TCU Announces Non-Conference Basketball Schedule

After a 13-0 start last season, TCU has strengthened its non-conference schedule for the upcoming year. The Frogs’ 2015-2016 non-conference campaign is highlighted by nine home games, a trip to Cancun, and a pair of contests against power conference foes Washington and Tennessee. Before Big 12 play begins, the Frogs will have faced at-least five teams who competed in post-season play a year ago.

TCU will begin the season with a three-game homestand against Southeastern Louisiana, Houston Baptist, and South Dakota State. The Frogs will then travel south of the border to participate in the Cancun Challenge. TCU will face off against Rhode Island in the first semifinal of the tournament before facing the winner of the second semifinal between Maryland and Illinois State. Following the trip to Mexico, the Frogs will return home to face SMU and Colgate before heading to Seattle to take on Washington. Home games against Prairie View A&M and Abilene Christian will be followed by a trip to Illinois to face Bradley. Finally, the Frogs will face Delaware State before hosting Tennessee in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

Full Schedule Breakdown:

November 13 – Southeastern Louisiana – Schollmaier Arena – Fort Worth, TX

The Frogs will christen the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena with a season-opening contest against Southeastern Louisiana on November 13. The Lions finished 9-23 last season and 6-12 in Southland Conference play. TCU has faced Southeastern Louisiana just twice all-time, with the Frogs winning both contests. This will be the first meeting between the Frogs and Lions since a 95-92 TCU victory in 1995.

November 19 – Houston Baptist – Schollmaier Arena – Fort Worth, TX
2015 Cancun Challenge

TCU will face Houston Baptist in the on-campus portion of the 2015 Cancun Challenge. The Huskies were just 12-16 on the season last year, posting a 7-11 mark in Southland Conference play. TCU leads the all-time series against HBU 5-1, but the two teams haven’t met since 1976.

November 21 – South Dakota State – Schollmaier Arena – Fort Worth, TX

For the first time ever the college basketball world will get to experience a Frogs vs. Jackrabbits matchup. TCU will host South Dakota State on November 21 before heading south of the border. The Jackrabbits finished the year 24-11 and 12-4 in Summit League play. South Dakota State earned a bid to the NIT, where the Jackrabbits knocked off Colorado State before falling to Vanderbilt in the Second Round.

November 24 – Rhode Island – Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya – Cancun, Mexico
2015 Cancun Challenge

The Frogs will face off against Rhode Island in the first semifinal of the 2015 Cancun Challenge. The Rams joined South Dakota State in the NIT last season after posting a 23-10 record, including 13-5 in Atlantic-10 Conference play. TCU has played Rhode Island just once before – an 89-87 Ram victory in 1998.

November 25 – Maryland/Illinois State – Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya – Cancun, Mexico
2015 Cancun Challenge

After facing Rhode Island, the Frogs will face either Maryland or Illinois State. The Maryland Terrapins finished the 2014-2015 campaign 28-7 overall and 14-4 in Big Ten play. The Terps were knocked off by West Virginia in the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament last year. The Frogs are 0-2 all-time against Maryland. As for Illinois State, the Redbirds posted a 22-13 overall record and a 11-7 record in Missouri Valley Conference play. Illinois State also advanced to the NIT, falling to Old Dominion 50-49 in the Second Round of the tournament. TCU and Illinois State have never met on the hardwood.

December 2 – SMU – Schollmaier Arena – Fort Worth, TX

TCU will continue their longest-running rivalry series this year with a home contest against SMU. The game will be the 190^th meeting between the Frogs and Mustangs, a series that SMU leads 104-85. The basketball version of the Battle for the Iron Skillet resumes after a one-year hiatus. The Frogs and Mustangs have played each other every season since 1921, except for 2011 and 2014. Led by Larry Brown, the Mustangs finished their 2014-2015 campaign with a 27-7 record overall and a 15-3 record in American Athletic Conference play. SMU lost a 60-59 heartbreaker in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament last year.

December 5 – Colgate – Schollmaier Arena – Fort Worth, TX

The Frogs will face the Colgate Raiders on December 5. The Raiders posted a 16-17 record a year ago, including a 12-6 mark in Patriot League play. TCU has faced Colgate just three times before, with the Frogs sweeping a home-and-home series in 1997 and 1998.

December 8 – Washington – Alaska Airlines Arena – Seattle, WA

TCU’s toughest road contest will come on December 8 in Seattle against the Washington Huskies. The Frogs will face a Washington team that struggled a year ago, posting a 16-15 record overall, including a 5-13 mark in Pac-12 play. TCU and Washington have faced off just once before, a 40-34 TCU victory in 1941.

December 11 – Prairie View A&M – Schollmaier Arena – Fort Worth, TX

After returning from Seattle, TCU will host Prairie View A&M for the second consecutive year. The Frogs defeated the Panthers 71-54 to open the 2014-2015 season. PVAMU finished last year with a 15-18 record overall, and a 12-6 mark in Southwestern Athletic Conference play. TCU is 4-0 all-time against the Panthers.

December 20 – Abilene Christian – Schollmaier Arena – Fort Worth, TX

TCU will face their purple-clad brethren from Abilene on December 20. Abilene Christian struggled a year ago, finishing 10-21 overall and 4-14 in Southland Conference play. The Frogs are a perfect 16-0 all-time against the Wildcats, with TCU taking the most recent contest 71-64 in 2013.

December 23 – Bradley – Carver Arena – Peoria, Illinois

Just before Christmas break, the Frogs will head to Illinois to face the Bradley Braves in a rematch from last year’s Corpus Christi Coastal Classic. TCU knocked off Bradley 57-49 in the Semifinals of that tournament a year ago. The Braves couldn’t turn things around after the early-season loss to the Frogs, as they finished the year 9-24 overall and 3-15 in Missouri Valley play. Last year’s win improved TCU to 4-5 all-time against Bradley.

December 28 – Delaware State – Schollmaier Arena – Fort Worth, TX

Following the break, TCU will return home to take on the Delaware State Hornets. An 18-18 overall record and 9-7 mark in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play earned the Hornets a spot in the College Basketball Invitational, where DSU fell to Radford in the First Round. The Frogs and Hornets have faced off just once before, a 138-75 TCU victory in 1997.

January 30 – Tennessee – Schollmaier Arena – Fort Worth, TX
2016 Big 12/SEC Challenge

TCU’s final non-conference contest will come against the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2016 Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Vols finished with a 16-16 overall record, including a 7-11 mark in SEC play last year. The matchup will likely mark the first return trip to the State of Texas for former University of Texas and current Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes. Although the Frogs are 0-8 all-time against Barnes-coached teams, TCU is 1-0 against Tennessee. The Frogs beat the Vols 73-59 in 1991.

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The Big 12 is expected to release the full 2016 conference schedule in the coming days.