Jan. 26, 2004
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Series History
TCU and Southern Miss have split the four games all time between the two schools. The home team has won all four meetings between the Frogs and the Golden Eagles. The last contest resulted in an 85-78 TCU victory on Feb. 12, 2003 in Fort Worth. TCU and Southern Miss had never played each other prior to becoming Conference USA partners in 2001-02.
Out of the Blocks
The Horned Frogs currently own a league record of 2-3 (.400) and are looking to get to the .500 mark through six games for the first time in their brief C-USA history. In 2001-02, TCU started out 0-6 in conference play, and opened 1-5 last year. A victory would give TCU a 3-3 record, which would match the best six-game conference start over the past six years. The last time TCU was better than 3-3 through six league games was in 1997-98, when the Frogs opened Western Athletic Conference play 6-0 and finished the slate with a perfect 14-0 mark.
Sending Out an S.O.S.
The Frogs currently sport the 28th-toughest strength of schedule in the country according to the most recent RPI Report (Jan. 19). It is the fourth-toughest in Conference USA, behind only UAB (No. 6), Southern Miss (No. 20) and Louisville (No. 23). In addition, it is the second-hardest in Texas, behind only Texas Tech (No. 26).
Starting to Thaw Out
The Frogs are seeking their third victory in the month of January, a figure that would match the total for the previous two Januarys combined. TCU was 2-6 in the month last season after going 1-7 in January of 2002.
Some Tough Competition
The current combined record of TCU's 11 nonconference opponents is 113-71 (.614). Cincinnati was the third RPI top-25 team that the Frogs have played this year. Cincinnati ranks 12th, Texas Tech is No. 13 and Kansas is 18th. In addition, Vanderbilt is currently rated 26th.
Fort Worth: Where the Best Begins
TCU has already hosted then-No. 1 Kansas and 22nd-ranked Vanderbilt this year. It is the first time that the Horned Frogs have played two top-25 teams at home in the same season since the 1982-83 campaign. That year, TCU hosted 16th-ranked Houston on Jan. 12, 1983, and No. 7 Arkansas on Feb. 19, 1983. In addition, fans will be treated to at least one more top-25 team, as Louisville, currently rated fifth, comes to Fort Worth on Feb. 17. It would be the first time that TCU has ever hosted three top-25 teams in the same season and also would be the first time ever that two top-5 programs played in Fort Worth in the same season.
Against the Best
After falling 85-57 to the Cincinnati Bearcats on Jan. 17, the TCU Horned Frogs are now 10-81 (.110) all time against teams ranked in the nation's top 25. TCU's last victory over a ranked opponent came on Feb. 15, 2001, when the team downed No. 20 Fresno State 102-88 in Daniel-Meyer. Since that time, the Frogs have lost nine straight to top-25 squads. TCU is 4-34 (.105) all time against top-10 squads.
Have Ball, Will Play
TCU has already played eight games against ranked teams under Coach D. Prior to his arrival, the Horned Frogs played just seven ranked teams from the 1998-99 season through the 2001-02 campaign. While TCU is 0-8 against top-25 teams under Dougherty, TCU had second-half leads at No. 10 Creighton (L, 79-89) and home against No. 11 Marquette (L, 68-79) in 2002-03 and this season led No. 1 Kansas after intermission before falling 85-66 in Daniel-Meyer.
Customer Needs Assistance in Aisle Three
TCU is averaging just 10.2 assists per game during Conference USA play, which is down from 13.4 per nonconference contest. Point guard Corey Santee's production has also decreased from 4.8 helpers per game over the first 11 games, to 3.6 per league game.
TCU Phone Home
This is the middle game of a three-game homestand for TCU. Prior to hosting DePaul, the Horned Frogs had played two straight games on the road. Following the three home games, the Frogs will close the regular season with six of their final nine games taking place on the road.
Beginning to Rebound
After holding their own on the backboards against the much bigger Cincinnati Bearcats and DePaul Blue Demons, TCU has been impressive on the glass in conference play. In the five C-USA games, the Horned Frogs own a 195-170 advantage on the boards (39.0 rpg to 34.0 rpg.). The Frogs are currently third in the league, behind only Memphis and Louisville, in rebounding margin in Conference USA play.
