3/13/2025
Eight minutes. A lot can be done in eight minutes. A lot cannot be done in the same period. TCU kicked off the first round of the Big 12 tournament against Colorado by not scoring a field goal in that time and putting up only two points total. As it has been the whole year, slow starts killed the Frogs. Yes, I realize that statement makes me sound (look?) like a broken record (computer? Writer? I don’t know, I told you another loss would break my sanity).
While they eventually came back to take a lead by the end of the half, the damage had been done. The 16 seed found a rhythm and started believing in themselves. Colorado hit an impressive 40.9% of their threes. TCU countered with poor shooting splits again from all three levels (I refuse to show the percentages anymore). Jamie Dixon saw his bunch down 13 as 5 minutes remained. A furious comeback attempt led by clutch Noah Reynolds shots and a 10-0 run with good defense gave me hope. Instead, the Frogs lost 69-67 in a failure to finish the schedule strong, Dallas Cowboys style.
As it looks to be my last column on the team for the year, I would like to put a positive spin on things and share a couple of quick thoughts (at least TCU losing so quickly gives me extra space to yap). Despite my tone in the last few articles, there have been some positives to the season. The Horned Frogs still finished better than they were projected to and had a few super-fun wins. The amount of young talent on the squad is exciting as well, and the future appears to be bright in Fort Worth (stay away transfer portal!). Thank you to College Basketball Times for letting me write about this team, and documenting the deteriorating mental state of a TCU fan this season!
3/9/2025
It does not get much bigger than a home tilt against your archrival with both sides in must-win territory. The rebound gods seemed to know this, gifting the Frogs 20 offensive rebounds in an attempt to let TCU fans go home happy. Instead, it appeared Adam and Eve were on the roster Tuesday night, as they squandered the opportunity given by the higher-ups.
TCU had a promising start, mirroring Baylor's score through one half. While the offense remained inefficient, it hung in enough to let the defensive side anchor the effort. In the second half, the shooting fell apart, as they finished 34.5% from the field. The poor shot efficiency and a bad foul with 2 seconds left in a tie game was the iceberg that sank the Titanic. The Frogs fell 61-58 to Baylor despite previously being 7-0 in games decided by less than five in Big 12 play. Even Mariano Rivera blew a tight game here and there, but his close-game failures did not crush my hopes and dreams.
Here it is folks. The last game of a roller coaster season for TCU hoops. A trip to Boulder to take on the lowly Colorado Buffaloes would be how the year ends. Unfortunately, this was a worse trip to Colorado than Russell Wilson’s.
The same problems that have plagued the Frogs all year persisted on Saturday. Poor shooting at all levels (31.6% on field goals, 22.2% from three, and 66.7% at the line) is a surefire way to lose, even to the punching bag of the Big 12. Losing battles on the interior by giving up 45 rebounds (to TCU's 29) and surrendering 34 paint points is a formula for disaster. A 76-56 blowout at the hands of the worst squad in the league is less than ideal. Hopefully, this team won’t lose in the rematch taking place in the conference tournament three days later to throw the season down the toilet with the rest of my sanity.
3/1/2025
One step (win) forward, two steps (losses) back. The last three games, a stretch that ended with a demoralizing loss on the road to West Virginia, have epitomized TCU’s season. This year has had thrilling highs, including their triumph over top ten Texas Tech. There have been head-scratching lows, like the previous two blowouts against opponents hovering around .500. The only consistent thing about TCU’s games is that during them now I constantly stress eat.
The Frogs delayed the slow start by 3 minutes, jumping out to a 5-0 lead, before surrendering 18 straight. It all spiraled from there as the usually reliable defense collapsed and let West Virginia shoot over 50 percent on field goals and 40 percent behind the three-point line. The 73-55 shellacking handed to the Horned Frogs could not have come at a worse time for a team looking to get into the tournament. These last two losses were like your landlord running a surprise inspection on your house the day after an all-night rager.
Opposite week continued to roll on for the Frogs, as they welcomed the UCF Golden Knights to Fort Worth on Saturday. First, an uncharacteristically bad defense showed up against West Virginia. This time, a rare offensive masterclass facing the Golden Knights. UCF has one of the worst defenses in the Big 12, and TCU has one of the worst offenses, which means the offensive spark ruined the coveted matchup of stoppable force vs. movable object.
In a humongous breath of fresh air on offense, the Frogs shot 47.8% from the field and moved the ball well to the tune of 17 assists. The biggest catalyst to the flow state: their dominating presence inside on both ends. 10 blocks, out-rebounding the opponent 49-42, and out-scoring them in the paint 48-36 displayed the team’s excellent interior execution. The man to thank for this? Ernest Udeh, who scored 16 and grabbed 11 boards to continue his productive and unsung season. His trampling of UCF’s interior on both sides saved his fanbase from the usual blowout or cardiac arrest-inducing game.
Thanks to Udeh and a balanced effort that led to 7 players putting up 9 or more points, the Frogs cruised to an 89-78 win to keep them in tournament consideration as the calendar strikes March. The last thing I will highlight is the eye-popping 48-point first-half TCU put up. Considering I am not sure they will hit that number throughout a full game most times, I am going to cherish this memory, just like I cherish beating Baylor earlier in the year. Fingers crossed for a repeat in the rematch on Tuesday. Try not to lose too much sleep, Baylor fans.
