No. 16 West Virginia's Second Half Comeback Falls Short Against No. 8 TCU

The Mountaineers run to the Big 12 Championship comes to an end

Mar 8, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; TCU Horned Frogs guard Hailey Van Lith (10) handles the ball while while defended by West Virginia Mountaineers guard JJ Quinerly (11) during the first half at T-Mobile Center. | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY –  No. 16 West Virginia shot 34.6% from the field in the first half and trailed by 15 at halftime before pulling within five entering the fourth quarter but the No. 8 TCU Horned Frogs (30-3) remained poised and held off the Mountaineers (24-7) to advance to the Big 12 Championship with a 71-65 win.

TCU graduate senior Agnes Emma-Nnopu put the Horned Frogs up by two before West Virginia senior forward Kylee Blacksten answered with her second three of the game and sparked an 8-2 run to for a 11-7 lead at the 6:12 mark of the first quarter.

After West Virginia started the game 4-5 from the field, the Mountaineers cooled off, shooting just 1-9 in the final six minutes of the quarter while the Horned Frogs went on a 10-0 run for a 17-13 advantage.  

Sedona Prince began the second quarter with a pair of jumpers to extend the TCU lead to eight, but Tirzah Moore battled for a pair of free throws and JJ Quinerly stopped in the paint for a bucket to stay within four 21-17 at the 7:58 mark.

Graduate senior center Emma-Nnopu and senior guard Madison Conner buried threes as part of a 11-0 TCU to take a commanding 15-point lead with 2:38 remaining in the quarter and maintained the advantage into halftime, 40-25.

West Virginia senior forward Kyah Watson opened the second half with a three and junior guard Syndey Shaw followed suit, igniting a 10-2 run to pull within seven, 42-35.

Connor Madison answered with consecutive threes to push the TCU back to 13 near the midway point of the third quarter.

Undeterred, the Mountaineer defense held the Horned Frogs to two field goals in the final five minutes and junior guard Jordan Harrison hit a pair of threes as part of a 12-4 run to cut the TCU lead to five, 52-47 through three quarters of play.

Graduate senior Hailey Van Lith started the fourth quarter with a three and Prince followed with a floater in the paint to extend the lead to 10 at the 8:04 mark of the fourth quarter.

West Virginia trailed by 12 before constructing a 7-0 to get back within five. However, the Mountaineers gave up an offensive rebound, leading to a Conner three to push the lead back to eight with 2:46 remaining in the game.

The Mountaineers could not keep the Horned Frogs off the board in the final two minutes as TCU held on for the 71-65 victory.