TCU set to open seven-game homestand
12/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 4, 2001
Today's Game: The TCU Horned Frogs (4-3) return to Daniel-Meyer Coliseum Tuesday, December 4 to host Creighton (3-0) in a non-conference game. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. The Frogs are coming off of a 99-86 loss to Texas Tech on December 1, while Creighton defeated Grambling 102-64 on November 29. The Creighton game will be the first of seven consecutive home games. TCU will next host Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday, December 8.
Radio/TV: The Creighton game can be heard on ESPN 103.3 FM or KTCU (88.7 FM) with Brian Estridge (play-by-play) and former TCU basketball letterman Herb Stephens (analysis) describing the action. The game will not be televised.
Billy Tubbs: One of the nation's winningest coaches, Billy Tubbs is in his 8th season at TCU and his 28th overall as a head coach. His career record stands at 583-285, which places him 12th among the NCAA's winningest active coaches. Tubbs needs only 17 wins to reach the 600 victory plateau. Only 35 coaches have won at least 600 games in their respective careers. While at TCU, Tubbs has recorded a win-loss mark of 144-83. He is assisted by Brian Fish, Rob Flaska and Scott Edgar.
Home Sweet Home: Under Billy Tubbs, Daniel-Meyer Coliseum has developed into one of the more difficult places for opponents to play. Since arriving in Fort Worth, Tubbs' coached teams have posted an impressive 96-20 mark at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. Last season, the Frogs recorded a 15-1 win-loss mark at Daniel-Meyer.
Conference USA Preseason Poll: The league head coaches have picked TCU to finish fifth in the National Division of Conference USA. Preseason top-25 team Memphis is picked to win the National Division, while Cincinnati is the top pick in the American Division. South Florida is picked to finish second in the National Division, and they are followed by UAB, Southern Miss, TCU, Houston and then Tulane. Charlotte is picked to finish second in the American Division, followed by Marquette, Louisville, Saint Louis, DePaul and East Carolina.
TCU vs. Creighton: Entering tonight's game, TCU and Creighton have met once on the hardwood. In the 1959 season, Creighton defeated TCU, 72-64, in Omaha. TCU assistant coach Brian Fish served as an assistant coach at Creighton during the 1994-96 seasons.
About the Bluejays: Creighton is under the direction of head cooach Dana Altman, who has a career record of 209-153 in over 12 years as a head coach. The Bluejays are 3-0 this season after posted wins over North Carolina A&T, then 17th-ranked Western Kentucky and Grambling. Four Bluejays are averaging double figures, including Kyle Korver, who leads the team with a 17.3 average. Over the past four-plus seasons, Creighton has gone 90-37, the best winning percentage of any team in the Missouri Valley Conference. Last year's Creighton team became the first Bluejay squad to qualify for three-straight NCAA tournament appearances.
100 Points is the Magic Number: Since Coach Tubbs took over the TCU program in 1994, the Frogs are 57-1 when they score 100 or more points. In fact, TCU has won 47 straight games when scoring at least 100 points. TCU's first 100-point game of this season was a 100-57 win over Monticello. The last loss was a 111-104 setback to Baylor on Feb. 14, 1995. In Tubbs' 28 seasons as a head coach, his teams have eclipsed the 100-point mark a total of 215 times, posting a record of 212-3. Last season, the Frogs went over the century mark 12 times, plus they scored more than 90 points in 18 games as they lead the nation in scoring with a 93.6 average. The Frogs also led the nation in scoring in 1994-95, 1997-98, and they finished second in 1999-2000.
Hold The Opponent to 80 or Less: While the Frogs have been averaging close to 100 points per game, the TCU defense has done a solid job holding opponents to 80 or less. Since Coach Tubbs took over the TCU program in 1994, the Frogs have a record of 86-19, when holding opponents to 80 points or less. This season, the Frogs are 3-0, when holding opponents to 80 points or less. TCU has held Northwestern State (79 points), Arkansas-Monticello (57 points) and UTEP (73 points) below the 80-point mark.