One currently ranked opponent remained on TCU’s hoops schedule going into Tuesday night’s game. It just so happens that game was against ranked Texas Tech. At 14-11, the Frogs are running out of quality win opportunities, so this tilt was by far the biggest of the season. If you lose, March Madness goes out the window. If they win, Jamie Dixon's bunch are in the bubble conversation and I am checking all of the bracketologies every 15 seconds.
The Horned Frogs came out flat again early but started hitting big shots and catching lobs (shout out to Ernest Udeh with 4), leading to them playing looser. TCU began to work the ball around more and deliberately cut to the basket. This led to free throws (where they went 68% at the line, a good clip for this team!). There is so much else I can highlight, as evidenced by my full page of notes that look like they are straight out of an asylum.
Instead, I will spotlight Tra White. The senior transfer had by far his best game with 16 off the bench, three timely 3-pointers, and a gritty steal at the end that had me ready to run through a brick wall. His effort helped lead his team to a humongous 69-66 win over #9 Texas Tech. I refuse to delve into the referee calls possibly favoring TCU at the end. Not out of bias, but out of believing you do not have the right to complain about the refs when you go down by double digits (and maybe a little bias).
A takedown of number 9 Texas Tech would make any team feel invincible. That feeling tends to wear off quite quickly when you go down 13-0 to start the game and wait almost six minutes to score against Cincinnati on the road. Apparently, the power outage on campus in Cincinnati reached the entire TCU basketball team as well.
The Frogs eventually threw the breaker to restore power, but it was too late. A beginning full of uncharacteristically sluggish defense and a stagnant offense doomed the squad to a 75-63 loss. This week’s pint of ice cream felt like a depressed break-up pint instead of a stressful one because TCU’s relationship with March Madness might be over before it even started.
2/16/2025
72-70. TCU is trailing. 3.2 seconds left. Redshirt freshman Jace Posey heaves it down the court into heavy traffic with almost no chance of it being caught. At this point, I am mentally prepared to have my brain broken as a Jamie Dixon-led TCU squad is about to drop to .500 again. Then Vasean Allette hits “the shot”, saving the Frogs from the bottom of the Big12 and my TV from being smashed.
When a miracle like Allette’s heave in the final moments goes down, there is little else to discuss. However, I want to highlight the team’s rare fast start too, as they jumped out to an 11-2 lead and looked more fluid on offense. While the Horned Frogs stayed above .500, I would argue that is not the biggest takeaway regarding records. Most importantly, the shot kept the Big 12’s collective record at .500 (shout out to Karl Ravech).
The good times continued to roll on Saturday for the Frogs, as the current soft spot in the schedule led them to Tempe to play 12-12 Arizona State. While the Frogs seemed to be handling business with a 13-point lead at one point, they managed to make my heart race at the end. Another contributing factor could be the entire pint of ice cream I stress-ate during the game.
Considering my increased risk of being whisked away by an ambulance, many things still made this matchup fun. Jace Posey came out of nowhere to drop a career-high 20 points, including a crowd-silencing dunk with under two minutes to give his squad momentum late. He and Noah Reynolds saved the Frogs, who were slumping and went stagnant on offense again, just in the second half this time.
Despite another nail-biter, TCU came out on top 74-70, to cap off a week that decreased Horned Frog fans’ life expectancy by at least a year. I will add it was a lucky week too. First, Vasean Allette’s shot on Wednesday. Then, Noah Reynold’s game-sealing three, which the play-by-play announcer said was the worst-looking three he’s ever seen. While it was one of the most hilarious descriptions I have heard of a shot, Reynold’s “scud missile” still led to a 2-0 week baby!
2/9/2025
Fresh off a win over Colorado, TCU stayed home and welcomed a formidable opponent in West Virginia. The anticipation and energy felt high. The refs knew this, keeping the energy soaring by giving us everyone’s favorite within the first 2 minutes… an excruciatingly slow replay review.
The sluggish beginning to the game seemed to encourage the Frogs to get out to an all too familiar slow start. They had 2 points through almost seven minutes and trailed by as much as 12 in the first half. Luckily for the home team, the game had shades of a Charles Dickens novel, as it turned into a tale of two halves.
Of all things to bring the Horned Frogs back, it was their free throw shooting. They drew 18 fouls and went 87% at the line. An electric backcourt performance from Noah Reynolds and Vasean Allette (who combined for 42 points) led TCU to the 65-60 victory. This win marks Jamie Dixon’s 500th career win as a head coach, so congratulations coach! This impressive effort has yet again left me with dangerously great expectations (a bonus Dickens reference for the road).
Ames, Iowa has been a house of horror for the Horned Frogs in the last couple of years. This year was no different. I have eyed this game for a while, similar to how I used to eye a math test in high school. Like the Frogs, I would have a good week going but know doom was waiting at the end of it, and that doom came in the form of the Iowa State Cyclones.
