another good season, going to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season and winning an NCAA Tournament game for the second consecutive season. However, it was also a disappointing season, as the team had the potential to reach at least the Sweet 16. When the team was right two months ago, it had Final Four potential. But the departure of Lampkin eventually showed up on the floor and contributed to TCU’s loss against Gonzaga.
Overall, TCU finished the season with a 22-13 record, missing the Sweet 16 in a season where they had the potential to be a Final Four team.
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