March 2, 2012

Game #30
TCU (17-12; 7-6 MW) vs. #21/23 SAN DIEGO ST. (23-6; 9-4 MW)

TCU GAME NOTES // SDSU GAME NOTES // LIVE AUDIO // GAMETRACKER

GAME DAY INFORMATION
Saturday, March 3, 2012  //  6 p.m.  //  Fort Worth, Texas  //  Daniel-Meyer Coliseum (7,201)
Television: The Mtn. (DirecTV ch. 616)  //  Talent: Dan Gutowski (pxp), Bob  Donewald (analyst)
Radio: 1460 AM (KCLE), 88.7 FM (KTCU)  //  Talent: Brian Estridge (pxp), John Denton (analyst)
Internet: GoFrogs.com (radio, GameTracker)
Series Record: SDSU leads, 12-6  //  Last Meeting: Feb. 4, 2012 in San Diego (L, 73-83)
TCU Head Coach: Jim Christian (Rhode Island, `88)    
      Record at TCU: 55-70 (.440) in 4th season  //  Overall: 193-128 (.601) in 10th season
SDSU Head Coach: Steve Fisher (Illinois State, `67)   
      Record at SDSU: 255-158 (.617) in 13th season  //  Overall: 439-240 (.647) in 21st season


FORT WORTH--TCU returns home to close out the regular season Saturday when it plays host to No. 21 San Diego State on Senior Night at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. Tip-off for the contest, which will be televised live by The MountainWest Sports Network (The Mtn.), is scheduled for 6 p.m.

The Horned Frogs, 17-12 overall this season and tied for fourth place in the Mountain West standings with Colorado State at 7-6, have several things still to play for in the final matchup of the regular season. The squad will look to seal its first winning conference record since 2000-01 and finish undefeated at home in league play for the first time since 1997-98. The Frogs bring an eight-game overall home winning streak into the contest, the longest since a nine-game streak to begin the 2008-09 campaign. TCU also has a chance for three wins in a single season over ranked opponents for the first time in school history following earlier victories over No. 11 UNLV and No. 18 New Mexico.  

Also still up for grabs this weekend is positioning for next week's Conoco Mountain West Championship in Las Vegas. The Frogs have already guaranteed themselves at least the No. 5 seed but can still climb as high as No. 3 with a win and Saturday losses by both CSU and UNLV.
A four-member TCU basketball senior class will be honored Saturday prior to the contest as the squad attempts to give the group a win in its final regular-season home game: J.R. Cadot, Cheick Kone, Hank Thorns and Craig Williams.

San Diego State, 23-6 overall this season, enters Saturday's game tied with New Mexico atop the Mountain West standings with a 9-4 conference mark. The Aztecs bring a league-best three-game winning streak into the weekend following wins over Wyoming, Colorado State and Boise State. San Diego State leads the all-time series with TCU by a 12-6 margin following an 83-73 home victory over the Frogs back on Feb. 4. The Aztecs have won seven straight games in the series, including three straight in Fort Worth.

Saturday's matchup marks TCU's 21st televised game of the season and its 17th on The Mtn. Dan Gutowski (play-by-play) and Bob Donewald (analyst) will handle play-by-play duties. Fans can also follow the contest on the radio throughout the Metroplex on 1460 AM KCLE and 88.7 FM KTCU with Brian Estridge (play-by-play) and John Denton (analyst) calling the action. Links to both the live radio Internet feed and live stats will be available via TCU's official athletics website, GoFrogs.com.

FROG QUICK NOTES
* A victory would give TCU the first three-game winning streak against ranked opponents in school history. The Frogs also have never defeated three top-25 foes in one season.

* A victory would give TCU a winning conference record for the first time since 2000-01 (9-7 WAC). The Frogs' seven league wins mark their most in seven seasons as a member of the Mountain West despite only 14 league games this season, two fewer than in past years (16).

* TCU has guaranteed itself a winning record for the first time since 2004-05 (21-14). The squad's 17 victories are three more than in any season since 2004-05.

