Three-Star Guard Malique Trent Commits to TCU

Trent Johnson has added another big piece to the foundation that he is building at TCU. After an official visit this weekend, three-star combo guard Malique Trent confirmed to Frogs O' War that he has verbally committed to play basketball for the Frogs next season. Trent will come to Fort Worth after a very successful year at New Mexico Junior College. Having started in 27 of 31 games for the Thunderbirds, he averaged 15.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 steals this season. He was deadly from behind the arc, averaging nearly 40.0% from deep.

The 6'2" combo guard originally from Portsmouth, Virginia was named an NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention, as well as NJCAA Freshman of the Year. He is currently rated as the #1 juco combo guard in the country. Trent was the leading scorer for a NMJC team that finished 23-9 overall this season. He will become the third member of the TCU program to hail from New Mexico Junior College. Kenrich Williams played for the Thunderbirds during the 2013-2014 season. Additionally, TCU assistant coach Chris Tifft was the head coach at NMJC from 2009-2012 prior to joining Trent Johnson's staff.

Malique Trent is coming to TCU after also receiving offers from Creighton, Colorado State, Houston, Kansas State, and Tennessee. He was scheduled to visit Knoxville on April 17, but that visit has been cancelled. Trent originally signed for Norfolk State out of high school, where he spent one season as a redshirt before transferring to NMJC. Therefore, he will have three years of eligibility left at TCU.

Trent will likely be a big piece of the TCU rotation next season at the two-guard position, a spot that Johnson and his staff have been trying to fill. Trent's scoring ability will help make up for the offensive void left behind in the wake of Kyan Anderson's graduation.

Trent becomes the third member of a loaded class for Trent Johnson. Three-star guard Jalon Miller has already signed his letter of intent to play for the Frogs next season.  Miller is a power forward from Seagonville High School in Dallas. Johnson has also received a verbal commitment from Lyrik Shreiner, a 6'4" shooting guard from the Fishburne Military School in Phoenix. Shreiner committed to TCU despite a late run by Rick Pitino and Louisville. With the momentum that TCU picked up this season, the newly renovated Daniel Meyer-Coliseum set to open in the fall, and the early recruiting successes for Johnson, look for the TCU Basketball program to enter the 2015-2016 season with a full head of steam.