TCU Basketball Preview and Game Thread: McNeese State

History is on the line tonight as TCU hosts McNeese State, with the Frogs looking to go to 10-0 for the first time in program history. TCU enters the contest with a perfect 9-0 record after defeating the Furman Paladins 80-69 on Tuesday night. The Frogs will look to tighten things down on the defensive end, having allowed Furman to score 69 points on 51.1% shooting, the first time this season that an opponent has shot greater than 50.0% against TCU. Prior to the match against the Paladins, the Frogs had held seven of their previous eight opponents to 54 points or less. In each of those seven games, TCU held their opponents to under 37.0% shooting from the field. The Frogs' defense has been setting the tone all season, as illustrated in the table below.

On the offensive end, look for a big night from senior guard Kyan Anderson. Anderson dropped 21 points against Furman earlier this week and can cement his legacy as one of TCU's top scorers with a solid game tonight. Anderson is currently 12^th on the all-time points scored list at TCU and needs just 15 points to jump to 11^th. A 20-point night for Kyan would put him in the top 10.

The Frogs' opponent out of the Southland Conference enters the game at 4-2, however just one of those wins is against a Division-I opponent, an 80-70 home win against Louisiana-Lafayette. However, the Cowboys do have experience playing on the road against power conference teams. McNeese State opened their season in Waco, falling to the Baylor Bears 80-39. The Cowboys played tough in Baton Rouge against LSU at the end of November, dropping an 83-72 contest to the Tigers.

The TCU defense could be a problem for McNeese State, as the Cowboys average just 73.3 points per game - and that's including two contests against NAIA opponents. Senior forward Desharick Guidry leads the Cowboys, averaging a double-double on the season, with 19.3 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Jamaya Burr and senior guard Kevin Hardy also average in double figures in points, with 11.2 and 10.8 per game respectively. This trio accounts for nearly two-thirds of McNeese State's offensive production. These three will have to combine for a big night if the Cowboys are to pull off the upset in Fort Worth.

In addition to setting a school record for best start, a win tonight would give the Frogs their first 10-game winning streak since a 16-game streak that occurred from January 8 - March 5, 1998. After the game tonight, the Frogs will take a break for final exams week. TCU will return to action on December 20 at home against UTSA.

Here are some other quick game notes, provided by GoFrogs.com:

• Trent Johnson recorded his 250th career victory against Mississippi Valley State.
• TCU is 9-0 for the first time since 1997-98, which was the last time the Frogs made the NCAA Tournament.
• TCU is 24-4 when leading at the half under head coach Trent Johnson.
• TCU has started the same starting lineup for nine-straight games.
• TCU has now held 21 opponents to 59 points or less under Trent Johnson.
• TCU out-rebounded its opponent for the eighth time this season vs. Furman.
• TCU captured its first regular-season tournament title since 1991 by winning the Corpus Christi Coastal Classic.
• TCU eclipsed the 100-point barrier for the first time under Johnson against Mississippi Valley State.
• Kyan Anderson is No. 12 all-time in scoring in program history with 1,304 points.
• Anderson only needs 15 more points to move into sole-possession of No. 11 all-time.
• Anderson now has 19 20-point games in his four-year career after scoring 21 against Furman.
• Anderson dished out a season-high six assists in the win vs. Furman.
• Amric Fields scored a season-high 14 points Tuesday against Furman.
• TCU is 6-3 when Karviar Shepherd grabs double-digit boards.
• Shepherd scored in double-figures for a third time this season vs. Ole Miss.
• Kenrich Williams scored in double-figures for the fifth time in nine games vs. Furman.
• Williams was named the tournament MVP at the Corpus Christi Coastal Classic.
• Trey Zeigler and Chris Washburn were named to the all-tournament team in Corpus Christi.