Second Chance Points: Oklahoma State

One of the elements that the Big 12 Conference prides itself on is its competition format - in Big 12 basketball, each team plays every other team at home and on the road. The league boasts that this double round robin format is the most successful way to determine "One True Champion." This gives each team the opportunity to make corrections and adjustments before the second matchup in the season series.

The first time these teams met, TCU dominated the Cowboys in the second half to earn a big upset win. At the time, the Pokes were ranked 21^st in the country. TCU turned a halftime deficit into a decisive 15-point victory. A lot went right for the Frogs, as the offense was firing on all cylinders, free throw shooting was nearly perfect, and the defense kept an explosive OSU offense in check.

Keep Firing

The TCU offense came to life in the first meeting, scoring 70 points on 52.0% shooting from the field. At the time, the game marked just the second time this season that the Frogs put up 70 on a Big 12 opponent. It was also just the second time in program history that TCU shot better than 50.0% from the field in a Big 12 game

The Frogs attempted 50 shots in the game, with many of those coming inside the paint. 36 of TCU's 70 points came in the paint in the first meeting with Oklahoma State. The Frogs really excelled at working the ball inside, creating open looks, and connecting on these shots. If TCU wants to sweep the season series with OSU, they will need to put up a similar performance in the paint.

One more side note, the Frogs shot 78.3% from the line. TCU only missed five free throws in the entire contest. Another solid performance from the line tonight will go a long way toward earning another victory.

Protect the Arc

Not to be outdone, the TCU defense put up another impressive performance in the first meeting. The Frogs held Oklahoma State to just 55 points, their third lowest scoring output of the season. Despite scoring just 55, the Cowboys shot about 45% from the field. This suggests that the TCU defense did a great job of limiting Oklahoma State's opportunities.

This was definitely the case from behind the arc. The Frogs' defense did an excellent job of keeping a hot-shooting Oklahoma State ice cold from deep. The Pokes were just 3/16 from three-point land in the first game. This perimeter defense was a big key that allowed the Frogs to win the first contest rather easily. The TCU defense did an especially good job defending Phil Forte. The junior guard averages about 16 points per game and shoots 40.0% from behind the arc. In Fort Worth, Forte dropped just seven points and was 1/5 from deep. If the Frogs want to be victorious again tonight, they will need to put up another strong defensive performance while keeping Forte in check.

Don't Look Back

The Frogs' struggles with closing out games has been well documented this season. However, in the first meeting, TCU grabbed the lead early in the second half and never looked back. This same confidence will be crucial tonight in Stillwater if the Frogs want to sweep the season series with the Cowboys. Road tests have been difficult for TCU this season, as evidenced by last Saturday's game in Norman. The Frogs led for the majority of the contest with the Sooners, but failed to put them away late. If TCU is able to get out to a lead tonight, the Frogs will be in a good position to hold it if they exhibit the same confidence that they have displayed at home during the better part of the last two weeks.

*If you recall, Oklahoma State was assessed a technical foul during pregame warmups for dunking. Kyan Anderson hit two free throws before tipoff, therefore the game started 2-0 in favor of TCU.

Bench Play

Another big key tonight will be the bench play for both teams. The Cowboys' bench has really struggled as of late. In the first meeting, the six Cowboys that came off the OSU bench scored just five points in a combined 45 minutes of play. Conversely, the three Frogs that came off the TCU bench scored 19 points, including 12 from Amric Field that ultimately helped put the game away.

One area where the Frogs struggled in the first game was with the three-point shot. Three of TCU's better deep shooters, Brandon Parrish, Amric Fields, and Chauncey Collins combined to go 0/5 from deep off the bench. Kyan Anderson and Kenrich Williams were the only starters to attempt the long ball, combining to go 0/4 from behind the arc. It doesn't take a math major to see that this equates to an 0/9 performance from TCU. The good news here is that the Frogs have proven that they can win (handily) without the use of the deep ball. But on the road tonight, it will likely be in the Frogs' best interest to connect on some of these deep shots.

Sensational Seniors

Finally, speaking of Amric Fields, the seniors on this TCU team have been playing with an added level of intensity as of late. In the first meeting with OSU, the trio of Fields, Anderson and Trey Zeigler combined for 39 of TCU's 70 points. This season, the three have scored 503 of TCU's 999 total points, a mark greater than 50.0%. As these three Horned Frogs wind down their collegiate careers, look for a couple more dominant performances from the senior class, beginning tonight in Stillwater.

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The first meeting with Oklahoma State was perhaps TCU's most complete game of the season. The offense was firing, the defense locked down on the OSU offensive threats, the Frogs hit their free throws, and TCU limited their mistakes. The Frogs will have a good chance to sweeps the Cowboys on the road tonight if some of these performances can be replicated. OSU enters the contest on a four-game losing streak, so it will be important for TCU to jump out to an early lead and bury the Pokes for good.