TCU Basketball at Arkansas: Preview

Coming off of their biggest win since upsetting a top ten West Virginia team two seasons ago, TCU Basketball travels to Fayetteville to take on a very good Razorbacks team for their part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge.

These two teams first played in each other in 1924, but haven’t matched up since ‘91. It should be fun to watch the old Southwest Conference rivals go at it Saturday afternoon.

The Frogs could benefit from a non-conference win on the road to build on the momentum from last Tuesday’s win over #18 Texas Tech. Play Arkansas close and they stay in a good spot on the bubble. Win, and they likely just need to win the games they’re supposed to win to go Dancing for the second time in three years.

Speaking of winning they games they’re supposed to win, TCU will return home Wednesday night to take on a spiraling Texas Longhorns team that needs to travel with a fire extinguisher for the hot seat that Shaka Smart is currently sitting on. After chants of Raider Power rained down on the purple people at Schollmaier Arena next week (at least early-on), Frog fans need to pack the arena for the home team against UT. If you don’t already have your tickets, you can get them HERE. Come out and support this team — and give them a home court advantage against the Horns!

GAME INFORMATION:

JAN. 25 | BUD WALTON ARENA (19,368) | FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. | 3 PM

Broadcast: ESPN2

Play-By-Play: Roy Philpott

Analyst: Bryndon Manzer

Watch: ESPN.com // ESPN App

Radio: KTCU 88.7 FM // KLIF 570 AM XM 380 - (970 online)

Play-By-Play: Brian Estridge

Analyst: John Denton

Online: HFTV // TuneIn

Series: Arkansas leads 104-38

In Fort Worth: UA leads 46-21

In Fayetteville: UA leads 54-15

Neutral: UA leads 4-2

First Meeting: TCU won 31-30 (2/1/24) in Fayetteville

Last Meeting: UA won 97-61 (2/16/91) in Fayetteville

Winning Streak: UA 2

Dixon vs. Arkansas: First Meeting

NOTES:

• TCU (13-5, 4-2 Big 12 will face old Southwest Conference foe Arkansas (14-4, 3-3 SEC) in the Big 12/SEC Challenge Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2. The Frogs are 4-2 in The Challenge after defeating Florida, 55-50, last season.
• TCU’s coaching staff will wear the Nike Air Max Deluxe along with suits for Suits and Sneakers week to support Coaches vs. Cancer.
• TCU leads the Big 12 in 3-pointers made per game (9.4) and blocks per game (4.7) and ranks second in 3-point percentage (35.5) and assists/turnover ratio (1.17) and third in assists (16.1).
• TCU ranks in the top 30 nationally in assists (27th, 16.1) and 3-point field goals made (30th, 9.4).
• TCU has two returning starters from last season, senior Desmond Bane and sophomore Kevin Samuel. Bane, who earned multiple preseason honors, ranks high in the conference in several categories including second in scoring average at 17.2 points per game. He’s ninth in assists (3.4) and 10th in rebounds (6.7), the only player in the Big 12 who ranks in the top 10 in those three categories.
• Samuel is shooting 65.9 percent from the field and ranks fifth in the Big 12 with 8.4 rebounds per game. Samuel’s nine double-doubles this season leads the Big 12 and ranks 17th nationally.
• At 1,562 career points, Bane is seventh on TCU’s all-time scoring list. Next on the list is Kyan Anderson at 1,624 points.
• At 124 career blocked shots, Samuel is sixth on TCU’s all-time list. Reggie Smith is next on the chart with 133.

LAST TIME OUT:

Desmond Bane’s 27 points, on 10-of-15 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 from three, and a dominating second half helped TCU complete its largest comeback win of the season, defeating No. 18 Texas Tech, 65-54, on Tuesday. TCU trailed by as many as eight in the first half, but used an 18-5 start to the second half to win by 11, its largest win over a ranked team in five seasons. Kevin Samuel had 11 points and 11 rebounds, including a career-best seven on offense.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT:

Arkansas is 14-4 overall, 3-3 in the SEC, following a 77-70 loss at Mississippi State on Wednesday. It was the Razorbacks’ second consecutive loss after falling to No. 10 Kentucky, 73-66 on Jan. 18. Eric Musselman is in his first season as head coach after serving for three seasons in the same position at Nevada. Arkansas is allowing opponents to shoot just 23.4 percent from 3-point range this season, the best in the nation. The Razorbacks are led by returning starters, Isaiah Joe and Mason Jones. Jones ranks fourth in the SEC with 18.3 points per game. Joe makes 3.9 3-pointers per game, the fourth-best in the country. TCU faced Musselman’s Nevada team on Dec. 8, 2017, an 84-80 win by the No. 20 ranked Frogs over the No. 22 ranked Wolf Pack in the Naismith Hall of Fame Classic.

SERIES HISTORY:

It’s the 143rd meeting between the two schools, but the first since 1991 when the two programs were members of the Southwest Conference. TCU and Arkansas played at least two times every season from 1923-24 until 1990-91. Arkansas leads the all-time series 104-38.

UP NEXT:

TCU will return to Big 12 Conference play when it hosts Texas (12-6, 2-4) Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.