TCU Basketball vs No. 2 Baylor: Preview

We live in the worst timeline. Baylor Basketball is one of the best teams in the country — both the men’s and women’s programs are ranked in the top five. This coming off of their most successful football season in years. And this just a year after Texas Tech played for a National Championship in hoops.

Everything is terrible.

TCU Basketball has endured their share of pain in 2020 — both of the physical and emotional variety. Francisco Farabello is out for the foreseeable future with a concussion and RJ Nembhard is doubtful for Saturday’s game after straining his groin in warmups prior to the Frogs loss at Iowa State. Things have gone from bad to worse for Jamie Dixon’s program, so much so that folks are questioning how hot his seat may be:

(he is, by the way)

Now they welcome Baylor to town, facing off against a Bears’ team that has lost just once in their last 25 games and certainly looks the part of title contender. I’m sure everything will be just fine.

GAME INFORMATION

FEB. 29 | SCHOLLMAIER ARENA (6,800) | FORT WORTH, TEXAS | 1 PM

Broadcast: ESPN

Play-By-Play: Chuckie Kempf

Analyst: Tim Welsh

Online: WatchESPN.com // ESPN App

Radio: KLIF 570 AM XM 375 - (375 online)

Play-By-Play: Brian Estridge

Analyst: John Denton Online: HFTV // TuneIn

Series: Baylor leads 102-84

In Fort Worth: TCU leads 42-41

In Waco: Baylor leads 56-39

Neutral: Baylor leads 5-3

First Meeting: Baylor won 37-6 (1908-09) in Waco

Last Meeting: Baylor won 68-52 (2/1/20) in Waco

Winning Streak: BU, W2

Dixon vs. BU: 3-4

NOTES

• TCU will host No. 2 Baylor Saturday at 1 p.m. on ESPN. It will be the highest ranked opponent that TCU has ever played in Schollmaier Arena and the highest ranked at home since playing No. 1 Kansas on Dec. 1, 2003. The Frogs have defeated two ranked teams at home this season, No. 18 Texas Tech and No. 17 West Virginia.
• It’s TCU’s first Leap Day game since 1992. The Frogs are 2-3 all-time on Feb. 29.
• The Frogs are 13-4 at home this season. TCU has won 16 of its last 23 Big 12 home games and is 5-2 this season after going 5-4 last season. TCU is 20-14 in Big 12 home games overall under Jamie Dixon.
• Jamie Dixon has 411 career wins, tied with Jim Boeheim for the fifth-most of any head coach through 17 seasons.
• TCU leads the Big 12 in 3-pointers made per game (8.4) and blocks (5.0). The Frogs rank 18th nationally in blocks per game.
• TCU’s three returning players from last season are senior Desmond Bane and sophomores RJ Nembhard and Kevin Samuel.
• Bane, who earned multiple preseason honors, including one of 10 finalists for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, ranks second in the Big 12 in scoring (15.9) and leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goal percentage (41.7) and first in 3-point field goals made (2.7). He’s made a 3-pointer in 18 straight games.
• Samuel is shooting 65.5 percent from the field and is averaging 8.7 rebounds per game, which ranks sixth in the Big 12, and 2.8 blocks per game, which leads the Big 12 and ranks 10th in the nation. Samuel’s 11 double-doubles rank second in the Big 12. He’s had at least five blocks in a game eight times this season.
• Bane is top five all-time at TCU in career points (5th), field goals (5th) and 3-pointers (4th). At 1,697 career points, Bane is chasing Dick O’Neal for fourth at 1,723 points.
• At 155 career blocked shots, Samuel is fifth on TCU’s all-time list. Kurt Thomas is next at 166 blocks. Samuel’s 78 blocks this season is the third-most in a season at TCU. Vladimir Brodziansky’s 82 during the 2016-17 season is No. 2.

LAST TIME OUT

Desmond Bane’s double-double led a valiant comeback effort by short-handed TCU which lost at Iowa State, 65-59, on Tuesday. Bane led TCU in points (22), rebounds (11) and assists (5) for the fifth time this season. Playing without guards RJ Nembhard (groin) and Francisco Farabello (head), TCU took lead, with 17 second-half points by Bane, after being down 18 points, before losing by six.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Baylor is 25-2 overall and 14-1 in the Big 12 following an 85-66 win over Kansas State on Tuesday. The Bears are led by Jared Butler’s 15.7 points per game, which ranks second in the Big 12, and Freddie Gillespie’s 8.8 rebounds per game. Baylor ranks fifth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing an average of 58.7 points per game.

SERIES HISTORY

Baylor leads the all-time series 102-84. TCU has won three of the last five meetings including the last two games in Fort Worth. Baylor, No. 1 at the time, defeated TCU, 68-52, in the first meeting this season in Waco.

UP NEXT

TCU plays at No. 1 Kansas (25-3, 14-1) Tuesday at 7 p.m. on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.