Great Alaska Shootout: TCU vs. Tulsa

Game Time/TV: 8:30 CST/CBS Sports Network

NOTE: The game will be on tape delay (because apparently this is 1996), and won't be televised until 1:00 a.m. Central time. Late night gamethread, anyone??

TCU basketball has show great improvement over the first five games of the season, and are on a three game winning streak after starting the year 0-2.

A 73-70 win over Alaska-Anchorage on Wednesday night (in Alaska)/Thursday morning (in Fort Worth), moved TCU to 3-2 on the season and into the semifinals of the Great Alaska Shootout against Tulsa. TCU lost to Tulsa 50-49 in 2012, missing a shot in the final seconds that could have won the game. TCU was without Amric Fields for that contest.

Amric Fields picked up where he left off against Washington State, scoring 16 points as one of four Frogs in double digits. Kyan Anderson (17), Jarvis Ray (15) and Brandon Parrish (11) were the other Frogs that helped lead TCU to victory, and they'll need to have a repeat scoring performance to defeat Tulsa.

Despite they're 1-4 record, Tulsa is actually a decent team. Their four losses on the season have come to Oral Roberts, Missouri State, Wichita State and Creighton, teams with a combined 21-3 record (and Oral Roberts is responsible for all three losses).

Tulsa is led by sophomore forward Rashad Smith, a Plano, Texas product that's averaging 13.8 points per game. The Hurricanes also have a good rebounding guard, much like Christian Gore for TCU, in James Woodard. Woodard, who also averages 11 points per contest, is averaging 6 rebounds per game to lead Tulsa.

Karviar Shepherd should be able to lock things down in the middle on the boards, especially with Fields back in the mix, but that will be an interesting piece of the game to watch.

The Hurricanes recorded their first win of the season Wednesday against Indiana State when Woodard knocked a three pointer down with 8 seconds remaining in the game.

The winner will play the winner of Harvard/Green Bay in the championship game on Saturday night.