Aug. 29, 2003

FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU head basketball coach Neil Dougherty officially released the Horned Frogs' 2003-04 schedule today. The 28-game slate features 18 home tilts. Four perennial basketball powerhouses: Kansas, Tulsa, Louisville and Memphis, headline TCU's home schedule. Six of the Frogs' opponents made the 2003 NCAA Tournament, and two (Kansas and Marquette) advanced to the Final Four.

"I really like the way our scheduling is shaping up, not only this year, but in the future, and I am equally excited about how our team is developing," TCU head coach Neil Dougherty said. "This year's home schedule features some well-respected programs that will give our team and our fans exciting games."

The Horned Frogs, who open the season on Saturday, Nov. 22 by hosting Metroplex foe Texas-Arlington, will play 10 of their 12 non-conference games at home after playing just six home non-league contests last year.

The matchup with the Mavericks starts a Lone Star State theme, as the Frogs will play a total of seven games against in-state schools. Texas-Arlington, SMU, Stephen F. Austin, Texas Tech, North Texas and Houston (twice) are all on the docket this season.

Longtime adversary SMU is second on the TCU schedule, as the Mustangs head to Fort Worth for a Tuesday, Nov. 25 contest. The Horned Frogs are 79-98 all-time against the Dallas school, but have won five of the last six and 11 of the previous 13 meetings. TCU has squared off against SMU more times than any other school in history.

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane, former Western Athletic Conference partners, will blow into town on Saturday, Nov. 29. Tulsa has made appearances in the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four years, and has won seven of the last eight contests versus TCU.

Just two days later, 2003 NCAA Tournament runner-up Kansas highlights the schedule. The Jayhawks, who went 30-8 last year, visit Daniel-Meyer Coliseum on Monday, Dec. 1 in a nationally-televised game on ESPN. The tipoff is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Dougherty, who served as an assistant coach at Kansas for seven years prior to being named the Horned Frogs' head man in April of 2002. TCU is 0-2 alltime against KU, which is visiting Fort Worth for the first time ever.

Following a game against the Murray State Racers on Dec. 3, TCU's fifth straight at DMC to start the campaign, the Frogs will take to the road for two of the next three contests. On Saturday, Dec. 6, TCU makes the long flight to Pullman, Wash. to take on Washington State. The Horned Frogs picked up an 86-83 victory over the PAC-10 Cougars last year in Fort Worth.

In the Frogs' only other road game prior to the start of the 2004 calendar year, TCU travels west to lock horns with former Southwest Conference foe Texas Tech on Dec. 10. The two teams, which renewed its rivalry in the 2000-01 season, will meet on the hardwood for the 111th time. Texas Tech, which advanced to the 2003 National Invitational Tournament, owns a 67-43 advantage head-to-head. Sandwiched between the two road tilts is a home game against Stephen F. Austin on Monday, Dec. 8.

TCU will play four straight home games to round out the non-conference slate. On Dec. 13, North Texas travels down I-35W for a game. The Horned Frogs own a 41-31 advantage in the all-time series, and the Frogs won 87-80 last year in Denton. Following finals week, TCU resumes play on Dec. 22 against Arkansas State. After one week off for the Christmas holiday, TCU returns to action to face Grambling on Dec. 29. The final non-league game will be Saturday, Jan. 3, when the Frogs challenge Vanderbilt of the Southeastern Conference.

For the first time in league history, Conference USA schools will compete in one 14-team division. With the new format, TCU will play at least one game against each of the other 13 league schools and will face three teams twice. TCU will battle instate rival Houston as well as Memphis and Tulane both home and away in 2003-04.

TCU begins the league season with a pair of home games, hosting Saint Louis on Wednesday, Jan. 7 and Tulane on Saturday, Jan. 10. It will be the first-ever conference meeting between the Horned Frogs and Billikens, while Tulane leads the all-time series with TCU 6-3.

The Frogs then take to the road for conference games at Houston (Jan. 13) and at Cincinnati (Jan. 17). TCU trails Houston, another former SWC rival, 45-20 in the career series. Meanwhile, the trip to historic Cincinnati to clash with the Bearcats will be just the second-ever for the Frogs and the first since 1966.

DePaul on Jan. 20 and Memphis on Jan. 31 come calling to Fort Worth next. The Blue Demons hold a slight 3-2 lead over TCU alltime, while the Frogs are winless in seven tries against the Tigers. The 11 days between the two games marks the longest stretch between any two tilts all season.

TCU will trek north to Milwaukee, Wis., for a winter battle with Marquette, the defending Conference USA regular season champions. Despite leading the nationally-ranked Golden Eagles in the second half, the Frogs were upended 79-68 last year in Fort Worth.

The remainder of TCU's early February slate features a home matchup with Southern Miss on Feb. 7 and road games at South Florida on Feb. 9 and Tulane on Feb. 14. TCU's marquee home contest occurs on Feb. 18 when the Louisville Cardinals, the defending C-USA Tournament title holders, visit Daniel-Meyer for the first time in the program's storied history.

On Feb. 21, the Frogs will play at East Carolina in their first of two consecutive battles with North Carolina schools. TCU will play its first-ever game against the Charlotte 49ers on Feb. 25. TCU closes its home portion of the schedule against in-state rival Houston on Feb. 28. TCU's final two conference games are at Memphis on March 3 and at UAB on March 6.

The top 12 finishers in the regular-season league standings will qualify for the 2004 Conference USA Tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio. The tournament will be played March 10-13, 2004, at the U.S. Bank Arena.

-www.gofrogs.com-

TCU 2003-04 Schedule
Date Opponent Time
Fri., Nov. 7 Interhoop (Exh.) 7:05 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 14 EA Sports All-Stars (Exh.) 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 22 Texas-Arlington 7:05 p.m.
Tue., Nov. 25 SMU 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 29 Tulsa 7:05 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 1 Kansas 10:05 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 3 Murray State 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 6 at Washington State 7:00 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 8 Stephen F. Austin 7:05 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 10 at Texas Tech 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 13 North Texas 7:05 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 22 Arkansas State 7:05 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 29 Grambling 8:05 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 3 Vanderbilt 7:05 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 7 Saint Louis* 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 10 Tulane* 7:05 p.m.
Tue., Jan. 13 at Houston* TBA
Sat., Jan. 17 at Cincinnati* TBA
Tue., Jan. 20 DePaul* 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 31 Memphis* 2:00 p.m.
Tue., Feb. 3 at Marquette* TBA
Sat., Feb. 7 Southern Miss* 7:05 p.m.
Mon., Feb. 9 at South Florida* 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 14 at Tulane* TBA
Wed., Feb. 18 Louisville* 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 21 at East Carolina* TBA
Wed., Feb. 25 Charlotte* 7:05 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 28 Houston* 7:05 p.m.
Wed., Mar. 3 at Memphis* TBA
Sat., Mar. 6 at UAB* 12:00 p.m.
March 10-13 at Conference USA Tournament TBA

Home Games in Bold
* Denotes Conference USA game
Dates/Times subject to change
All Times Central