Picked last in the Big 12 preseason coaches poll, TCU has emerged as one of the biggest surprises in college basketball this season with one of its best starts in program history.
Now the Horned Frogs, under first-year coach Jamie Dixon, have an opportunity to prove if they are a contender when they open Big 12 play against No. 3 Kansas at 8 p.m. Friday (ESPN 2).
TCU, which is ranked 36th in the KenPom rankings, rolled through the non-conference portion of the season, which included two wins against Washington, by winning the turnover and rebounding margins and separating itself with a deep bench. And the Frogs believe that will translate to success in the Big 12.
“I believe our team is just as talented, if not more talented, than any of the teams in the Big 12,” TCU senior Brandon Parrish told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “A big win here (against KU) makes a huge statement. We have a really good thing going. If we come out and play our best, I think we’ll be fine.”
It’s actually the first time that Dixon, a longtime coach at Pittsburgh, will square off against Kansas coach Bill Self. KUSports.com columnist Tom Keegan had a blog post earlier this week about why it [made sense that Dixon chose to coach at TCU, his alma mater.][1]
And if you missed it, Keegan had a [nice breakdown between all of the Big 12 team][2]s by the numbers heading into conference play.
Interesting note: TCU has outscored its opponent’s bench in all 12 games this season. In the last seven contests, the Frogs have outscored opposing bench players, 271-123.
Series history: Kansas leads 12-1. The Jayhawks have won the last eight meetings, including all five games at Allen Fieldhouse.
**TCU STARTERS**
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*No. 0 — G Jaylen Fisher | 6-2, 195, fr.*
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Meet Jaylen Fisher.
Kansas forward Carlton Bragg Jr. (15) pulls up for a jumper over TCU forward Vladimir Brodziansky (10) during the first half, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016 at Allen FieldhouseThe freshman is averaging more than 10 points and 5 assists for undefeated TCU: https://t.co/bsDJde6XQo pic.twitter.com/sJ1CABQRb8
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 29, 2016
– A highly-ranked recruit, Fisher is averaging 10.5 points and 4.3 assists per game. He’s shooting 39 percent from the floor and 33 percent from deep. He was the highest-ranked recruit to pick TCU.
– Fisher deals with albinism, an African-American with naturally blonde hair and cream-colored skin. It’s due to a lack of melanin production that results in little or no pigment in the skin, hair and eyes, and it took him a little while to get used to it, [according to a story from the Memphis Commercial Appeal.][3]
– According to hoop-math.com, Fisher is a good finisher at the rim, converting at a 56 percent clip at the rim. But he only takes 23.4 percent of his shots near the basket.
– Originally committed to UNLV before switching his decision following coaching changes.
– *QUOTE:* “I feel like I belong out there every time,” Fisher said after his debut.
*No. 25 — G Alex Robinson | 6-1, 180, soph.*
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In 24 hours, the @Big12Conference opener vs. Kansas arrives at Schollmaier. Bring the intensity, #FrogNation. #LOUDER ???????? #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/OQJUpIWf8u
— TCU Athletics (@TCU_Athletics) December 30, 2016
– TCU’s leading scorer, Robinson is averaging 10.8 points per game on 44 percent shooting. He’s made 14-of-33 shots from deep (42 percent), but has struggled at the free throw line (21-of-39, 54 percent).
– Robinson leads the Horned Frogs with 66 assists and 25 steals. He ranks third in the Big 12 with 5.5 assists per game and fifth with 2.1 steals a night.
– The Fort Worth native transferred from Texas A&M and sat out all of last season. He averaged 5.2 points and 2.6 assists in his freshman season with the Aggies in 2014-15.
– His mother, Darla, played basketball at TCU from 1982-84. She wore No. 25, which he said he wanted to wear to “show my appreciation for her.”
– *QUOTE:* “The chemistry is just great between us all,” Robinson said. “This is one of the closest basketball teams I’ve been on. Whenever anybody gets down, we’re right there to pick them up and get them back up.”
*No. 34 — G Kenrich Williams | 6-7, 210, jr.*
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"It's a blessing to be back playing again." READ ➡️ https://t.co/vWEFbtn4jD #GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/Dv4tocNTIC
— TCU Men's Basketball (@TCUBasketball) September 7, 2016
– Williams missed all of last season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery. He’s missed two games, including the season opener this year.
– Through 10 games (nine starts), Williams is averaging 10.4 points and 10.0 rebounds in 28.1 minutes per game. His 10 rebounds per game leads the Big 12. Williams, who has four double-doubels, is shooting 41.4 percent from behind the 3-point line, but only 56 percent from the free-throw line.
