TCU Athletics
Jaden Owens' season-ending injury was one that broke the camel's back for TCU.
The TCU women’s basketball team was having a really nice first season under coach Mark Campbell until it all came undone through the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.
The Horned Frogs — 14-4, 1-4 in the Big 12 — canceled Wednesday’s scheduled game against No. 7 Kansas State, led by former TCU coach Jeff Mittie, and Saturday’s game at No. 24 Iowa State because injuries have decimated the roster.
“Due to the limited number of available student-athletes we currently have due to injuries, and in consultation with our medical team, it is simply not a safe environment for the student-athletes to compete right now," TCU Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati said in a statement released Thursday afternoon. "The health and safety and best interests of our student-athletes will always be our top priority."
Those games will go down as forfeits — losses — in the Big 12 standings. The Iowa State game is a loss in revenue for the Cyclones, who regularly draw more than 9,000 a game. In an exhibition against Truman State, Iowa State drew 9,700 to the James H. Hilton Coliseum in Ames.
TCU is down to six players after losing top scorer Sedona Prince to a hand injury and guard Jaden “Uno” Owens to a season-ending knee injury (torn ACL). That news broke adjacently to the announcement that DaiJa Turner would have season-ending surgery on her left ankle.
Owens sustained her injury in Saturday’s game against Houston. She called it a “non-contact injury.”
So, in an effort to put some pieces back together, the team is hosting open tryouts for potential walk-ons from 6-8 p.m. tonight — Thursday — and Friday at the Schollmaier Basketball Complex Practice Gym.
Students interested in trying out must check each of these boxes:
- Register with Jessie Craig before 4 p.m. on the tryout date through [email protected].
- Have a pre-participation physical from the TCU Health Center
- Be a full-time student at TCU
- Must have high school basketball experience
A spokesman for the team said that as of later in the afternoon on Thursday he didn't have a firm count of how many had signed up to try out, but that the interest across campus "has been positive."
Not a one among TCU’s roster of 14 players were redshirting this season. They were all active, according to a spokesman for the team.
Four were injured either ahead of the team’s season opener against Oral Roberts or in the nonconference part of the season. In addition to Prince and Owens out, two others sustained injuries in practice this week.
“As the Scripture has said, ‘For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness,’” Owens wrote. “This is just another trial and tribulation along life’s great journey.”
The Frogs’ next scheduled game is at home against Central Florida on Tuesday.
Fingers crossed.
“As disappointed as we all are in having to make the decision to cancel this week’s games, I am so impressed by the team’s attitude and show of support for one another," Donati continued. "I am proud of the way our coaches, staff, and student-athletes have handled this adversity. The strong team unity and culture we have under Head Coach Mark Campbell and his staff’s leadership is playing a major role in helping us get through this difficult and unusual time.”