Three-Point Shooting: TCU has attempted at least 20 three-pointers in each of the first seven games this season. Last year, TCU launched 20 or more three-point shots in 22 of its 31 games. In the 99-86 loss to Texas Tech, the Frogs hit a season-high 50% (10-20) of their three-point shots. In the last three games, the Frogs are shooting 43.3% (26-60) from three-point range. Against Northwestern State, TCU made a season-best 11 three-pointers in 26 attempts. Last season, the Frogs attempted a school-record 36 three-point shots against Central Oklahoma. TCU also established school records for three-point field goals made (268) and three-point field goals attempted (704). (See chart to the right for three-point shooting totals under Billy Tubbs.)
Nuke Returns: After missing the first six games of the season, sophomore guard Nucleus Smith returned to the lineup against Texas Tech. Smith, who twisted his ankle in an exhibition game against Athletes First, played a total of 15 minutes vs. Tech, scoring six points and dishing out a pair of assists. Smith, who started both of the exhibition games, started 10-of-30 contests last year, averaging 6.9 points, while dishing out 57 assists and picking up 33 steals. He scored in double figures in 10 games, including eight of the final 12 contests.
Welcome to TCU: Not only are TCU's top two scorers in their initial season at TCU, this is also their first year in Division I basketball. Thru the first seven games this season, newcomers have accounted for 71% (447 of 632) of the points scored by the Frogs. Overall, the five newcomers that have played thus far, are averaging a combined 67.3 points, 25.0 rebounds and 16.2 assists per game. Against Southwest Texas, Junior Blount, Corey Santee and Jamal Brown combined for 64 points, 23 rebounds, 13 assists and five steals. A newcomer has led TCU in scoring in five of the first six games played.
Diaper Dandies: In each of the first seven games this season, head coach Billy Tubbs has started two freshmen. True freshman Corey Santee has started all seven games at the point. Redshirt freshmen Corey Valsin has started four games, while James Davis has started three games. In addition, true freshman Marcus Sloan has played in five contests. The four freshmen have contributed a combined average of 32.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 10.9 assists.
Dishing out Assists: Freshman guard Corey Santee has opened his freshman campaign with 55 assists, an average of 7.9 per game. He has at least five assists in six-of-seven games, including a season-high 12 against Southwest Texas. According to the latest national stats on ESPN.com, Santee's average of 7.9 assists per game ranks second in Conference USA and fifth in the NCAA. In the Louisiana-Monroe contest, Santee reached double figures for the first time with 11 assists. As a team, the Frogs have recorded 123 assists, including a season-best 22 against Monticello. Junior Blount is second on the team with 23 assists.
"JB" Cleans the Boards: Jamal Brown continues to lead the Frogs in rebounding with an average of 10.9 boards per game. Brown, who has reached double figures in rebounds in five of the first seven games, is fifth in the latest C-USA rankings. Before Tech held him to a season-low boards, Brown had posted double-figure rebounds in each of the previous four contests. Against Southwest Texas, Brown had 16 rebounds, two shy of his season-high. The junior college transfer pulled down a season-high 18 boards against UTEP. One night later, he posted 10 boards against Oklahoma State. The 18 boards are the most by a TCU player since Lee Nailon had 22 rebounds against SMU on January 11, 1999. In his debut for the Frogs, Brown had 12 rebounds against Northwestern State, tying him for the team lead with Marlon Dumont. Last season at Seward County (Kansas) College, Brown averaged 14.1 rebounds per game to lead the Jayhawk Community College Conference.