It was nothing new for the TCU men early, as they waited almost five minutes to hit a field goal and mustered 24 first-half points. At this point, a slow start from the Frogs is as much of a lock as the broadcasters reminding us that Ernest Udeh is the only returning scholarship player.
The lack of interior defense got exposed throughout too, as Jamie Dixon’s squad gave up a whopping 44 points in the paint as opposed to their 28. For any team putting up those numbers and starting as slow as TCU does, it would be hard not to limp to an 82-52 defeat at the hands of the Cyclones. I am wrapping it here, as I am impressed that I managed to even write this much about such a depressing game.
2/2/2025
The wounded Horned Frogs limped into Lubbock on Wednesday night to face Texas Tech coming off back-to-back blowout losses. Breaking news: a game against the red-hot #22 team in the nation did not remedy their woes. I will cut my cynical commentary here before I start feeling like Harry Doyle from Major League.
The Frogs did a lot of little things well. They played hard on defense and on the boards as usual. This kept the game close until halfway through the second half. The truth is, TCU continues to not shoot it well enough to keep up with the more accurate teams of the Big 12. Every time they crawled back in, Texas Tech would hit a huge three to pull away. The Frogs' shots on the other hand, were usually juuuust a bit outside (oops, more cynical commentary).
35% on field goals, 27.8% from behind the arc, and 54.5% at the free-throw line makes it hard to get the job done in this conference. This was evidenced by a third-straight loss by a large amount, 71-57 at the hands of Texas Tech. The bright side is the team executes in every category except shooting. I believe brighter days are ahead if TCU can figure out how to shoot instead of embodying Draymond Green.
No team could use a “get right” game more than TCU, and boy did they get one at home in the form of the Colorado Buffaloes. The Buffaloes are 0-9 in conference play, a record that had me salivating, or maybe it was because I decided not to eat anything for 6 hours before watching.
We got the shaky slow-start Frogs early on, seeing a stationary sluggish offense and a defense sagging off capable three-point shooters. With a few minutes left in the half until the end, a clear adjustment was made. An emphasis was placed on ball movement, as guards Vasean Allette and Noah Reynolds had 6 assists. The overall defensive intensity increased as well, forcing an impressive 19 turnovers from Colorado. The Buffs looked so flustered it appeared like they were handed an Algebra test without studying for it at all (been there too many times).
The main beneficiary of the increased ball movement: freshman David Punch. The big man finished his breakout game with a career-high 19, hitting more threes (3) than he has all year (2). This heroic out of nowhere effort sparked a dominant 68-57 victory for the Frogs bringing their overall record above .500 at 11-10. If you are keeping track, we are back to being about 4 wins away from these recaps mentioning a national championship again.
1/26/2025
Conference play continues to roll on in the Big 12, where you get very few nights off. This rang true for Jamie Dixon and the Frogs in their 18th match of the year, as they welcomed #12 Kansas, after beating ranked Baylor. Schollmaier Arena was rockin’ early on, as TCU jumped out to a 14-point lead. The team was about to be deemed the “David” of the Big 12, slaying two giants in a row. But Alas, the only David in the building was Freshman David Punch.
The beginning had all the earmarks of TCU having an “on” night. Efficient shooting, a balanced offensive effort, and swarming perimeter defense. Like Drake, they flipped the switch, to “off”.
Every shot category went cold leading to dreadful percentages in all (Field goals at 37.9%, three-pointers with 20.8%, and free-throws at 50%). Turnovers spiked in the second half as well (twinning with my blood pressure).
The self-inflicted wounds were too much to overcome, as the Horned Frogs lost 74-61 down the stretch. This one stung, leaving me not in the mood for talking and ghosting my friends for a while. I am still wise enough not to ghost my employers (talking to you, Liam Coen).
It is never a good sign when your opponent starts off on a 13-0 run and their home crowd is chanting “Let them shoot!” These chants the TCU Horned Frogs faced on the road against UCF on Saturday highlighted (or really lowlighted) the struggles in Orlando. The crowd’s antics chillingly reminded me of going to shoot in my pick-up days, to be met with “Can’t shoot!”
To be blunt, the Frogs missing their first 15 shots from three-point land made it virtually impossible to win. This main storyline ended the game before it even started. UCF was lights out from the same range (41.9%) and moved the ball better with 20 assists to TCU’s 7.
After an 85-58 drubbing, Jamie Dixon and the team have little to look forward to right now. A fun side note, there have been wedgies in two straight games now, so watch out for a third next time to cheer you up. Man, those wedgies also reminded me of my poor shooting in pick-up. It is definitely for the best I now just write about basketball.
1/20/2025
Alright people, buckle up for a short and sweet one. I have returned to college and need maximum study (and party) time. That is definitely the reason, not because I am depressed and not in the mood to relive this game.
The Utah Utes were up next for conference tilt number five. The squad leaned on their trademark feisty perimeter defense and some nice three-pointers to keep it close early. On the other hand, more problems were emerging. The team regressed back into a static offense with little ball movement (10 assists compared to Utah’s 18). Poor shooting from the field (37.5%) and the charity stripe (47.6%) held them back too.
