TCU Men’s Basketball vs Texas A&M: Preview and Gamethread

TCU and Texas A&M have been playing basketball since 1914. Think about that for a second. The game of basketball itself was invented a scant 25 years before the Frogs and Aggies first took the hardwood against each other.

Pretty crazy.

In the century+ since, the two teams have faced off 164 times total, with the Aggies winning the bulk of those games. But they haven’t played since the SWC days (last meeting in 1996) and TCU has won each of the last two contest. They’ll get a chance again today, when the Aggies roll into Dickies Arena with a 3-0 record.

Broadcast: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Play-By-Play: Ted Emrich

Analyst: Lance Blanks

Online: WatchESPN.com // ESPN App

Radio: KTCK The Ticket 96.7 FM/1310 AM XM/Online: -/982

Play-By-Play: Brian Estridge

Analyst: John Denton Online: HFTV // TuneIn

Series: Texas A&M leads 88-76

In Fort Worth: Tied 38-38

In College Station: TAMU leads 45-31

Neutral: TCU leads 7-5

First Meeting: TCU won 28-20 (1914-15) in Col. Station

Last Meeting: TCU won 91-89 (2/26/96) in Col. Station

Winning Streak: TCU W2

Dixon vs. Texas A&M: First Meeting

NOTES

- TCU faces Texas A&M on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a neutral site game at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. Called the Lone Star Showdown, the game will be shown on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

- TCU was involved in the first basketball game played at Dickies Arena. The Frogs lost to USC, 80-78, on Dec. 6 last season.

- Five of TCU’s six games have been decided by 10 or fewer points.

- The Horned Frogs started 4-0 for the fourth time in the five seasons under Jamie Dixon.

- Junior guard RJ Nembhard ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 17.6 points per game and eighth with 4.2 assists per game.

- Junior center Kevin Samuel is TCU’s career leader with 177 blocked shots. He leads the Big 12 with 2.5 blocks per game.

- Samuel’s 10.8 rebounds per game leads the Big 12 and ranks 16th in the nation. His 3.5 offensive rebounds ranks third in the Big 12.

- Freshman guard Mike Miles scored 20 points against Providence on Wednesday, his second-consecutive 20-point game. He’s the first TCU freshman to record multiple 20-point games in a season since Kyan Anderson (2011-12).

- Jamie Dixon is two games away from No. 600 for his career and 12 wins away from his 100th win at TCU. In his five seasons at TCU, his teams have gone 44-9 in November and December combined.

- As a player at TCU, Dixon went 5-10 against Texas A&M. He won three of his last four games against the Aggies. This will be Dixon’s first meeting with Texas A&M as a head coach.

- TCU’s 11 underclassmen is the fourth most in the country and ties with Kansas State for the most in the Big 12 Conference. Freshmen and sophomores are accounting for 55 percent of TCU’s points.

LAST TIME OUT

RJ Nembhard totaled team highs in points (25), rebounds (7) and assists (7), but TCU was unable to overcome a double-digit halftime deficit in a 79-70 loss to Providence on Wednesday in the Big 12/Big East Battle. Nembhard’s 25 points came on a career-high 11 made field goals on 17 attempts, including a 3-of-5 effort from 3-point range. TCU was without sophomore guards Francisco Farabello and PJ Fuller.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Texas A&M is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since the 2017-18 season after an 81-68 win over UTRGV on Sunday. Sophomore forward Emanuel Miller leads the Aggies with 22 points and 10 rebounds per game. Texas A&M went 19-14 last year in Buzz Williams’ first season as head coach. This season, the Aggies were picked to finish 11th in the SEC Preseason Poll.

SERIES HISTORY

Saturday will be the first meeting between the Horned Frogs and the Aggies since the two were members of the Southwest Conference and met at least twice every season from 1924-1996. Texas A&M leads the all-time series 88-76. TCU leads the series 7-5 in neutral site games. The last neutral site game in the series was an 81-70 win by the Aggies in Dallas on March 6, 1987.

UP NEXT

TCU will resume Big 12 Conference play at Oklahoma State on Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.