TCU Basketball vs Iowa State: Preview

Is Iowa State good?

They gave Michigan all they could handle but dropped an embarrassing match to Florida A&M - albeit without Tyrese Halliburton, who may well be their most important player. At 7-5, the Clones have more questions than answers... something that could well be said about the Horned Frogs as well as they close the preseason.

For two teams who don’t have super high outside expectations in 2020, getting a win to open Big 12 play is beyond critical. Hopefully, the home team gets it done.

GAME INFORMATION

JAN. 4 | SCHOLLMAIER ARENA (6,800) | FORT WORTH, TEXAS | 5 PM

Broadcast: ESPNU

Play-By-Play: Chuckie Kempf

Analyst: Tim Welsh

Online: WatchESPN.com // ESPN App

Radio: KTCU 88.7 FM // KLIF 570 AM SIRIUS XM 375

Play-By-Play: Brian Estridge

Analyst: John Denton

Online: HFTV // TuneIn

Series: Iowa State leads 11-10

In Fort Worth: TCU 5-4

In Ames: ISU leads 6-3

Neutral: TCU leads 3-0

First Meeting: ISU won 91-90 (12/14/74) in Ames

Last Meeting: TCU won 75-72 (2/23/19) in Fort Worth

Winning Streak: TCU, 4

Dixon vs. Iowa State: 5-2

NOTES

• TCU will open Big 12 Conference play Saturday when it hosts Iowa State at 5 p.m. on ESPNU.
• TCU is trying for its second-straight win in a Big 12 Conference opener. The Frogs beat Baylor last season, 85-81, to improve to 1-6 in Big 12 openers.
• TCU senior forward Jaire Grayer’s father, Jeff, is Iowa State’s all-time leading scorer (2,502). He starred for the Cyclones from 1985-88.
• TCU leads the Big 12 with 9.6 3-pointers made per game. TCU ranks in the top 25 nationally in assists (9th, 17.5), assist/turnover ratio (23rd, 1.32), turnovers forced (23rd, 17.8), steals (23rd, 9.3) and turnover margin (24th, 4.5).
• TCU has won 11 of its last 16 Big 12 home games and went 5-4 last season. TCU is 15-12 in Big 12 home games overall under Jamie Dixon.
• 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 fifth in scoring average at 17.1 points per game.
• Samuel ranks third in the nation in shooting at 69.7 percent from the field and is seventh in the Big 12 with 8.5 rebounds per game. Samuel’s seven double-doubles this season leads the Big 12 and ranks 12th in the nation.
• At 1,458 career points, Bane is 10th on TCU’s all-time scoring list. He is 45 points shy of Lee Nailon (1,503, 1964-66) for ninth.
• At 109 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 21 first half points fueled the TCU men’s basketball team to an 87-53 win over George Mason Monday. Bane caught fire and surpassed his season-high, scoring 30 points on an efficient 12-of-16 shooting from the field, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range. It contributed to TCU’s season-high 57.9 percent shooting from the field and 58.3 percent (14-of-24) from 3-point range, which was the second-most ever by a TCU team under Dixon.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Iowa State is 7-5 this season following a 70-68 loss to Florida A&M Tuesday. The Cyclones are led by sophomore guard Tyrese Haliburton, who leads the Big 12 with 7.7 assists per game and ranks third with 17.3 points per game. Iowa State boasts the Big 12’s second-best offense at 80.3 points per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field. The only team in the Big 12 better than TCU in turnover margin and assist/turnover ratio is Iowa State.

SERIES HISTORY

Iowa State leads the all-time series 11-10. TCU leads the series in Fort Worth, 5-4, and has won the last three meetings. The Frogs have won the last four meetings, sweeping the last two season series. It was the first time that TCU had swept the season series against an opponent in Big 12 play in consecutive seasons. The Horned Frogs’ all-time winning percentage of 47.6 percent against the Cyclones is their highest among current Big 12 opponents.

UP NEXT

TCU will play its first road game of the season at Kansas State on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.