FORT WORTH, Texas -- Bronson Kessinger tallied a new career-high of 14 points while Christian Williams and Cooper Neese made their Indiana State debuts but it was Texas Christian which earned a 90-70 victory in front of 6,431 fans on Sunday afternoon.

ISU fell to 6-3 on the season while TCU, who are receiving votes in both the media and coaches national polls, improved to 8-1.  It was the Sycamore Basketball debut for both Cooper Neese and Christian Williams who had to sit out the fall semester to finish out their NCAA transfer residency requirements before becoming eligible.

Williams recorded the Sycamores' first double-double of the season as he scored 13 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the contest while Neese hit a 3-pointer late in the first half.

Bronson Kessinger enjoyed a career-best performance as he tallied 14 points and pulled down four rebounds while going 6-of-9 from the field. Jordan Barnes led the way as he scored 17 points, dished out seven assists and added a pair of 3-pointers. Barnes was a perfect 9-of-9 from the field.



The Sycamores tallied 18 assists on 26 made field goals but were limited to 43.3 percent shooting from the field, including an 18.8 percent mark from distance.

Emondre Rickman scored first for the Sycamores with just over 17 minutes remaining in the first half to knot the game up at 2. Bronson Kessinger added a second put back bucket on the next possession to tie the game at four and then Barnes connected on a pair of free throws just after the first media timeout to tie the game at six. TCU scored nine in a row to open a lead before Rickman gathered his second dunk of the opening stanza with just over 11 minutes remaining to creep ISU closer at 15-8. 

Barnes hit the Sycamores' first triple of the contest at the 8:48 mark to get Indiana State within 22-11. Cooper Neese scored his first collegiate points with 4:30 on the clock as he connected on a 3-pointer to trim the Sycamore deficit down to just 27-20. The Sycamores scored twice in transition, but TCU countered with a score in the final seconds of the half to give them a 38-26 lead heading into the break. Barnes led the way for the Sycamores with seven points as ISU was limited to 2-of-11 from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes.

Kessinger came in early in the second half and went straight to the rim for a lay-up to get ISU within 45-29 as the clock ticked under the 17 minute mark. On the ensuing possession the Sycamores made it four in a row when Barnes hit a trio of charity tosses to get within 45-32. Kessinger kept it going with his second bucket in three trips as he drove to the hoop for a lay-up as the clock ticked under the 16 minute mark to once again draw ISU within 13 points.

TCU scored the game's next six points before Christian Williams got into the scoring column for the first time as a Sycamore as he powered home a dunk with 14:18 on the clock to trim the Horned Frog lead down to 53-36.

Kessinger recorded a conventional 3-point play with just over nine minutes to go to send him to a new career high in points scored with 11. The bucket and free throw also trimmed the Horned Frogs lead down to 67-47. He was then fouled going up for a defensive rebound and with 9:02 left in the game added a free throw to send his point total up to 12. Christian Williams posted a conventional 3-point play in the final moments of the game which got ISU within 82-66.

TCU was led by Alex Robinson who scored 20 points.

Indiana State's next game opens play at the 2018 Hawaiian Airlines Diamondhead Classic when they take on Colorado on Saturday, December 22. Tip-off is set for 3:00 pm (ET) and will also be televised live on ESPNU and the ESPN app.