Utah cruised in the second half and continued to expose a vulnerable interior Frogs defense to earn 73-65 win on the road. Hopefully TCU can start shooting better at the line and in the field, because their performance from those ranges despite the group's capabilities behind the three-point line is perplexing. It is like a shooting guard who cannot shoot (shoutout Marcus Smart).
The second tilt of the week though, is why we get up in the morning Horned Frogs fans. Death, taxes, and TCU beating the Baylor Bears in their house. Baylor’s streak of owning TCU in basketball is now definitely broken, much like my brain after that wild game.
My recap will do nowhere the amount of justice that showdown I just witnessed deserves. However, I refuse to throw in the towel, which Baylor seemed to do in the last 10 minutes of the match. The Bears came out hot, hitting many shots and forcing many TCU turnovers. The Frogs managed to stay in it though thanks to great shooting as well. It was also a balanced effort, as many individuals popped up in my notes, but not enough time to shout them all out.
Brendan Wenzel and Ernest Udeh did manage to separate themselves as TCU took the lead in the second half. Wenzel led the team with 17 points and hit the game-winner, while Udeh had a career-high 16 and locked down the paint defensively. Baylor hit a game-tying three late, but their positive momentum lasted about as long as the TikTok ban.
The Frogs came out on top 74-71.
I will end the recap here, as continuing to write with how shaky my hands are from excitement may not be a great idea.
1/11/2025
As it turns out, the end of my last update contained some wicked foreshadowing. Contrary to what I believed would happen, playing the Houston Cougars did in fact ruin the groove the Frogs appeared to find as of late. Jinxing the team is nothing new to me, as I also confidently called a TCU football national championship against Georgia two years ago. For the benefit of the university, I will now forego predictions and stick solely to recaps.
Houston jumped down the Horned Frog’s throats out of the gate, hitting their first six shots. They forced the opponent to turn it over often early and miss eight of the first ten shot attempts. A few minutes in, TCU seemed to be tripping over itself during a slow and somber death march right into a loss. However, this was not the walkout we saw back in November from Mike Tyson.
There was some fight shown, as Jamie Dixon got his boys to within three at one point. Noah Reynolds continued to be aggressive with 19 points, while the team secured a solid nine offensive rebounds. This effort was not rewarded though. The Cougars’ defense suffocated the Frogs and held them to 17% from three. Houston was much hotter beyond the arc, shooting 42% on the way to a dominating 65-46 victory.
Next up: Home against BYU. My prediction: Not happening
Just when I thought I was out (on TCU basketball), they pull me back in. The Frogs gave the home fans another thriller against the BYU Cougars after the letdown in Houston. This game also made me realize how badly the Big 12 needs to diversify their mascots. All these Wildcats and Cougars make whoever named the Washington Football team look like a genius.
The story with the Horned Frogs this year has been their consistency. One game they rebound well but shoot ice-cold from three. The next, the exact opposite is seen, which is what came true today. They got outrebounded 35 to 24 but shot 37.5% from deep. The inconsistency was present even throughout the match in terms of ball security. The squad was sloppy early but won the turnover battle 8 to 1 in the second half. Noah Reynolds covered up these issues down the stretch, similar to the superglue holding my old basketball shoes together.
The legend of Reynolds grew in this one, as he poured in 21 more points and broke the final tie in yet another heroic effort that led to a Frogs win. The 71-67 victory moves the TCU men to 9-6 on the year and 2-2 in conference. While the team is still inconsistent, it feels like Noah Reynolds is becoming a mainstay on my recaps, along with my random NFL references.
1/5/2025
The TCU men kicked off conference play on the road in Tucson against the Arizona Wildcats. I’m going to spoil this one early, so I can spend the rest of the article beaming about how well the Frogs played and how fun the showdown was despite the loss. To be fair, if you follow the team and still do not know the results, you are probably avoiding “Avengers: End Game” spoilers too.
With that out of the way, I can activate proud dad mode. Arizona and Caleb Love were throwing haymakers early, as he looked like a prime Steph Curry as evidenced by his 33 points and 7 assists. Doing their best Tom Petty impression, the Frogs refused to back down.
Noah Reynolds consistently scorched the Wildcats with cuts to the rim on his way to a season-high 23. Vasean Allette (18 points) fearlessly took on multiple opponents at once, resembling Jon Snow in the Battle of the Bastards.
Every time Arizona got hot, TCU would throw up a three-pointer, and it usually went in (to the tune of 39.1%). In by far the most fun game of the season between two talented teams, the Horned Frogs still lost 81-90. This showdown demonstrated to the country that while the Frogs may not have as much experience or talent as the rest of the Big 12, they are capable of making noise and pushing the top squads.
Like clockwork, I felt foolish as quickly as possible for calling the Arizona match the most fun game of the year. The first home tilt of conference play against the Kansas State Wildcats was so dynamic it made the previous one look like a prostate exam.
The Horned Frogs jumped out to a nice advantage in the first half thanks to a focus on off-ball movement and tenacious on-ball defense. Getting destroyed by Kansas State on the offensive boards kept the visitors in it, though. The Wildcats continued to nip at the Frogs’ heels, but red-hot shooting from beyond the arc (40%) and a great effort from Noah Reynolds again allowed this game to be close in the waning moments. Down four with a minute to go, Brendan Wenzel hit a humongous step-back three. The shot simultaneously pulled his team within one, got me off the couch screaming, and ruined my dog’s nap.