Committee on the Boards
TCU currently does not have a player averaging more than 5.0 rebounds per game this season, as Chudi Chinweze leads the squad with an average of 4.7. Since the 1955-56 season, no player has ever led the Frogs with fewer than 5.0 boards per game. The lowest average over that time was in the 1983-84 season when Paul Kapturkiewicz had a team-best 123 rebounds in 24 games (5.1 per contest).
Reversal of Fortune
In the first three games of the year, the Horned Frogs attempted 41 more shots than their opponents (13.7 per game), while in the last 13 contests, TCU has had 78 fewer attempts at the rim (-6.0 per game) than the opposition. The Frogs went 12 straight games without attempting more shots than their opponents until outshooting DePaul 54-51.
Diff'rent Strokes
TCU is averaging 76.2 points per game in the team's six victories, topping the 80-point mark three times. However, TCU is averaging just 62.5 points per conference win. In the Frogs' 10 losses this year, the team is averaging 58.6 points per game and has not broken 70 in any of those contests.
You Don't Think Defense Matters?
In TCU's six victories, its opponents have shot just 35.9 percent (123-for-343), while in the 10 losses the teams have made 48.0 percent of their attempts (271-for-565).
Traditionally Speaking - Teams
The Frogs' losses have come against schools with basketball success recently. In the last 10 years, the 10 schools--Kansas (10), Cincinnati (10), Tulsa (8), Murray State (5), Saint Louis (4), Texas Tech (2), Vanderbilt (1), DePaul (1), Washington State (1) and Arkansas State (1)--have combined to make 43 NCAA Tournament appearances, an average of 4.3 per team.
Traditionally Speaking - Coaches
In addition to playing tough teams, TCU has also faced a bevy of successful coaches. Washington State coach Dick Bennett took eighth-seeded Wisconsin to the 2000 NCAA Final Four; Kansas mentor Bill Self led underdog Tulsa to the Elite Eight (2000); Texas Tech coach Bob Knight previously directed Indiana to three NCAA Titles (1976, 1981, and 1987) and Final Fours in 1973 and 1992; and Cincinnati's Bob Huggins took the Bearcats to the 1992 Final Four.
Tightening Up the D
TCU is holding its opponents to just 69.1 points per game, which is the best figure for a Horned Frog team since 1991-92, when opponents averaged 66.3 points. TCU allowed 80.4 points per game last year as opponents shot 47.4 percent from the floor. This year, TCU is limiting opponents to 43.4 percent.
Clamping Down
TCU has held 13 of its first 16 opponents under the 80-point mark this year. Last year, the Frogs allowed fewer than 80 points just 10 times in 28 games. In addition, TCU has held four opponents to 60 or fewer points already this season. The last time that TCU held as many as four teams to 60 or fewer points was in 1991-92.
Shutting Down the Unranked
While TCU's season defensive average is 69.1 points per game, the three teams ranked in the top 25 when the schools met (Kansas, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati) averaged 88.3 per tilt. That means the the rest of the teams TCU has played are scoring at just a 64.6 clip.
Horned Frogs at Home
TCU has compiled a record of 353 wins and 209 losses (.628) in the 562 games at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum since 1961. Since the 1981-82 season, the Horned Frogs sport an overall home record of 236 wins and 89 losses (.726) in 325 games.
Subs Point Production Sinking
Since Chudi Chinweze and Marcus Shropshire joined the starting lineup, the TCU bench has not been as potent on the scoring end. With the duo coming off the bench in the first nine games of the season, TCU averaged 32.4 bench points per game and outstcored its opponents 292-178. Since they cracked the starting lineup, TCU has averaged just 18.0 points from the substitutes and have been outscored by its opponents by a 140-126 margin.
Doing Double Time
TCU has played at least 10 players in each of the first 16 games of the season. In other note, 10 Horned Frogs are currently averaging more than 10 minutes of playing time per game.
It's 80s Night
TCU is now 5-26 (.161) under Dougherty when scoring fewer than 80 points and 10-3 (.769) when reaching the 80-point mark. TCU has scored 1,251 points (83.4 points per game) in Coach D's 15 victories and 1,896 points (65.4) in the 29 losses.
