Arizona did something to No. 10 TCU on Saturday that 37 previous opponents could not do — lead at halftime against the Horned Frogs.
The Wildcats led 30-28 at halftime, breaking a string of 37 straight games of TCU leading at that point of the game dating to the 2023-24 season.
Becky Burke’s team did not keep up with TCU in the second half, falling 78–62 at Schollmaier Arena.
Although a loss, Arizona and Burke got the attention of the Horned Frogs and the Big 12 with the performance despite being without leading scorer and shooter Mickayla Perdue (out indefinitely with a wrist injury).
“That was a hard-fought win — credit Arizona,” TCU coach Mark Campbell said in the postgame press conference. “Right now, she (Burke) is in her first year. She’s got her team competing and playing hard.
“I’m proud of our kids. In the second half, we woke up and played with a great energy and effort. We got into a great rhythm.”
Campbell emphasized the word “competing” when he said it, showing that he admired how much the Wildcats hung tough despite being a decided underdog.
TCU scored only 11 points in the second quarter before producing 50 points in the second half to pull away.
“That’s a heck of an effort by our group that I’m extremely proud of,” Burke said in Arizona’s postgame press conference. “I think we can go in that locker room and say we threw some punches because we gave it our all.
“We fought. We battled. We followed a game plan to perfection that I think was really, really effective. TCU is a great team, well coached. We respected them at the highest level coming into this game, but we didn’t come in here like we were planning on losing.”
Arizona shot 50% in the second quarter and led for more than four minutes in the period, building a seven-point advantage late in the half.
Sumayah Sugapong set the tone offensively, reaching double figures early in the second quarter and finishing with a team-high 17 points to go along with five assists.
“In a game like this, where we’re sort of the underdog, I think that’s where a lot of us thrive, just coming in competing,” Sugapong said. “Really no pressure on us coming into this game. So just going out there, playing hard.”
Former Salpointe player and Sunnyside graduate Achol Magot delivered a career night off the bench, posting 12 points and seven rebounds while providing a spark in the paint against TCU’s size.
Arizona briefly regained momentum early in the third quarter and stayed within striking distance before TCU used a decisive run midway through the period to take control. The Horned Frogs outscored the Wildcats 27–18 in the third quarter and carried the advantage into the fourth quarter.
“I was really proud of our team’s effort … in our fight,” Burke said. “In the situation that we’re in this year, and with losing our leading scorer. There’s a lot of things that our team could be down and out about, and they are not.
“They’re fighting and they’re battling … probably as proud as I’ve sat at a podium despite a loss.”
Noelani Cornfield and Adebanjo Blessing both fouled out late, forcing Arizona to shuffle its rotation down the stretch. Cornfield finished with 11 points and five assists, while Blessing added nine points.
Arizona shot 42.1% from the field and 44.4% from 3-point range, while the Horned Frogs capitalized at the free-throw line and on second-chance opportunities in the second half to pull away.
The Wildcats return to McKale Center to play Kansas on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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