– Arguably TCU’s best defender on the wing, Williams has nine blocks and 11 steals this year.
– According to hoop-math, he takes 31 percent of his shots at the rim, but he’s converted on a very strong 74 percent of those shots.
– *QUOTE:* “They’re playing with a different level of confidence, and from what I see, you can tell there’s a physicality still to the way they play and they’re good defensively, they swarm you,” Arkansas State coach Grant McCasland said of TCU. “They’re playing with a little different confidence, different composure.”
*No. 15 — F JD Miller | 6-8, 235, soph.*
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– Against Kansas last season, Miller totaled 19 points on 6-of-21 shooting in 46 minutes, adding nine rebounds.
– This year, Miller is averaging 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game. He’s shooting 49 percent from the floor.
– Miller has converted on 83 percent of his shots at the rim, according to hoop-math.com. However, he’s only taken 31 percent of his shots near the basket.
– *QUOTE:* “I thought this game I should just attack the basket,” Miller said after a 12-point performance against Wofford. “That’s all I was thinking.”
*No. 10 — F Vladimir Brodziansky | 6-11, 220, jr.*
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– Brodziansky scored 13 points and 17 rebounds (six offensive boards) in 47 minutes against KU last year.
– The Prievidza, Slovakia native has blocked 27 shots this year, which ranks second in the Big 12. He’s averaging 10.4 points and 5.1 rebounds.
– Shooting 60 percent from the field this year, Brodziansky had a stretch earlier this season when he made 13 straight shots.
– Pronunciation: VLAD-A-mir BROAD-Zee-ON-ski. He played his freshman season at Pratt Community College, where he averaged 15.3 points and 8.8 rebounds.
– *QUOTE:* “He’s playing good. Got to play a little bit better post defense and score a little better,” Dixon said. “He’s improving. There’s no question.”
**TCU BENCH**
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*No. 1 — G Desmond Bane | 6-5, 215, fr.*
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– He’s scored in double figures six times this season, averaging 9.2 points in 22.4 minutes per game. He’s shooting 54 percent from the field and 40 percent from the 3-point line.
– Last week, Bane was named the Big 12’s newcomer of the week after scoring 18 points in a win against Bradley.
– A strong finisher in the paint, Bane has converted on 68.8 percent of his shots at the rim, according to hoop-math.com.
*No. 11 — G Brandon Parrish | 6-6, 210, sr.*
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– Parrish recorded 24 points on 8-of-19 shooting in two games against Kansas last year. He added five rebounds.
– He’s averaging 6.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 20.5 minutes per game. He’s shooting 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep.
– Parrish doesn’t take many shots inside of the paint, only taking 17.7 percent of his shots at the rim, according to hoop-math.com. He’s only attempted seven free throws in 246 minutes.
– *QUOTE:* “Confidence is through the roof right now,” Parrish said heading into Friday’s game against KU. “Now we’re 12 games in and we’ve all bought in to the system, bought in to how we want to do.”
*No. 32 — F Karviar Shepherd | 6-11, 230, sr.*
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– Shepherd is averaging 6.1 points and 3.8 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game. He’s shooting 52 percent from the floor.
– In two games against KU last year, Shepherd scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting with four rebounds.
– QUOTE: “This senior group, maybe they won’t be our leading scorers or our leading rebounders. But they’re good leaders,” Dixon said. “They’ve been through a lot and they’ve stayed. It’s shown a commitment and a toughness that we can use to our benefit.”
*No. 33 — F Chris Washburn | 6-8, 240, sr.*
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– Averaging 3.5 points and 2.5 rebounds off of the bench this season, he’s recorded seven steals in 86 minutes.
– He had 13 points and seven rebounds in 42 minutes against the Jayhawks last year.
– Transferred from UTEP after his freshman year.
*No. 3 — G Malique Trent | 6-2, 190, jr.*
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– Trent is averaging 3.8 points and 1.2 rebounds in 12.3 minutes per game. He’s been abysmal from deep, making 2 of his 17 attempts from behind the arc.
– He’s snagged 11 steals this season. He ranked 32nd in the country in total steals last year.
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/keegan-lunch-break/2016/dec/29/dixon-returning-to-alma-mater-made-sense/
[2]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/keegan-lunch-break/2016/dec/28/paint-by-numbers-look-at-big-12-basketba/
[3]: http://archive.commercialappeal.com/sports/tigers/basketball/tough-love-strong-support-help-top-prospect-jaylen-fisher-deal-with-albinism-ep-1194987055-324319081.html
