TCU to Welcome Texas Tech Tuesday Night
11/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 22, 2004
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Setting the Scene
The TCU Horned Frogs are 2-0 for the first time since 2001-02 and for just the third time in the last seven seasons. TCU has won its two games by double-figure margins and are seeking the team's first-ever three-game winning streak under head coach Neil Dougherty. TCU is looking to snap a three-game losing streak against the Texas Tech Red Raiders (1-0) and avenge a seven-point defeat (67-60) last year in Lubbock. The Horned Frogs have won six of their last seven games against instate foes, with the lone loss over that time coming at the hands of the Red Raiders.
Series History
TCU trails the all-time series by a 68-43 margin. This is the 112th meeting between the two schools. Since 1955, these two former Southwest Conference rivals have squared off at least once in all but one season (1999-00). The longest TCU winning streak in the series is four games, which has happened twice, most recently from 1996-2000. Texas Tech dominated the series from 1973-1981 with 19 consecutive victories and won eight straight from 1992-1995. Last year's game was the first decided by fewer than 10 points since a 93-89 TCU win in 1996. Prior to that, three of the four and five of the seven previous games were determined by four or fewer points. Since the breakup of the Southwest Conference after the 1995-96 season, TCU owns a 4-3 advantage over Texas Tech, but has lost three straight meetings.
The Last TCU-Texas Tech Meeting in Fort Worth
The lone Daniel-Meyer Coliseum sellout crowd of the 2002-03 season saw the Texas Tech Red Raiders defeat the TCU Horned Frogs 84-66 on Dec. 3. The Horned Frogs made just 1-of-17 (.059) three-point attempts on the evening. The Frogs were within eight, 66-58, with seven minutes remaining until a game-clinching 10-1 Texas Tech run in just 81 seconds put the game out of reach. The loss was the second-largest of the season for the Horned Frogs.
Last Year's TCU-Texas Tech Game
Andre Emmett scored 27 points as Texas Tech held off a late-game charge to beat TCU 67-60 in Lubbock on Dec. 10, 2003. Tech built 15-point leads twice in the second half but the Horned Frogs used an 8-0 run late in the game to whittle the deficit to four at 63-59 on a 3-pointer and a field goal by Marcus Shropshire with 2:48 remaining. Tech scored only one field goal in the last 8:43 of the game, but hung on for the win. Shropshire, a former Red Raider player during Bob Knight's first season as Tech's coach, got 16 of his 18 points in the second half, hitting on 4-of-8 3-pointers. Corey Santee scored 16 points and Nucleus Smith added 13 for TCU. Only four Tech players scored. Tech led 36-27 at halftime. The Red Raiders used a 18-0 run, holding the Horned Frogs scoreless for almost nine minutes before Santee hit a layup to make it 29-14 with 6:25 remaining in the half. Emmett scored the first nine points for Tech and finished the half with 19.
Messing With Texas
Dating back to the start of last year, TCU has won six of its last seven games against teams from the state of Texas, including four straight versus instate squads. The lone loss last season was a seven-point decision in Lubbock to Texas Tech, a team that went on to reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. TCU will play eight games against teams from Texas this season. Of the Frogs' first nine opponents, five are instate foes.
Starting With Two
TCU is 2-0 for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign and for just the third time in the past seven seasons. The Horned Frogs have been 3-0 twice in the last six seasons (2000-01 and 2001-02). The last time that the Frogs began a campaign 4-0 was in 1997-98. That season marked TCU's most recent visit to the NCAA Tournament.
On the Boards
The TCU Horned Frogs have dominated the backboards in the first two games of the year, outrebounding Texas-Arlington 55-40 and Shawnee State 53-36. Thus far, Chudi Chinweze (9.0), Femi Ibikunle (7.0) and Judson Stubbs (6.5) are averaging at least 5.0 rebounds per game. Last year, the Horned Frogs did not have any player average as many as 5 boards per contest. Chinweze led the way at 4.9 per game. As a team, TCU has already had at least 50 rebounds twice this season after not reaching that figure once all of last season.
Before the Half
The Horned Frogs have played their best basketball of the season late in the first half of both games this season. Added depth has been a key to the surges in both regular-season games. Leading Texas-Arlington 24-20 with 8:17 left in the first half, the Horned Frogs outscored the Mavericks 16-9 to take a 40-29 advantage into intermission. Leading Shawnee State 27-24 with 5:57 remaining before half, the Horned Frogs went on an 18-2 spurt to take a 45-26 advantage into the locker room.
Getting Things Iron Out
Since starting out the 2003-04 season with a 1-4 record, the Horned Frogs have gone 13-13. Included in that mark are a pair of wins last year over Marquette and a 25-point upset victory over 10th ranked Louisville during the 2004 Conference USA season. TCU went 7-9 in conference play last year in a league that received six NCAA Tournament bids and two NIT nods.
I Thought They Weren't Playing Hockey This Season
The TCU Horned Frogs have been changing lines often this season, as the Frogs have not played any player more than 23 minutes in a game this season. Thus far, TCU has 11 players who are averaging double figures in minutes. Guard Corey Santee, who over his career has averaged 32.7 minutes per game, leads the way at 22.0. The senior has played the second-fewest minutes (44) over any two consecutive games in his career. The only time he played less during a two-game stretch was during his freshman year, when he played 15 minutes against Tulane and 21 at Marquette during his freshman year for a total of 36.
