Frogs Travel to Evansville for MW-MVC Challenge
12/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 2, 2011
GAME #8 - TCU (5-2) at EVANSVILLE (3-2)
TCU GAME NOTES 
// EVANSVILLE GAME NOTES // LIVE AUDIO 
// LIVE STATS
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011 // 7 p.m. CST // Evansville, Ind. // Ford Center (11,000)
Series Record: First Meeting
TCU Head Coach: Jim Christian (Rhode Island, `88)
Record at TCU: 43-60 (.417) in 4th season // Overall: 181-118 (.605) in 10th season
UE Head Coach: Marty Simmons (Evansville, `87)
Record at UE: 54-74 (.422) in 5th season // Overall: 152-147 (.508) in 11th season
Radio: 1460 AM (KCLE), 88.7 FM (KTCU) // Talent: Jeff Williams (pxp), Herb Stephens (analyst)
Internet: GoFrogs.com (radio, live stats) // Television: None
FORT WORTH - TCU returns to the road Saturday, when it travels to Evansville, Ind., to take on the Evansville Purple Aces in the third annual MW-MVC Challenge. Tip-off from the Aces' Ford Center is set for 7 p.m.
This year's MW-MVC Challenge features eight games between Mountain West and Missouri Valley Conference squads, including Saturday's TCU-Evansville contest. The MW went 8-1 in last year's challenge and owns a 12-6 mark through the series' first two years.
The Horned Frogs bring a 5-2 overall record into the weekend following Wednesday's 77-72 home victory over Lamar. The squad has won consecutive games and can match its season-high winning streak with a third straight victory Saturday. Another win would also give the Frogs six in their opening eight games for only the second time since 2000-01. Last season's squad also opened up with a 6-2 mark.
TCU and Evansville will meet for the first time ever on the hardwood. The Frogs are 9-21 all-time against current members of the MVC.
Saturday's matchup against the Aces will be broadcast live on the radio throughout the Metroplex on both 1460 AM KCLE and 88.7 FM KTCU with Jeff Williams (play-by-play) and Herb Stephens (analyst) serving as the play-by-play team. Links to both the live radio Internet feed and live stats will be available via TCU's official athletics website, GoFrogs.com.
FROG QUICK NOTES
* Both TCU's Jim Christian and Evansville's Marty Simmons will be coaching in their 300th career games Saturday.
* Four of TCU's five wins have been by five points or fewer, including each of the team's victories vs. Division I opponents.
* A win at Evansville would be TCU's second straight on the road. The Frogs had previously dropped 11 straight true road games dating back to last year.
* TCU has totaled 13 or more offensive rebounds in four straight contests.
* Amric Fields has scored in double figures a career-best three consecutive games.
* Kyan Anderson has set career scoring highs in back-to-back contests, including 15 points in TCU's latest outing vs. Lamar.
* TCU is forcing an average of 21.7 turnovers per game, nearly 2.5 more than any other Mountain West team.
* TCU ranks third in the MW in turnover margin (+5.29) and 18th nationally. The Frogs are No. 2 in the MW in steals (8.86 spg).
* Hank Thorns is shooting 51.2% in the second half of games this season, compared to a first-half rate of only 16.0%.
* Thorns, who has played only 39 games as a Frog, is just 63 assists shy of entering the team's career top-10 list (321).
* Thorns is No. 6 in the MW in assists and steals; tied for No. 9 in minutes played; and tied for No. 13 in scoring.
* J.R. Cadot is No. 2 in the MW in offensive rebounds; No. 3 in the MW in total rebounds; No. 4 in field-goal shooting; No. 8 in defensive rebounds; and tied for No. 13 in scoring.
* Cadot has scored in double figures three straight games, five times in seven contests this season and 12 times in the last 16 games dating back to last February. He had only four such efforts in 25 career games prior to the current stretch.
* Cadot has pulled down at least five total rebounds in each game this season.
* Garlon Green has at least one 3-pointer in each of the last six games, the team's longest streak.
* Green leads TCU in career games played (71), starts (39) and points (575) as a Frog, while Cadot is tops in career rebounds (246).
