TCU beats Florida Gulf Coast 67-51

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Vasean Allette scored 14 points and TCU beat Florida Gulf Coast 67-51 on Friday night.

It’s a rebuilding season for TCU (2-0), which lost nine scholarship players from last year’s team, including its top seven scorers. TCU returned just 4.7% of its scoring from last season, the fewest in the Big 12 and 10th fewest in the nation.

TCU closed the first half on a 6-0 run to take a 30-29 lead as FGCU went scoreless over the final four minutes.

Keeshawn Kellman gave FGCU its lone lead of the second half, 42-40, on a dunk with 12:45 remaining. Ernest Udeh Jr., the lone returning scholarship player for TCU, answered at the other end for the first of his four straight points to retake the lead for good.

FGCU was within 47-46 before Brendan Wenzel made a 3-pointer to begin a game-closing 20-5 run. The Eagles made just two of their final 12 shots.

Wenzel finished with eight points and nine rebounds and Trazarien White had the most points by a TCU starter with nine. Allette, who averaged 17.4 points and 5.7 rebounds as a freshman at Old Dominion last season, was 5 of 14 from the field.

Kellman, who was a unanimous selection to the ASUN preseason all-conference team, had 18 points and nine rebounds to lead FGCU (0-2). Jevin Muniz added 10 points and five assists.

TCU will host Texas State on Tuesday before hitting the road at Michigan on Nov. 15.

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