TCU vs. Georgia Tech final score: Horned Frogs win 2017 NIT championship

The TCU Horned Frogs are the 2017 NIT Champions.

Beating the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets by a score of 88-56, TCU dominated throughout Thursday’s action. The No. 4-seeded Horned Frogs saw all five starters score at least nine points, while only two players on the No. 6-seeded Yellow Jackets reached that mark.

TCU got off to an early lead, scoring the game’s first 10 points before eventually taking a 21-6 lead. By halftime, Georgia Tech had somewhat recovered, down just 11 points with the score 38-27.

But Kenrich Williams came out hot after the break, scoring eight points in the first five minutes of the second half. TCU quickly began to extend its lead and Georgia Tech couldn’t catch catch up. The junior guard, who recorded the second triple-double in TCU history just over a week ago, finished the night with a double-double, scoring 25 points along with 12 rebounds and four steals.

Williams’ fellow guard Alex Robinson also put up a double-double, with 10 points and 11 assists, along with four steals of his own. Star Slovakian forward Vladimir Brodziansky also made a major impact, contributing 18 points, 6 rebounds, and a block.

Every member of the Horned Frogs put points on the board in what was a major team win for TCU. Georgia Tech guard Tadric Jackson put up a team-high 19 points off the bench, but the Yellow Jackets never seemed to stand a chance in this game, especially after TCU put up 19 unanswered points late in the second half.

This marks the first NIT Championship in TCU history, coming in their fifth season since moving to the Big 12. Next year, TCU will aim to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1997-98 season. But for now, it’s time for the Horned Frogs to celebrate.