SCOUTING EVANSVILLE
Evansville, 3-2 this season under fifth-year head coach Marty Simmons, posted a home victory over Alabama State in its most recent outing (62-55). The squad is 3-1 overall at home, including an 80-77 overtime win over Butler in the season opener.
The Purple Aces, who advanced to the second round of the CBI Tournament last spring, return 10 lettermen and three starters from a team that went 16-16 overall and finished sixth in the MVC with a 9-9 league mark.
UE entered the week rated high nationally in turnover margin (+4.8, No. 30); 3-point shooting (39.7%, No. 46); steals (8.4 spg, No. 52); field-goal shooting (47.0%, No. 61); and scoring average (74.0 ppg, No. 63).
Junior guard Ryan Colt leads the team in scoring (17.4 ppg) and steals (2.4 spg), while senior forward Kenny Harris (14.6 ppg) and junior Ned Cox (11.4 ppg) also average double figures. Harris is the Aces' top rebounder at 6.2 rpg and is shooting over 60% from the field (23-of-38).
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS*
TCU
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | PPG | RPG | APG |
| 4 | Amric Fields | F | 6-9 | 215 | So. | 10.0 | 2.6 | 0.9^ |
| 10 | Hank Thorns | G | 5-9 | 165 | Sr. | 11.6 | 2.7 | 4.7 |
| 21 | Nate Butler | G | 6-6 | 200 | Jr. | 3.1 | 3.3 | 1.0# |
| 23 | J.R. Cadot | G | 6-5 | 210 | Sr. | 11.6 | 7.6 | 1.9 |
| 24 | Adrick McKinney | F | 6-8 | 260 | Jr. | 8.1 | 4.4 | 1.3 |
EVANSVILLE
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | PPG | RPG | APG |
| 3 | Matt Peeler | F/C | 6-8 | 240 | Sr. | 0.4 | 2.0 | 0.4^ |
| 5 | Troy Taylor | G | 6-0 | 184 | Jr. | 5.2 | 4.8 | 2.8 |
| 11 | Colt Ryan | G | 6-5 | 210 | Jr. | 17.4 | 4.6 | 3.0 |
| 32 | Kenny Harris | F | 6-6 | 185 | Sr. | 14.6 | 6.2 | 1.6# |
| 34 | Denver Holmes | F | 6-4 | 180 | Sr. | 8.8 | 2.3 | 3.0 |
TCU IN THE MW-MVC CHALLENGE
TCU will be making its third appearance in the Mountain West-Missouri Valley Conference Challenge Saturday at Evansville. The Frogs dropped their previous two matchups in the conference series.
* TCU fell to Wichita State by an 80-68 score in the Frogs' 2009 MW-MVC Challenge matchup in Wichita, Kan. The MVC won the year's challenge by a 6-5 count.
* TCU suffered a tough home loss to Northern Iowa in the 2010 MW-MVC Challenge, 64-60, but the MW recorded an 8-1 win in the leagues' matchup series.
CARDIAC KIDS
TCU has shown the ability to win close games this season, as four of the team's five wins have come by five points or fewer. The only Frog victory by more than five points was against a non-Division I opponent, Austin College.
* Overall, TCU is 4-0 in games decided by five points or fewer this season. The Frogs' fortunes appear to have changed from last season, when they went only 1-5 in such contests. The lone win came at Texas Tech, 81-77.
* The four close wins already rank as the most by five points or fewer in an entire season for TCU since 2008-09, when the Frogs totaled five.
* TCU trailed with only 6.1 seconds remaining during its Nov. 26 road win at Houston before J.R. Cadot delivered the winning layup at the buzzer.
* Cadot also provided the winning points during TCU's Nov. 18 win over Virginia at the Paradise Jam, grabbing an offensive rebound off a missed free throw, laying the ball in and drawing the foul with under 20 seconds remaining. The Frogs held off the Cavaliers late for the 57-55 win.
* Hank Thorns helped give hold off a late Florida Gulf Coast rally in the season opener, scoring on a scoop layup shot with only 11 seconds left to provide the winning points as the Eagles rallied late during a 73-72 TCU victory.
