Nembhard added six rebounds while Desmond Bane finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Horned Frogs (7-2) in the first meeting between the two schools.
Jaedon LeDee, a sophomore transfer from Ohio State, scored 10 of his season-high 11 points in the first half after Kevin Samuel picked up two early fouls. LeDee also had six boards, as did Jaire Grayer, who scored 12 points.
Josh Ferguson scored 14 on a rough shooting night for Winthrop (4-7), which shot a season-low 32% and was just 8 of 31 from 3-point range.
Grayer, a graduate transfer from George Mason, boosted an otherwise bad game from long range for TCU by making three of six. The rest of the Horned Frogs were 3 of 19 from beyond the arc.
Bane and Samuel, who scored all eight of his points after halftime, had two buckets apiece during an 11-4 run that restored TCU’s double-digit lead after Winthrop pulled within four midway through the second half.
The Horned Frogs led by as many as 11 in the first half, but Winthrop cut the halftime deficit to 31-26 when Hunter Hale’s 30-footer beat the buzzer. Hale scored 11.
BIG PICTURE
Winthrop: It was another tough non-conference game in a schedule that included the program’s first ranked road win over then-No. 18 St. Mary’s and a 13-point loss at Duke in November when the Blue Devils were No. 1. Picked to finish third in the Big South, the Eagles should feel well-prepared for the conference.
TCU: The Horned Frogs now have 41 wins in 47 games in November and December games under coach Jamie Dixon. Both losses this year came by a combined four points, including a last-second defeat to Southern California after an 18-point second-half rally by the Trojans. Three non-conference games remain before the Frogs open Big 12 play in early January.
RARE TEXAS TRIP
It was the Eagles’ first game in the state of Texas since Jan. 2, 2007 at Texas A&M, during a stretch when Winthrop made the NCAA tournament in four consecutive years (2005-2008). It was also Winthrop’s first game against a Big 12 opponent since playing Baylor in the Bahamas on Nov. 19, 2007. The Eagles are 0-5 all-time against teams from Texas.
UP NEXT
Winthrop: The Eagles return to South Carolina to play at Furman on Saturday.
TCU: The Horned Frogs continue a four-game homestand against Lamar on Saturday night.
