Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
FORT WORTH, Texas — TCU post player Sedona Prince is enough of a top-tier talent in women's basketball that BYU coach Amber Whiting knew the Cougars' chances of stopping the Oregon transfer would be limited, at best, in a Big 12 opener for both teams.
The best option? Slow her down, and don't let Arizona transfer Madison Conner get going, either.
They both got going Saturday afternoon.
Conner scored 21 points, and Prince added 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots as No. 23 TCU rolled past BYU 81-67 Saturday afternoon at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
"They're very balanced," Whiting said of the Horned Frogs, who went just 8-23 a year ago with a 1-17 conference record. "They have a good inside-outside game. They're a completely different team from last year and (head coach Mark Campbell) has done a great job."
Jaden Owens added 15 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and Emma-Nnopu Agnes supplied 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Horned Frogs (14-0, 1-0 Big 12) in their sixth win in the last 10 home meetings between the two former Mountain West Conference rivals.
Kailey Woolston had 15 points and four assists to lead the Cougars (10-4, 0-1 Big 12), and Lauren Gustin added 10 points and 16 rebounds.
Amari Whiting supplied 13 points, six assists, five rebounds and a steal for BYU in its first Big 12 game.
"Welcome to the Big 12," Whiting said. "It was good for our girls to experience the level of basketball that they are going step out on the court against every single night. There are no easy games and every single player that we face is going to be really good, so I thought tonight was a good challenge for us."
With this 2⃣, @laurengus10 picks up her 12th double double on the year to lead the nation. https://t.co/wN1E8j0ZInpic.twitter.com/IUeLcebZ6L
— BYU Women's Hoops (@byuwbb) December 30, 2023
The Horned Frogs used runs of 9-0 and 8-0 for a 17-9 lead en route to a 22-13 first quarter advantage, shooting 53% from the field and scoring 10 points off five turnovers to stake an early lead.
Prince, the Oregon transfer who averaged 21 points and 10.7 rebounds through the Frogs' 13-0 start, had 13 points, three rebounds and two blocks in the first half as TCU shot 52% from the field and outscored the Cougars 18-8 in the paint en route to a 39-31 halftime advantage.
TCU opened the second half on an 8-0 run, and outscored the Cougars 24-12 in the third quarter to pull away for good.
BYU had just two turnovers in the final three quarters — none in the second half — but couldn't overcome the big deficit, even while outscoring TCU 24-18 in the final frame.
"In the first half, I feel like we were really sped up, and then they settled in," Whiting said. "We had zero turnovers in the second half, and that was really good. They did a much better job; I was proud with how they responded, but still not satisfied."
BYU returns home Wednesday to host Oklahoma in the Cougars' conference home opener followed by a Jan. 6 home tilt against Iowa State.
Tipoff against the Sooners is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