Another Reynolds layup with 12 seconds brought home his 18th point and the 63-62 victory for TCU. An up-and-down week for the Frogs ultimately saw them play quite well on offense despite losing leading scorer Frankie Collins. Surely nothing can ruin this newfound confidence, even a visit from a notoriously vicious Houston defense on tap next.
12/22/2024
A full week off. We all could use one, and it came at the perfect time for Jamie Dixon and the Horned Frogs. The team used the spare time to rest and refine their game before taking on South Alabama in Fort Worth in match #10 of the year. ESPN+ unfortunately did not use this period to do the same, as the feed I watched looked like it was filmed on a calculator.
The South Alabama Jaguars threw a zone defense at TCU, which clearly flustered them. They turned the ball over early and often, and had to settle for three-point shots, and those only went down at a 19.2% clip. The bottle of secret stuff that solved all of these issues went by one name: Ernest Udeh. He scored 10, grabbed 11 rebounds, and had three blocks. Udeh sliced through the zone defense like Prime Tom Brady (using a fully inflated ball).
Once TCU unlocked Udeh and started winning inside (40 rebounds to South Alabama’s 30 and 28 paint points to their 18), the Frogs were on track for another home victory. They finished on top 58-49 and moved to 6-4 on the year.
To finish off non-conference play, the Montana State Bobcats came to town to face the Frogs. Earlier in the week, it was announced the leader in scoring and assists Frankie Collins, would miss the rest of the year with a broken foot. Despite the huge loss, the Frogs were unfazed in this one. Frankie Collins will be greatly missed, much like the credit card I swore I put back in my wallet.
The standing around on offense briefly reminded me of a middle school dance. Vasean Allette and Noah Reynolds were the courageous ones who broke the ice, though. They relentlessly cut to the rim and finished with 11 and a team-high 15 respectively. The Horned Frogs also played suffocating defense as evidenced by their 14 forced turnovers and 8 steals. The tenacious effort on the defensive end helped the offensive production as well. The final tune-up before conference play went brilliantly for TCU, as they triumphed 82-48 to move to 7-4. Horned Frog nation now waits with bated breath as a daunting schedule awaits.
Until next week, Happy Holidays TCU fans! And the rest of you too, I guess.
12/8/2024
Thursday night saw a battle of two great basketball minds in Fort Worth between Sean Miller’s Xavier Musketeers and Jamie Dixon’s Horned Frogs. This matchup brought TCU their biggest home test of the year, with the 7-1 Musketeers being the only thing to be excited about in Cincinnati right now, thanks to the hapless Bengals.
The home squad came out hot in the opening period, finding their three-point shot and sticking to Xavier like glue on the defensive end to force a bevy of turnovers. Ernest Udeh and David Punch were active on the glass as well, helping the team secure 9 offensive rebounds in the first half. These key aspects teamed up like the Miami big three to steer the Frogs to an 8-point advantage at the break.
The pendulum swung the other direction in half number 2, as Xavier started dominating the offensive rebound and turnover battle. Those two stats seemed attached at the hip to the score, with the Musketeers getting back in it down the stretch. However, Frankie Collins supplied his usual steadying presence, with a team-high 16 points, 7 boards, and 5 assists. Brendan Wenzel also hit a few huge shots late to lead TCU to a 76-72 victory. In my level-headed non-dramatic opinion, this game has swayed my outlook away from the season being completely over after the disastrous Acrisure Invitational. Instead, I am now scouting who the Frogs will face in the National Championship.
TCU’s ninth tilt of the year saw them take on Vanderbilt in a neutral site game. To get there, the Frogs had to make the long trek all the way from Schollmaier Arena, Fort Worth to Dickies Arena, in Fort Worth. The match was played in a venue that was about as neutral as Matthew McConaughey doing play-by-play for a Texas football game.
While one could think the Horned Frogs would benefit from some home cooking, it was a tight contest throughout. Ball movement was the key theme, with Frankie Collins leading the way as usual (7 assists) on the way to 19 total team assists. The increased focus on passing brought turnovers. The Frogs turned it over a season-high 18 times in this bout.
A balanced scoring effort led by four players putting up 11 each and the ball being distributed well kept the squad from Fort Worth in it late. Down the stretch, they were ultimately done in by the avalanche of turnovers and more poor free-throw shooting (53.8%). These issues combined with Vanderbilt star Jason Edward’s season-high 30 points led TCU to lose another one 83-74, dropping them to 5-4 on the year. Jamie Dixon will work to get his group to execute better in crunch time, as they were as clutch in this one as Clayton Kershaw in a playoff game.
11/30/2024
Following eight days off, TCU basketball spent Thanksgiving traveling to Palm Springs, California to take on the Santa Clara Broncos in round one of the Acrisure Invitational. After loading up the first of many plates and Googling what an Acrisure is (still not sure), I did what any good American does on Thanksgiving and glued myself to the couch in the name of sports.