* J.R. Cadot has led TCU in scoring three straight games and is averaging a team-high 13.6 ppg (career high) and 7.9 rpg over the last eight contests.

* TCU's 116 3-point baskets in MW play ranked tied for No. 5 in the program's all-time single-season conference records and are only nine shy of the record of 125 set in 2009-10.

* TCU has made six or more 3-pointers in 12 straight games and at least 11 in five of the last eight contests.

* TCU entered MW play ranked dead last among the eight league teams averaging only 5.67 3pg, but has hit 9.92 3pg in MW contests, which is tops in the league.  The team also leads the MW with a 38.2% 3-point shooting rate in league games after entering conference play ranked No. 7 (34.4%).

* TCU is 13-3 in games decided by six points or fewer, three more wins than the previous school record for victories within the margin. The Frogs have outscored opponents by only 44 points in the 13 close wins compared to a margin of 139 points in their other four victories.

* TCU is averaging 15.7 turnovers forced per game, 0.5 more than any other Mountain West team. The squad is No. 2 in the MW in average turnover margin (+1.97) and No. 3 in scoring (71.2 ppg).

* TCU ranks among the nation's top-100 teams in average turnover margin (62nd), 3-point shooting rate (71st), 3-pointers made (82nd) and scoring (94th).

* Hank Thorns is No. 1 in the MW in minutes played (33.62 mpg); No. 3 in assists (4.66 apg), 3-pointers (2.17 3pg); No. 4 in 3-point percentage (39.1%); No. 6 in assist/turnover ratio (1.57); and No. 8 in scoring (13.0 ppg).

* In MW play, Thorns is No. 1 in 3's made (2.85 3pg); No. 2 in 3-point shooting (42.5%); No. 3 in assists (4.46 apg); No. 5 in assist/turnover ratio (1.57); and No. 6 in scoring (13.5 ppg).

* Thorns has made at least one 3-pointer in 17 consecutive games, a career-long streak that ranks as the second-longest active streak for all MW players.

* Cadot is No. 3 in the MW in offensive rebounds (2.83 rpg); No. 5 in the MW in total rebounds (7.0 rpg); No. 6 in defensive rebounds (4.14 rpg); No. 7 in steals (1.55 spg); and No. 17 in scoring (10.9 ppg).

* Kyan Anderson is the only freshman ranked among the MW's top-20 scorers in league play. His 9.8-point average ranks 20th overall in the conference.

* Anderson also leads MW freshmen in assists (3.15 apg; No. 7 overall), assist/turnover ratio (1.46; No. 6 overall) and minutes played (34.38 mpg; No. 7 overall) in conference action, while he is No. 8 in the MW for all games in assists (2.93 apg).

* Anderson's 85 assists mark the most by a TCU freshman since Corey Santee posted a freshman-record 180 in 2001-02.

* Amric Fields is the only player among the MW's top-20 scorers in league play with five starts or less (No. 18; 10.1 ppg).

* TCU is 10-0 when outrebounding the opponent and 11-1 when holding teams to under 47.6% shooting from the field.
 

SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE
San Diego State, 23-6 overall this season and tied for first in the Mountain West standings with a 9-4 league mark, enters Saturday's game looking to finish the regular season on a four-game winning streak that ranks as the longest in the MW.

San Diego State, led by 13th-year head coach Steve Fisher, has leaned on strong defensive play, ranking No. 28 nationally and second in the MW in field-goal percentage defense (39.8%). The squad also is No. 2 in the MW in average rebound margin (+4.8). SDSU features the MW's leading scorer in sophomore guard Jamaal Franklin (16.5 ppg), who also leads the team and ranks fourth in the league in rebounding (7.8 rpg). Franklin has scored 18.2 ppg in conference games. Fellow junior guard Chase Tapley (15.1 ppg) also averages double figures, as does sophomore guard Xavier Thames (10.3 ppg), who also tops the squad in assists (4.46 apg).

INSIDE THE SERIES
San Diego State owns a 12-6 edge in the all-time series with TCU. Each game but the first matchup (1984) has come with the squads as conference rivals, including the last 12 in the MW. The Aztecs own an 11-1 record in those contests and are 5-4 against the Frogs in Fort Worth overall. TCU has dropped seven straight in the series and 12 of the last 13.
 

