TCU 2/22 12:00 pm ESPN2

[Carthage World]

TCU (15-11, 8-7 Big 12, NET #72, KenPom #82) comes to Fifth Third as one of the league's hotter teams having won 5 of their last 6 games. They've snagged two Q1 wins over their past two games having won at Arizona State 74-70 while also beating Texas Tech 69-66 at home.

Despite their recent success, the Horned Frogs remain the worst offensive team in the conference as their ORtg is ranked 182nd nationally per KenPom. They have shot a worse percentage than the Bearcats from every area of the court during conference play and throughout the entire season up to this point. They are a solid defensive team (ranked 28th per KenPom) that does not foul a lot (like UC). However, they have allowed Big 12 opponents to make 57.4% of their 2-point shots (second-to-last in the conference) while only blocking 2.7 shots/game (third-to-last in the Big 12 during conference play).

Despite missing the services of lead guard Frankie Collins who has been out since early December with a foot injury, TCU has maintained a strong backcourt through the play of 6'3 Noah Reynolds (12.9 ppg) and 6'3 Vasean Allette (11.7 ppg). Their best frontcourt player is 6'11 center Ernest Udoh Jr who averages 6.9 ppg and 7.5 rpg.

The Horned Frogs are hoping to end the regular season on a high note and make their fourth consecutive NCAA tournament under 9th-year head coach Jamie Dixon.

Saturday's game marks the start of the last two-game home stand of the Big 12 campaign with Baylor coming to town on Tuesday evening. Our final regular season home game and Senior Night will be Wednesday, March 5th against Kansas State.

[sedz]

Great preview, Carthage World .

I've talked a lot about how Jizzle's high usage rate is a problem. Well that issue is even worse for TCU. Vasean Allette has the second highest usage rate in the Big12 but he has a negative offensive BPM. Much like Jizzle, Allette is a sophomore who takes a bunch of unassisted midrange jumpers, but he makes an even worse percentage (only 36%). He's also a poor three point shooter (18% in conference), doesn't finish well at the rim (50%), and doesn't get to the free throw line. Dixon is letting an inefficient scorer have a green light. We should let him shoot.

Udeh is a decent finisher inside but he doesn't create his own shot. He is an elite defender and rebounder though. The main guy I think we need to focus on defensively is Reynolds, who is a good three level scorer (gets to the rim and FT line 4 times each per game, 54% from midrange, 35% from three). I'd consider doubling him because no one else on TCU is efficient. It's no wonder their offense is so bad. In their wins against BYU and Baylor they relied on Brendan Wenzel making a combined 7 of 14 threes. But he's only a 25% shooter on the season.

On offense, as always, we need to attack. In TCU's win over West Virginia, the Mountaineers only made two free throws. TCU won that game despite being outscored by 13 from the field. Same story against Texas Tech, who outscored TCU from the field by 7 but lost because they only made 5 free throws. Kansas St only made two free throws in a one point loss. We've seen that happen to us too many times. We made an average of just 2 free throws per game in losses to Kansas St, Kansas, BYU, and West Virginia. Let's not do that again.

I haven't seen TCU play this year, but I wonder if they use a lot of zone. They give up a ton of assists and threes but few fouls. That usually means zone. If so, I like using two PGs. They just need to penetrate to the paint, not all the way to the rim. Jizzle and Day Day are good at that. But they need to look to pass instead of shoot there. They aren't so good at that.

[Carthage World]

Bearcats are 6.5-point favorites.

[Lobot]

Hopefully the curse of the noon weekend start doesn't bite us for this one.

[leo from jersey]

An early Sat game after a Friday night at home.

[Lobot]

Simas is questionable to go today per Rothstein

[leeraymond]

Oh no, an early home game on national TV. As we all know, Miller's UC teams have not done all that well on national television. This year alone, UC has lost 8 of 13 nationally televised games. That is a 61.5% loss rate on national TV. Also, let's not forget that that UC has a 3-4 conference record at home this season. Regardless, I hope that UC can get this win today.

[Bearcat9796]

hearing there's power outage issues on campus and DS was late

[leo from jersey]

so far they are extending that defense

[Rufus]

What the heck is Betsy doing working under the rim out of his comfort zone. Do you suppose somebody's reading our post's?

[leo from jersey]

What the heck is Betsy doing working under the rim out of his comfort zone. Do you suppose somebody's reading our post's?

I thought that

[leo from jersey]

Ray is in for his first half 2 minutes

[Gmann]

Should be up a bunch. Poor offense. Keep Reed in.

[leo from jersey]

Ray lost on defense and just not that last shot over him. Earlier he was cluelss and left his man wide open.

[Rufus]

Let up on their intensity.