Much of the same problems that plagued TCU in their last two games persisted early and often in this one. They were routinely beaten inside on the defensive end, failing to box out the Broncos on the way to losing the rebound and points in the paint battle. The three-point shot hurt the Frogs again, as the team went an abysmal 1/17 (5.9%) from deep. The poor shooting and turnover-riddled offense gave the squad from Fort Worth a bigger uphill battle than me walking up the stairs after plate number four.
Frankie Collins and Noah Reynolds tried to lead a comeback by relentlessly slashing, and it almost worked. Collins exploded out of the break, putting up 12 in the opening 5 minutes of the half on the way to a team-high 15. Reynolds pitched in 12 as well, as he continued to get to the rim with his quick first step. In the end, Santa Clara pulled away to win 69-52, handing the Horned Frogs their second loss of the season. The disjointed offensive effort could not be overcome, with the Frogs’ lack of chemistry painfully reminding me of a first date.
Day two of the Acrisure Invitational saw TCU duke it out with the Colorado State Rams for third place. This was their final game of the tournament, as only four teams were invited to play. If you are keeping track, yes, the number of plates I had yesterday equals the number of teams in the tournament. It is worth mentioning I will absolutely not be doing the same for March Madness.
The Frogs refreshingly kept the match much tighter, despite some old problems rearing their ugly head. They went almost five minutes without scoring to start, showing that slow starts are a trend for this team. Poor free throw shooting bothered the squad again (70%), but some noticeable improvements occurred. Jamie Dixon had his bunch moving the ball a lot more, with the three-point shooting improving as well (36%).
Frankie Collins did his best to keep his boys in it, pouring in 18 points, 8 boards, and 5 assists. They kept it so tight that the contest went into overtime. In the end, the Rams overpowered the Horned Frogs (much like I think would happen in real life, but still be a fun fight). Colorado State came out on top 76-72. TCU was once again beaten inside, losing the points in the paint battle 24 to 30, and in rebounds 38 to 44. It was a tough tournament for the Horned Frogs. On the more cheery side, I will applaud Dixon for his strategic use of timeouts in the second game, which a certain football team in Chicago can learn from.
The Alcorn State Braves arrived in Fort Worth Tuesday, looking to pull an unthinkable upset against the TCU Horned Frogs. Unfortunately for them, things went about as expected in a matchup where the spread so largely favored TCU. When I first saw it, I thought I was accidentally covering the Alabama vs. Mercer football game.
The Frogs came out sluggish after loss #1 to Michigan, appearing disjointed on offense again. The absence of big man Ernest Udeh stood out for a second straight contest. His squad got beat down low en route to Alcorn State keeping it close early. The three-ball drove the team out of the opening slump though, as they seem to go as far as that shot takes them. Brendan Wenzel laced three first-half threes to help his group finish 50% from beyond the arc after 20 minutes.
The home squad kept its foot on the pedal coming out of halftime, with Trazarien White hitting two early shots to set the tone in the second period. White would put up a team-high 14 points to continue his turnaround following a slow start to the year. Once again, winning off the dribble and a swarming defense led to the TCU men getting their fifth victory of the season over Alcorn State, 71-48. Jamie Dixon’s bunch did not play again until Thanksgiving, giving the boys some much-needed rest. The break also gave yours truly extra time to focus on the four assignments due this week that I’m definitely not cramming into one hellish caffeine-fueled night.
11/17/24
TCU basketball started off week two hosting Texas State on Tuesday night. Going in, the Frogs knew they had another pesky foe. The Bobcats did not disappoint, sticking to the home team closely and refusing to go away, much like the fly that got into my house two weeks ago (totally my fault, do not feel bad for me). Despite their best efforts, TCU pulled out the win 76-71, to move to 3-0 on the season.
The third game of the year marked the first time of the year the refs made an impact. Plenty of free throws were awarded to both sides. Many stoppages occurred as well, with this match having less rhythm than me (a tall and lanky guy) on the dance floor. TCU could not take advantage of it though, only shooting 15 of 32 (47%) from the free throw line. Getting beat down low defensively and racking up fouls also hurt the squad, leading to them trailing at the end of the half.
Individually, the trio of Noah Reynolds, Trazarien White, and Ernest Udeh anchored the group in the first period of play. Reynolds and White took charge early, while Udeh hauled in every rebound he could and stabilized the defense.
In the second half, Jamie Dixon made a clear point to cut down on fouls and have his guys move their feet on the perimeter to block off interior cuts and pass lanes. These adjustments led to his squad winning two key battles: rebounds (34 to 27) and steals (7 to 4). The three individual spark plugs were joined by Frankie Collins, who poured in all 13 of his points primarily off drives to the basket, the offensive theme of the game for TCU.
I want to take this opportunity to shout out Noah Reynolds, who had a team-high 17 points. He beat his opponent off the dribble so often, I started to actually believe in deja vu. In fact, I wrote his name in my notebook so much that it looked like Bart Simpson's blackboard.
For game number four of the year, the Horned Frogs traveled to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines. Unfortunately, the match was considerably less exciting for TCU fans than the 2022 Fiesta Bowl between these two universities, which I was lucky enough to see in person. At least I still have a voice to speak with after this one.