B-I-N-G-O: Despite coming off the bench in each of the first seven games, junior forward Bingo Merriex is averaging 12.6 points per game. Merriex, who has reached double figures in four of the first seven games this season, scored a season-high 21 points against Texas Tech. His previous high was 18, which he scored against both Oklahoma State and Arkansas-Monticello. Against the Red Raiders, Merriex hit 9-of-14 shots, including three 3-pointers, in a season-high 35 minutes. Merriex is shooting 54.4% from the field and 47.1% from beyond the three-point line. In 22 minutes of action against Oklahoma State, Merriex hit 7-of-10 shots, including 4-of-7 from beyond three-point line. Merriex recorded his first double-double of the season, scoring 18 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in 24 minutes against Monticello. He hit 7-of-13 shots, including 3-of-8 three-point attempts. Merriex, who broke his right foot in late September, underwent surgery on October 1 and was scheduled to be out 6-8 weeks. After not playing in either of the two exhibition games, Merriex played 14 minutes against Northwestern State, scoring six points, while grabbing one rebound. Merriex led the Frogs down the final stretch of the 2000-01 season, scoring 21.7 points and pulling down 8.3 rebounds in the final seven games. Overall, he averaged 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season. In his TCU career, Merriex has scored 682 points, and he has hit 123 three-pointers in 315 attempts. He is currently sixth in career three-pointers made and seventh in career three-pointers attempted. He needs to hit 12 three-pointers to move past Albert Thomas into fifth in made three-pointers, and he needs 16 attempts to move past Thomas in career attempts.
Leading Scorers: In each of the first five games, the Frogs were led in scoring by a different player. Junior Blount put an end to the streak, scoring a game-high 28 vs. Southwest Texas. Corey Santee led the Frogs with 22 at Tech. Blount opened the season with 34 points against Northwestern State, then Santee led the team with 26 vs. Arkansas-Monticello. In the UTEP contest, the Frogs were led by Jamal Brown's 28 points. Marlon Dumont scored 20 against Oklahoma State and Corey Valsin led the Frogs with 20 against Louisiana-Monroe. In seven games, the Frogs have been led in scoring by a total of five different players.
Impressive Start for Blount: One of the bigger surprises this season has been the play of junior college transfer Junior Blount. Entering the Creighton game, Blount leads the Frogs in scoring with a 20.6 average. He has hit 23 three-pointers in 66 attempts this season. Plus, he is 15-of-16 at the charity stripe. His scoring average is fourth in the latest C-USA rankings, while his free-throw shooting percentage leads the conference. In the Northwestern State contest, Blount scored 34 points - the most points ever scored by a TCU individual in a season opener. It was also the most ever scored by a Frog in his first collegiate game. Blount hit 12-of-27 shots, including 7-of-15 three-pointers. The seven made three-pointers tied him for fifth in single-game three-pointers made, while the 15 attempts tied him for third. The school-record for three-pointers made is nine, which was set by Michael Strickland vs. Arkansas in the 1990 season. Malcolm Johnson owns the record for three-pointers attempted with 16 vs. Fresno State in 1998.
Bench Play: The TCU bench has scored a total of 150 points this season, an average of 21.4 points per game. Junior forward Bingo Merriex is the top scorer off the bench with an average of 12.2 points and 5.3 rebounds. In his first action of the season, guard Nucleus Smith came off the bench to score six points at Tech. In the only game he did not start this season, forward Jamal Brown recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds vs. Louisiana-Monroe.
Scoring Inside the Paint: Thru the first seven games, the Frogs have scored 240 points in the paint, an average of 34.2 points per game. Tech held TCU to a season-low 24 points in the paint, while the Red Raiders scored 48 points in the paint. TCU scored 34 points in the paint against Southwest Texas. The Frogs had scored 38 points in the paint in each of the previous two games (Oklahoma State and Monroe). After scoring 34 points in the paint against Northwestern State, the Frogs came back with a season-high 46 points in the paint against Monticello. Against UTEP, the Frogs scored a then season-low 28 points in the paint.
A Tale of Two Halves: The Frogs have been strong in the second half of each of the first seven games this season, outscoring opponents by 44 points (336-292). TCU is averaging 48.0 points in the second half, compared to the 42.2 points in the opening half. Horned Frog opponents are averaging 41.8 points in the first half, and 41.7 in the second half. The field goal percentage in the first half for the Frogs is 43.2, while in the second half, TCU is shooting 47.1 percent. TCU has trailed at the half in four of the seven games this season, and they have outscored opponents by only three points (296--293) in the opening half.
