TCU Basketball vs USC: Preview and Game Notes

TCU bounced back from their first loss of the season to the first Power Five team they played by dispatching Wyoming (on the road) and Illinois State (at home). Now they face the toughest test of the young season when the 7-2 Trojans of USC come to down to break in the brand-new Dickies Arena as a premier athletic facility in Fort Worth.

Game Information:

Broadcast: ESPN2

Play-By-Play: Jon Sciambi

Analyst: Fran Fraschilla

Online: WatchESPN.com

Radio: KTCU 88.7 FM // XM 375

Play-By-Play: Brian Estridge

Analyst: John Denton

Online: HFTV // TuneIn

Series: TCU leads 2-1

In Fort Worth: TCU leads 1-0

In Los Angeles: Tied 1-1

Neutral: -

First Meeting: TCU won 81-69 (11/29/10) in Fort Worth

Last Meeting: TCU won 96-61 (12/7/18) in Los Angeles

Winning Streak: TCU W1 Dixon vs. USC: 1-0

Notes:

• TCU will play in the inaugural basketball game at Fort Worth’s new Dickies Arena against USC on Friday at 8 p.m.
• TCU ranks 16th in the nation and first in the Big 12 with 10.0 3-pointers made per game, 22nd nationally in turnover margin (5.4), 24th in turnovers forced (18.3) and 28th in scoring defense (59.6).
• Since the 2014-15 season, the Frogs have gone 61-9 in November and December combined. Under Jamie Dixon (since 2016-17), TCU has gone 40-5 in November and December combined. Also, under Dixon, TCU has gone 52-10 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 seven games and ranks third in the Big 12 with a scoring average of 18.7 points per game. Samuel ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 8.4 rebounds per game and fourth in the nation by shooting 72.5 percent from the field. Samuel’s four double-doubles this season leads the Big 12 and ranks 16th 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 1,384 career points, Bane is 11th on TCU’s all-time scoring list. He is 42 points shy of Gary Turner (1,426, 1964-66) for 10th.

Last Time Out:

Desmond Bane recorded game highs in points, rebounds and assists to lead the TCU men’s basketball team to a 81-69 win over Illinois State Tuesday at Schollmaier Arena. Bane scored 23 points, on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and added nine rebounds, five assists and two steals. It was Bane’s fourth 20-point game of the season and he was the first TCU player since Alex Robinson on Nov. 20, 2018 to lead the team in points, rebounds and assists.

About the Opponent:

USC is 7-2 after a 77-62 win over Fairfield to claim third place at the Orlando Invitational on Sunday. The Trojans are led by freshman forward Onyeka Okongwu, who is averaging 17.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. Okongwu has had four double-doubles this season and ranks 13th in the nation with 2.9 blocks per game. He scored 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting and 14 rebounds against Fairfield.

Series History:

TCU leads the all-time series 2-1. TCU won the lone meeting in Fort Worth, 81-69, on Nov. 29, 2010. TCU won last season’s meeting in Los Angeles at STAPLES Center, 96-61, as one of the games in the Naismith Hall of Fame Classic.

Up Next:

TCU finishes 2019 with four-straight games at Schollmaier Arena, beginning with Winthrop on Wednesday at 7 p.m. It will be televised on FSSW.