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GoFrogs: Frogs Down Redbirds, 81-69

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Lifelong Frog
https://gofrogs.com/news/2019/12/3/mens-basketball-frogs-down-redbirds-81-69.aspx

GoFrogs: Frogs Down Redbirds, 81-69
FORT WORTH – Senior guard Desmond Bane recorded game highs in points, rebounds and assists to lead the TCU men's basketball team to a 81-69 win over Illinois State Tuesday at Schollmaier Arena.

Bane scored 23 points, on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and added nine rebounds, five assists and two steals. Bane's fourth 20-point game of the season helped improve the Horned Frogs to 6-1 on the season.

Illinois State (3-5) opened the game scoring the first seven points as the Redbirds held the Horned Frogs scoreless over the first three minutes. TCU responded with a 19-5 run as freshman Diante Smith sunk his first two collegiate 3-pointers and the TCU defense forced four turnovers to take a 19-12 lead with 10:39 remaining in the half. The Horned Frogs led 39-32 at halftime.

The Horned Frogs connected on their first five shots of the second half as they extended their lead to 52-39 with 16:32 remaining. The Redbirds fought back to tie the score at 59-59 with 9:17 remaining after a 14-3 run. TCU made five of its final eight shots and closed the game on a 22-10 run to seal a 81-69 win to remain undefeated at home this season.

Up Next
TCU will play in the first-ever basketball game at Dickies Arena, Fort Worth's new arena that opened this fall, against USC on Friday at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN2.

Team Notes
- TCU and Illinois State met for the first time since head coach Jamie Dixon's first season at TCU, when the Horned Frogs defeated the Redbirds, 80-71, on Nov. 21, 2016.
- The Horned Frogs improved to 17-3 in December games in the Jamie Dixon era.
- TCU moved to 3-0 all-time against Illinois State.
- TCU outrebounded ISU 39-30. When outrebounding its opponent, TCU is 4-1 this season, 63-19 under Dixon and 72-19 since the 2015-16 season.
- The Horned Frogs outscored the Redbirds 42-18 in the paint.
- Illinois State shot 11-of-22 (50 percent) from 3-point range, marking only the fourth time in the Jamie Dixon era that TCU won a game despite allowing its opponent to shoot at least 50 percent from 3-point range (minimum 15 attempts).
- TCU started with the lineup of Edric Dennis, Desmond Bane, RJ Nembhard, Jaire Grayer and Kevin Samuel for the first time this season.

Individual Notes
- In his 60th consecutive start, Desmond Bane scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting and moved into 11th place on the TCU all-time scoring list with 1,384 career points. He passed Vladimir Brodziansky's total of 1,364 points (2016-18).
-Bane also dished out a game-high five assists, all of which game in the first half, and tallied a game-high nine rebounds. TCU is 9-0 all-time when Bane leads the team in rebounding.
- Bane became the first TCU player to lead the team in points, rebounds and assists in a game since Alex Robinson led the Horned Frogs with 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists against Lipscomb on Nov. 20, 2018.
- On the defensive end, Bane recorded two steals, giving him a steal for the eighth consecutive game dating back to last season.
- Jaire Grayer scored 15 points and shot 4-of-6 from 3-point range, giving him multiple 3-pointers made in six of his first seven games to start the season.
- Grayer also came up with two steals, tying his season high.
- Kevin Samuel scored 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots.
- Samuel's three blocks give him at least one blocked shot in 27 consecutive games dating back to last season.
- RJ Nembhard chipped in 10 points, five rebounds and four assists. He has scored in double-figures in five of his six games played this season.
- Diante Smith scored six points on two 3-pointers, including his first collegiate three, and grabbed five rebounds in 13 minutes of action.
- Jaedon Ledee scored five points and recorded two steals off the bench, giving him a steal in every game this season.
 
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