LAST WE MET: SAN DIEGO STATE 83, TCU 73 (FEB. 5, 2012)
Kyan Anderson led TCU with a career-high 22 points, but No. 17 San Diego State proved to be too much on both the glass and the scoreboard, grabbing an 83-73 victory over the Horned Frogs on Feb. 5 in San Diego.

TCU started the contest fast, shooting better than 60% from the floor in the first half to build an early lead, but San Diego State took advantage of a sloppy Frog effort midway through the opening period before coasting to victory in the second half. The Frogs turned the ball over 16 times, including 12 times in the first half alone, while the Aztecs also dominated the backboard, grabbing a 35-21 rebounding advantage overall and a 15-5 edge on the offensive end.

Anderson made 6-of-9 field-goal attempts, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, and also went a career-best 7-for-7 at the free-throw line. He led TCU to solid days in both categories, as the squad finished 12-of-24 from 3 and 15-of-16 at the stripe. J.R. Cadot and Hank Thorns also found success from the outside, making a trio of 3-pointers each while finishing with 15 and nine points, respectively. SDSU guard Jamaal Franklin put on a display, recording a double-double featuring game highs of 24 points and 11 rebounds, while guard James Rahon hit four 3-pointers while finishing with 16 points.

ABOUT THE 2012 SENIOR CLASS
Four senior members of the TCU basketball team will be honored prior to Saturday's game, their final-regular season home contest.  
J.R. Cadot: One of the most aggressive guards around the basket to play for the Frogs in recent memory, Cadot is concluding his second and final season that has seen him rise to No. 2 among Frogs all-time in career field-goal percentage.

Cheick Kone: Kone has appeared in 18 games over the last two years in a reserve role for the Frogs, scoring a career-high four points earlier this season vs. Austin College.

Hank Thorns: Thorns has proven to be one of the top point guards in school history, ranking No. 6 on the Frogs' career assists chart despite playing only two seasons for the program. He leads the squad in scoring and assists this season.

Craig Williams: Williams, completing his only season at TCU after transferring from Temple in the offseason, has played in 28 games with 12 starts and ranks sixth on the team in scoring and third in rebounds.

RANKED TEAMS BEWARE
TCU has posted two victories in the last month over nationally ranked opponents: Feb. 14 vs. No. 11/14 UNLV (102-97) and Feb. 25 vs. No. 18/21 New Mexico (83-64).

* A Saturday victory over San Diego State would give TCU three wins over ranked teams in a single season for the first time in school history.

* TCU has only its second winning streak against ranked foes in program history and the first since 1997-98, when the Frogs took down No. 24 and No. 11 New Mexico.

* TCU had never previously defeated top-20 teams in succession.

* TCU's win over the Lobos marked its third-largest margin of victory ever over a ranked opponent and the largest since a 71-46 home win over No. 10 Louisville on Feb. 17, 2004.

* TCU snapped a 15-game losing streak against ranked foes with its win over UNLV that dated back to a 71-66 home win over No. 14 Air Force on Feb. 24, 2007.

* UNLV was the highest-rated opponent defeated by TCU since the 2004 home win over No. 10 Louisville.

HOME SWEET HOME AT THE DMC
Home TCU crowds at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum have seen the Frogs play their best ball in several seasons during the squad's 13-2 run at home.

* TCU's 13-2 record at the DMC marks its best home start to a season since the 2000-01 squad posted a mark of 16-1.

* A win in the regular-season finale would tie this season's team for the third-most home wins in school history (14) and the most since 2004-05 (14-3).

* TCU has won eight consecutive home games for the first time since 2008-09 (nine) and six straight conference home contests for the first time since 1997-98, when the Frogs went 7-0 during their perfect 14-0 WAC campaign.

* TCU has recorded 10 home wins this season for the 12th time in the last 15 years. Over that period, the Frogs have accumulated a 191-85 (.692) record at the DMC.

* TCU owns an all-time record of 438-257 (.630) at the DMC.