Oct. 30, 2006

FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU fans will have their first opportunity to check out the 2006-07 men's basketball team in action Thursday at 7 p.m. when the Horned Frogs host a traveling team from Lithuania. The exhibition contest, which is free to the public, will be played in Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

The upcoming campaign will mark Dougherty's fifth season in charge of the Horned Frogs' program. He has three seniors on this year's squad: Blake Adams, Neil P. Dougherty and Femi Ibikunle. Juniors Brent Hackett and Neiman Owens round out the list of returning lettermen. The group of five returnees has made a total of 388 appearances, an average of 78 per player, and 138 starts, which figures to 28 per individual.

Hackett is the team's top returning scorer at 10.4 points per game, while Ibikunle is the leading rebounder (3.0). Owens started 30 of the Frogs' 31 games last year, the most of any returnee, while Adams and Dougherty set career highs in every statistical category last year.

Seven of the Horned Frogs' 12 team members will be suited up in purple and white for the first time. Two-junior Ryan Wall and sophomore Kevin Langford-sat out last year in accordance with NCAA transfer rules. Five others-junior Alvardo Parker and freshmen Jason Ebie, Keion Mitchem, Martiese Morones and Luke Tauscher-are in their first year with the program.

The regular season begins in Daniel-Meyer Coliseum on Saturday, Nov. 11 against Centenary at 7 p.m. For ticket information, call 817-257-FROG.

--www.GoFrogs.com--