TCU Basketball Preview: Kansas Jayhawks

Game Time: 3:00pm CDT | Location: Allen Fieldhouse - Lawrence, KS
TV: ESPN2 | Series: KU leads 8-1 | Game Line: KU -12.5

TCU and Kansas wrap up their season series this afternoon in Lawrence. The Frogs look to pull an improbably upset and continue their two-game Big 12 winning streak. After upsetting #21 Oklahoma State last Saturday, the Frogs knocked off Kansas State on Wednesday, improving to 3-10 in Big 12 play and 16-10 overall. TCU is currently in sole possession of 9^th place in the Big 12.

On the other side, the Jayhawks enter the game having lost a wild affair in Morgantown on Big Monday. West Virginia defeated Kansas 62-61 after a last second Perry Ellis shot rimmed out at the buzzer. Kansas currently sits at 10-3 in conference play and 21-5 overall. The Jayhawks hold on to a one-game lead in the Big 12, inching closer to the program's 11^th consecutive Big 12 Championship.

Perry Ellis and Frank Mason lead the Jayhawks on offense, averaging 13.3 and 12.4 points per game respectively. Ellis and Mason combined for 24 points in the first meeting, as Ellis led all scorers with 16 points. Perry Ellis also leads the Jayhawks on defense, averaging about seven boards per game. Big man Cliff Alexander isn't far behind, averaging 5.5 boards per game.

TCU's offense has been on fire as of late, averaging 69.5 points on 52.7% shooting from the field in the last two games. Kyan Anderson's supporting cast has really stepped up as of late, with Chris Washburn, Trey Zeigler and Karvar Shepherd all adding significant contribution on the offensive end. Amric Fields has been an additional spark off the bench, scoring 22 points in the last two games.

This is the most opportune time for TCU to have to play at Allen Fieldhouse. The Frogs are riding a winning streak, player confidence is at an all-time high, and the offense finally looks like it has figured itself out. It is nearly impossible to win at Allen Fieldhouse - the Jayhawks are 153-9 all-time at home in Big 12 play and are riding a 22-game home winning streak. The Frogs are going to have to play a nearly perfect game and hope that the Jayhawks make a few mistakes along the way to shock the basketball world this weekend. TCU fought with the Jayhawks for 40 minutes in Fort Worth earlier this season, and the Frogs have been playing their best basketball of the season as of late. The opportunity presents itself for this TCU team to immortalize itself in college basketball history, but it will take a heroic effort.

Here are some other notes from GoFrogs.com:

• TCU was receiving votes earlier this month in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The last time TCU was receiving votes in February came during the 1998-99 campaign.
• TCU is 30-5 when leading at the half under head coach Trent Johnson.
• TCU has now held 29 opponents to 59 points or less under Trent Johnson.
• In its last two outings, TCU has held Oklahoma State and Kansas State to 55 points.
• TCU has out-rebounded its opposition 16 times this season.
• TCU has already bettered its win total from a year ago and 2011-12.
• TCU played its seventh ranked opponent in nine games last Saturday vs. Oklahoma State.
• Kyan Anderson is No. 6 all-time in scoring in program history with 1,519 points.
• Anderson passed TCU great Kurt Thomas in points for a career Wednesday vs. K-State.
• Anderson moved into No. 1 all-time in program history in steals last Saturday with now 166.
• Kenrich Williams has scored in double-figures in 13 of the 26 games this season.
• Trey Zeigler has scored in double-figures in eight Big 12 games this year.