Preview & Game Thread: TCU Basketball vs. Southern

We’ve made it folks, the TCU Horned Frogs Men’s Basketball season is finally here. Jamie Dixon begins his eighth season as TCU Head Coach, coming off consecutive bids to the NCAA Tournament, leading the Frogs to the Round of 32 both seasons. TCU will be without team leaders Mike Miles Jr. and Damion Baugh from a season ago, but brings in a Top-5 rated transfer class highlighted by Kansas Center Ernest Udeh Jr. and Delaware PG Jameer Nelson Jr. Top returner for the Horned Frogs is Preseason All-Big 12 Forward Emanuel Miller, joined by fellow Forwards Chuck O’Bannon Jr, JaKobe Coles, and Xavier Cork and Guard Micah Peavy.

TCU opens vs. the Southern Jaguars, which finished the 2022-23 campaign with a 15-17 overall record, earning the 4-seed in the SWAC Tournament, but fell in the opening game vs. 5-seed Alabama A&M. The Baton Rouge squad was picked to finish 5th in the SWAC this season, earning 1 first place vote in the preseason poll and did not place any players on the preseason All-SWAC first or second teams. The Jags are expected to be led by redshirt senior Texas State transfer guard Brandon Davis who shot over 35% on three-point attempts

Last year’s season opener saw the Frogs ranked in the Top 15 and favored by 36 points only for the SWAC’s Arkansas Pine-Bluff to sprint to a 20-point advantage and had a shot at the buzzer to pull the upset, but it missed and TCU escaped with the victory. Will tonight’s game have similar drama or will the Frogs handle their business at home?

Join the conversation in the comments as we follow tonight’s game!

GAME 1: VS. SOUTHERN JAGUARS

NOV. 6 | SCHOLLMAIER ARENA (6,800) | FORT WORTH, TX | 8 PM

How to watch & listen:

Broadcast: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Online Streaming: WatchESPN // ESPN App
Play-By-Play: Brian Estridge Analyst: Colin Boddicker
Radio: AM 570 KLIF Play-By-Play: Jeff Williams Analyst: Bingo Merriex
Online: HFTV // TuneIn // Varsity Sirius XM: 382

Series History:

Series: TCU leads 1-0
First Meeting: TCU won 68-57 (12/18/12) in Fort Worth
Winning Streak: TCU, W1
Dixon vs. SU: First Meeting

Rankings:

TCU
AP: RV
Coaches: RV
KenPom: 30
T-Rank: 14
Haslam: 23

Southern
TCU
AP: NR
Coaches: NR
KenPom: 328
T-Rank: 344
Haslam: 283

Draftkings Sportsbook Odds:
Spread: TCU -27.5
Point Total: 139