TCU Men Host Grambling State in Nightcap
12/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2003
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Series History
TCU leads the all-time series with Grambling State by a 4-0 count. TCU picked up a 103-84 victory over the Tigers in Fort Worth on Dec. 30, 2002. The 103 points are the most ever by the Horned Frogs under Head Coach Neil Dougherty. TCU has topped the 100-point plateau in each of the last three meetings between the two teams, winning by an average score of 122-96. The 143 points in a 143-110 win over Grambling on Dec. 30, 1999, are the second-most ever scored by a Frog team.
Gimme a Break
From Nov. 29 through Dec. 13, TCU played seven games in 15 days. However, since Dec. 14, the Frogs have had just one game in the next 15-day span.
Some Tough Competition
TCU's first nine opponents are now a combined 59-25 (.702) on the year and the current combined record of TCU's 11 nonconference opponents is 70-32 (.686). The Horned Frogs' strength of schedule is currently ranked 36th in the nation.
Under-Rated Squads Visit DMC
Most people know that TCU had a showdown with then-No. 1 Kansas this year, but few realize that the Horned Frogs have played three teams that are currently ranked in CollegeInsider.com's Mid-Major Top 25. The Murray State Racers (10-1) are ninth in themost recent poll (Dec. 22), while the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (7-2) sit 16th and the Arkansas State Indians (8-2) are 17th.
Clamping Down
TCU has held eight of its first nine opponents under the 80-point mark this year. Last year, the Frogs allowed fewer than 80 points just 10 times in 28 games. The last time that TCU allowed fewer than 80 points nine times in any 10-game stretch occurred in the 1992-93 season (Dec. 11, 1992-Jan. 23, 1993).
Staying Close to Home
This is the third game of a six-game homestand for TCU. The Horned Frogs, who will play nine of their 11 nonconference tilts in the friendly confines of Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, will not travel again until a Jan. 13 contest at Houston.
Diff'rent Strokes
TCU is averaging 77.7 points per game in the team's three victories, topping the 80-point mark twice. In the six losses, the Frogs are averaging 61.2 points per game and have not broken 70 in any of those games.
Out of State, Out of Mind
TCU has a chance to get two monkeys off its back today. The Frogs are 0-5 against teams from out of the state this season and 0-3 against schools with State in their names. Grambling State is located in Grambling, Louisiana.
RPI Ratings
The TCU Horned Frogs are rated No. 157 in the most recent RPI ratings, with a strength of schedule ranked 36th in the country. To highlight how tough TCU's schedule is, just 17 schools that have losing records against Division I teams are ahead of 3-6 TCU.
Traditionally Speaking
The Frogs' six losses have come against schools and/or coaches with great basketball success. In the last 10 years, the six schools--Kansas (10), Tulsa (8), Murray State (5), Texas Tech (2), Washington State (1) and Arkansas State--have combined to make 27 NCAA Tournament appearances. In addition, Washington State coach Dick Bennett took eighth-seeded Wisconsin to the 2000 NCAA Final Four, Kansas coach Bill Self led underdog Tulsa to the Elite Eight (2000), and Texas Tech coach Bob Knight previously directed Indiana to three NCAA Titles (1976, 1981, and 1987) and Final Fours in 1973 and 1992.
Tightening Up the D
TCU is holding its opponents to just 68.2 points per game, which is the best figure for a Horned Frog team since 1991-92, when opponents averaged 66.3 points. TCU allowed 80.4 points per game last year as opponents shot 47.4 percent from the floor. This year, TCU's defense is holding opponents to 42.5 percent shooting.
Beginning to Rebound
TCU secured 87 rebounds over the first two games (43.5 per contest), before dragging down just 104 boards in the next four games (26.0 average). TCU has started to rebound again, winning the battle on the boards in two of the last three games, averaging 38.3 per contest.
Less Offensive on the Boards
TCU had 50 offensive rebounds in the first three games of the year, an average of more than 16 per game. However, in the last six games, the Horned Frogs have just 53 offensive caroms (8.8 per game). In the first three games, the glass work gave the Horned Frogs 41 more shots than their opponents (13.7 per game), while in the last six contests, TCU has had 43 fewer attempts at the rim (-7.2 per game) than the opposition.
Big Turnovers
Of the seven players who have played the most minutes for TCU (three guards, three forwards, one center), the Frog ball handlers have committed just 41 turnovers in 729 minutes (one per 17.8 minutes of play), while the four big men have made 79 in 689 minutes (one per 8.7 minutes).
You Don't Think Defense Matters?
In TCU's three victories, its opponents have shot just 31.7 percent (53-for-167), while in the five losses, the teams have made 47.9 percent of their attempts (160-for-334).
Off the Bench and Into the Bucket
TCU's nonstarters have accounted for 292 of the team's 598 points this year (48.8 percent). In addition, the TCU bench has outscored the opponents' subs by a combined 292-178 total (12.7 points per game). TCU's reserve corp has been outscored just twice this season, by nine points against Kansas and by four points at Washington State.
Game TCU Opp
Texas-Arlington 49 21
Tulsa 26 19
Kansas 24 33
Murray State 35 16
Washington State 25 29
Stephen F. Austin 37 15
Texas Tech 22 0
North Texas 37 35
Arkansas State 37 10
Totals 292 178
Looking For 20
TCU has not had a 20-point scorer in any of the first nine games of the 2003-04 season plus the last game of 2002-03. The last time TCU went 10 straight games without a 20-point performer occurred from Dec. 4, 1987 to Jan. 17, 1988 (13 straight games).
Playing Close to a Dozen
TCU has played at least 11 players in each of the first nine games of the season. In addition, 10 Horned Frogs are currently seeing more than 10 minutes of action per game.
Horned Frogs at Home
TCU has compiled a record of 351 wins and 206 losses (.630) in the 557 games at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum since 1961. Since the 1981-82 season, the Horned Frogs sport an overall home record of 234 wins and 86 losses (.731).
The Charity Stripe Has Been More Giving
After shooting just 59.0 percent from the free throw line in the first five games of the season (62-for-105), TCU is 72-for-96 (.750) over the last four games, raising its season percentage by more than seven percent to 66.7. In seven of the last nine years, TCU has shot better than 70 percent for the season from the charity stripe.
80 is Enough
TCU is now 3-22 (.120) under Dougherty when scoring fewer than 80 points and 9-3 (.750) when reaching the 80-point mark. TCU has scored 1,027 points (85.6 points per game) in Coach D's 12 victories and 1,675 points (67.0) in the 25 losses.
Santee Joins Elite Group
TCU junior guard Corey Santee became the 27th player in TCU history to reach the 1,000-point plateau when he scored 16 on Dec. 10 in Lubbock. The native of Flint, Mich., now has 1,021 career points, which ranks 25th. He is on pace for 1,730 points, a figure that would rank second in school annals behind only Darrell Browder (1,886). If Santee continues at his career scoring pace of 15.0 points per game, he would rank 11th all-time heading into his senior season.
TCU's Shrop Shooter
TCU junior transfer Marcus Shropshire has led TCU in scoring a team-best five times through nine games. He scored 14 points and added a team- and career-high eight assists in the season opener against Texas-Arlington on Nov. 22. On Dec. 8, he netted a then-career-high 17 points against Stephen F. Austin. However, on Dec. 10 he drained a new career-best 18 points against his former team, the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Sixteen of his team-high total came following intermission.