Michigan started strong, jumping out to a 7-0 lead. Despite some early timeouts, Jamie Dixon struggled to settle his bunch down. His group sorely missed the presence of junior Center Ernest Udeh, as they were beaten defensively on the interior often against 7-footers Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin. The size difference popped off the screen when the Frogs were on offense too, as cuts to the basket that worked in the past found themselves being blocked regularly.
TCU hung around and only trailed by three through 20 minutes, thanks to Michigan producing enough turnovers to put every bakery in Ann Arbor out of business (15). Trazarien White provided a stabilizing force as well, providing 10 points in the first period and a team-high 16 in total. Brendan Wenzel pitched in with three early threes and poured in 15 to join White on the leaderboard.
The combination of their first road and Power Four-game was too much for the Frogs, as the Wolverines pulled away in the second half to win 76-64. Cold shooting (26% from behind the arc and 34% from the field) yet again hurt the squad. Getting out-rebounded 41 to 29 also contributed to the loss, and highlighted the importance of returning Ernest Udeh to the starting lineup as quickly as possible.
Coming off such a tough loss, I will probably not be wearing my TCU shirt on campus this week. The more I think about it, it made no sense for me to wear it after a win either, given that I go to school at the University of Florida.
11/10/24
The Texas Christian University Men’s basketball team kicked off their 2024-25 season at home on Monday night against the Florida A&M Rattlers in the biggest sporting event involving a kickoff and a team from Florida on Monday night. Anticipation and excitement swirled throughout Schollmaier Arena with fans eager to get a look at the new lineup. That excitement turned to joy, as the Horned Frogs took control early and did not let up.The most exciting thing in the arena quickly turned from the game to the appearance of Shaq, supporting his son who plays for Florida A&M. Jamie Dixon and the Horned Frog Men finished the night with a massive 105-59 victory, starting the season off right.
In one of the more complete efforts I have seen from a basketball team on opening night, TCU dominated every facet of this game. The main story of the night was the Horned Frog’s scalding hot shooting from three. They shot 14 of 30, or 47%, from behind the arc. Florida A&M tried to keep pace themselves with 34 attempts, but only hit 8, leading to many opportunities for the Frogs to get out and run to the rim or find a three-point shooter. TCU’s ability to run the break, quickly get downhill to the basket, and be active on defense also led to the impressive performance in Fort Worth on Monday night. This additionally showed the depth of the squad, with seven different players connecting from three, six reaching double-digit scoring, and their leading scorer coming off the bench.
As you can imagine, it might be hard to single out the individual pieces that made a difference in an effort such as this. However, a few players did manage to pop off the screen. Frankie Collins gave the most complete effort. He made his defensive presence known early, grabbing a steal within the first two minutes and finishing with four, by far the most on the team. The senior guard also hit two threes, finished second on the team in scoring (14 points), and displayed impressive rebounding skills for a 6’1” guard by snagging seven boards.
I would be a terrible writer if I did not also take this opportunity to highlight how well Vasean Allette looked against the Rattlers, who I hyped up in my season preview. As forecasted by yours truly, the Old Dominion transfer looked explosive while tearing up Florida A&M’s second unit. Allette led the team in points off the bench with 20, hitting twice with the three-ball. He also showed his passing prowess, with a couple of nice passes on the way to three assists. Jace Posey made a pleasantly surprising NCAA debut for the Frogs too. The Redshirt Freshman guard came off the bench and hit three shots from beyond the arc, helping his squad pull away early. Posey finished with 11 points in just the first 18 minutes of his collegiate career.
Before I wrap this up, I would like to hand out a most relatable moment award for something that occurred towards the end of the second half. With about nine minutes to go, Frankie Collins got a steal (what else is new) and drove the ball to the rim before dishing it to Vasean Allette. Given his athleticism, I was expecting an eye-popping dunk. Instead, I got a two-inch jump and the most routine layup you will ever see. Frankie Collins seemed to be expecting more as well, as he said something that made Allette laugh. Not even two minutes later, Vasean Allette grabbed a steal of his own and was once again in the clear. This time, his takeoff seemed doomed from the start. He launched off one leg and almost crumpled over on the takeoff. Allette managed to get up enough to lay it in before stumbling towards the cheerleaders, who he managed to spare. As someone who is 6’6” and cannot dunk a basketball to save his life, I feel your pain Vasean. Do not listen to what everyone else says, layups are just as cool.
In their second game of the week, TCU took on Florida Gulf Coast University, because bullying the state of Florida gets more fun when you do it twice, apparently. FGCU, unlike Florida A&M, put up a good fight for much of the game. In the end, TCU took their lunch money as well, finishing the week with a 67-51 victory over FGCU.
Jamie Dixon’s bunch did not cruise out to as smooth of a start as they did earlier in the week. Florida Gulf Coast’s tenacious defense contributed massively to the slow start. The Eagles made a concerted effort to play swarming defense with lots of full-court press and double teams. TCU struggled to respond to this in the first half, turning the ball over eight times and often failed to get quality looks. The Horned Frogs also struggled to get their three-point shot to fall, as they only shot it at a 27% clip. Defensively, the team was getting beat at the point of attack. This allowed FGCU to get into the paint and feed it to big man Keshawn Kellman, who finished with a game-high 18 points.
