TCU Basketball vs Winthrop: Preview

The Frogs are 0-2 against Power Five opponents and 6-0 against everybody else to start the 2019-2020 campaign. Thankfully, their next opponent falls under the latter category.

TCU Basketball will tangle with the Eagles Wednesday night at Schollmaier Arena, a 4-5 club looking for a signature win. But the Frogs plan to get back on a winning track with two games left before the academic break required for finals week.

GAME INFORMATION:

Broadcast: FOX Sports Southwest

Play-By-Play: Brian Estridge

Analyst: Colin Boddicker

Online: WatchESPN.com

Radio: KTCU 88.7 FM // XM 375

Play-By-Play: Jeff Williams

Analyst: John Denton

Online: HFTV // TuneIn

Series: First Meeting

In Fort Worth: 0-0

In Rock Hill: 0-0

Neutral: -

First Meeting: -

Last Meeting: -

Winning Streak: -

Dixon vs. Winthrop: First Meeting

GAME NOTES:

• TCU continues non-conference play with its first-ever meeting with Winthrop Wednesday at 7 p.m. It will be televised on FOX Sports Southwest.
• The Frogs’ two losses this season have come by a combined four points, 62-60 to Clemson in overtime and 80-78 to USC.
• TCU leads the Big 12 with 9.4 3-pointers made per game. TCU ranks 20th nationally in turnover margin (5.1) and 27th in turnovers forced (17.9).
• Since the 2014-15 season, the Frogs have gone 61-10 in November and December combined. Under Jamie Dixon (since 2016-17), TCU has gone 40-6 in November and December combined. Also, under Dixon, TCU has gone 52-11 in nonconference games.
• TCU has two returning starters from last season, senior Desmond Bane and sophomore Kevin Samuel. Bane has scored over 20 points in four of TCU’s eight games and ranks fourth in the Big 12 with a scoring average of 18.0 points per game. Samuel ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 8.8 rebounds per game and fifth in the nation by shooting 70.3 percent from the field. Samuel’s five double-doubles this season leads the Big 12 and ranks 11th in the nation.
• Bane has earned multiple preseason honors. He was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, was one of 20 players nationally named to the watch list for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year award, the Oscar Robertson Trophy and was named to the Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 which is given to the best player in the nation.
• At 1,397 career points, Bane is 11th on TCU’s all-time scoring list. He is 29 points shy of Gary Turner (1,426, 1964-66) for 10th.

LAST TIME OUT

TCU was unable to complete a second half comeback as it fell, 80-78, to USC Friday night in the inaugural basketball game played at Fort Worth’s new Dickies Arena. Down by as many as 18 points early in the second half, the Horned Frogs fought back to eventually tie the game, 78-78, on a layup by Kevin Samuel with eight seconds to play. Samuel, who finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, missed the ensuing free throw, which set up the game-winning tip-in by USC’s Nick Rakocevic with 0.2 seconds remaining. The Trojans outshot the Frogs 52.6 percent to 43.3 percent.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Winthrop is 4-5 this season following a 92-88 loss to Coastal Carolina Saturday. Earlier this season, the Eagles pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history when they beat No. 18 Saint Mary’s in their second game in as many days. It was Winthrop’s third win over a ranked team in program history and the first against a ranked team in a true road game. This season, Winthrop is led by senior forward Josh Ferguson’s 13.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. As a team, Winthrop’s 16.9 assists per game ranks 15th in the nation thanks in large part to Chandler Vaudrin, who ranks 15th nationally with 6.4 assists per game.

SERIES HISTORY

It’s the first meeting between TCU and Winthrop. The Frogs are 4-1 against current members of the Big South Conference.

UP NEXT

TCU will host Lamar (5-4) on Saturday at 7 p.m. on FOX Sports Southwest.