College Basketball

Longhorns cruise past TCU with blowout win

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:16 p.m. ET

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Prince Ibeh scored a career-high 17 points and Texas got an offensive boost from some unlikely place in cruising to a 71-54 win over TCU on Tuesday night.

Ibeh added 10 rebounds and the 14-percent season free-throw shooter also found his stroke there, making five of six. He also had five blocks.

Freshman guard Kerwin Roach Jr. added a career-high 22 points for Texas (13-7, 5-3 Big 12).

Roach, whose superb athletic ability has yet to translate into big minutes or consistent scoring in Big 12 play, was 6 of 9 shooting and also grabbed five rebounds for the Longhorns.

Malique Trent and Chris Washburn scored nine points apiece, and Devonta Abron added seven points and eight rebounds for TCU (9-11, 1-7), which dropped its fifth straight game.

For Texas, the win comes in a stretch where every victory builds confidence as first-year Texas coach Shaka Smart readies his team for the second-half of a rugged Big 12 schedule.

TCU beat the Longhorns in their first matchup in Fort Worth on Jan. 9 but the Horned Frogs were barely in this one as they struggled with Texas' pressure defense, poor shooting and an inability to stop Texas from scoring almost at will near the basket. Texas opened up a 10-point lead by halftime.

Ibeh, a shot-blocking force who seldom delivers much on offense, scored seven in the first half and Roach scored 10.

Texas guards Isaiah Taylor and Javan Felix, the catalysts for Texas' biggest wins this season, took a back seat early in a ragged game that saw 27 fouls in the first half. Texas shrugged off its own tough shooting night -- 0-7 on 3-pointers in the first half -- by driving to the basket. The Longhorns outscored TCU 36-20 in the paint.

Texas found its touch from long range just in time to snuff out TCU's only real hope for a rally. The Horned Frogs opened the second half with a 3-pointer by Brandon Parish before Felix answered at the other end.

A few minutes later, TCU had a chance to pull within three, but misfired on three straight possessions before Felix made another 3-pointer and Texas quickly pushed the lead back up to 48-36.

TIP-INS

TCU: After their first meeting, TCU's scouting report likely noted contesting Texas on 3-pointers and keeping Taylor in check. Ibeh turned into an unexpected matchup problem. Ibeh had just six points and five rebounds against TCU when the Horned Frogs won.

Texas: Texas got sloppier than usual but it didn't end up costing the Longhorns very much. Their 15 turnovers snapped a five-game streak of having less than 10.

WHAT'S NEXT

TCU hosts Tennessee on Saturday

Texas hosts Vanderbilt on Saturday

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