With a game plan centered around ferocious defense and interior passes to Kellman, Florida Gulf Coast looked poised for an upset. A notable change in defensive mindset helped turn things around for the Frogs. They actively filled the passing lanes more and stopped getting beat at the point of attack. Noah Reynolds and Vasean Allette helped to thwart the upset attempt in the second half too, leading the offensive charge. Coming out of the half, the two newcomers looked determined to use their quick first step to force the Eagle's defense to move. This opened up three-point shooters and scoring opportunities inside. Reynolds beat his defender many times off the dribble to create offense, as evidenced by his 5 assists. Most notably Reynolds did this by blowing past the defense, forcing them to collapse, and finding an open Micah Robinson for three late in the game. Reynolds’ aggressive play style rubbed off on Vasean Allette, who helped the Frogs pull away late with a deep three and relentless drives to the basket. The shooting guard’s efforts showed up in the box score, leading the team in scoring yet again with 14 points.
I know what you are thinking after reading my season preview and now the first weekly recap. Yes, I am still passing off my articles as recaps of the TCU Men's basketball team’s games. No, I will not openly admit to my articles being the weekly Vasean Allette fan club newsletter (yet).
10/28/24
One player. Out of the 17 players on the Texas Christian University men’s basketball team for the upcoming season, that’s how many suited up for the Horned Frogs last season. While there’s four other players from the 2023-24 roster, none saw the court. This one figure is vital to understanding the potential outcome for this team. The range of outcomes for this group is extremely volatile. So volatile that a blind dart throw to determine its final standing might be more accurate and use less energy than research and analysis. However, here we are anyway, so let’s jump right into the pieces of TCU.
Jamie Dixon is entering his ninth season as the head coach, and what he has been able to do so far has been impressive. He has amassed a record of 160-110. He is now looking to lead the team to its third straight season appearing in the AP top 25 poll. If he accomplishes this, it would be for the first time in school history. Dixon also hopes to lead this bunch back to the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight year. This would also be a first for TCU. Sustaining this success won’t be easy though, as the aforementioned loss of all but one player from last year’s team looms large. Fortunately, the program brought in a lot of talent. They have the 18th best freshman recruiting class in the nation and 28th best transfer class according to 247 Sports. These classes added10 new players in total, along with two walk-ons.
The transfers will make or break how this season, as four of their five starters are coming from other schools. Two key pieces off the bench are transfers as well. Jamie Dixon and his staff did an excellent job bringing in a wide range of talent that can accomplish a lot on a basketball court. They prioritized what all teams that want to go deep into March Madness need. They went out and got experience, especially in the backcourt.
They did this through acquiring senior guards Frankie Collins and Noah Reynolds who will play point guard and shooting guard, respectively. Collins has power 5 (now 4, sorry Pac-12 fans) experience playing for Arizona State last year. He is projected to be the primary ball handler but is also capable of scoring, averaging 13.5 points a game last season. He will also spearhead the defensive attack after averaging 2.6 steals a game last year, the most in the Pac-12 conference. Collins and the lone returning player, center Ernest Udeh Jr., figure to be the two most important defensive players. They will look to give the team a strong defensive presence. Noah Reynolds will compliment Collins in the backcourt slashing for shots at the rim. He can also distribute the ball as evidenced by his 4.5 assists a game last year. This will be another key ingredient to a deep tournament run.
Senior small forward Brendan Wenzel and senior power forward Trazerian White also figure to play key roles as efficient three-point shooters. Wenzel shot almost 38 percent from beyond the arc last year at Wyoming and White shot 39 percent at UNC Wilmington. White, a prized acquisition in the transfer portal too, averaged 19.8 points a game last year and figures to be a main source of offense for the Frogs. The last key piece to look out for on this team is Sophomore guard Vasean Allette. The explosive shooter from Old Dominion averaged 17.4 points a game last year and figures to be one of the primary sources of offense off the bench. With his quick first step and ability to get downhill to the rim, he’ll do a lot of damage against other team’s backup units.
When it comes to projecting how these intriguing pieces will gel on a basketball court, your guess is as good as mine. There’s a world where chemistry is an issue with 16 new players on the team, and it’s tough for them to string together wins in the ferocious Big 12. The conference looks to be, yet again, the strongest conference in Division 1. But there’s a path to success for this team if they can use the early season schedule to gel and work out the kinks before jumping into Big 12 conference play.
As I stated before, I think Jamie Dixon did a fantastic job in the transfer portal and brought in most of the elements a team needs for a successful season. However, defense was a problem for the team last year and I’m not sure where that defensive production will come from with this roster. This could be the aspect of the team that holds them back from the top of the conference. I believe they will thrive in non-conference play and they will lean on their experience. This should be enough to lead them into the tournament. If the Frogs are able to find themselves in the NCAA tournament again this would be considered another successful season for Jamie Dixon and the TCU Men’s basketball program. While there isn’t as much buzz surrounding this squad as last year, there is potential for them to perform just as well as last year’s group, if not better.
My final projection
Big 12 play: 10-10 record, 8th in the conference
Tournament outcome: Last 4 in. Win first 4 game, first round exit in the round of 64.
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