2005-06 Men's Basketball Preview
10/31/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 31, 2005
Change is a constant factor in life, and if there's anyone that has been the face of change, it's none other than the TCU Horned Frog men's basketball team. Head coach Neil Dougherty, who is in his fourth season at the helm of the Frog program, has built his team into a strong contender among some of the elite in the nation. In addition, the winds of change have shifted westward for TCU this year as the Frogs begin competition in a new league in the Mountain West Conference.
A Blast from the Past
A member of Conference USA since the 2001-02 season, TCU made its move to the Mountain West Conference in July 1, 2005. In TCU's inaugural season of Conference USA, former Frog head coach Billy Tubbs closed out his era at 16-15 overall and 6-10 in C-USA action. Dougherty would take over the helm the following year, and the hard work from those rebuilding years would prove to have a significant payoff for the Horned Frogs.
Two years ago, the tide turned in TCU's favor when it seized wins over then-Conference USA foes Marquette and 10th-ranked Louisville. TCU placed itself in the record books, becoming just the third team in three seasons to defeat the Golden Eagles on their home court. Later, the Frogs notched its first win over a top-10 team since 1990 in a spectacular 71-46 victory over Rick Pitino's Cardinals squad.
Success continued for the Horned Frogs in 2004-05, as Dougherty and company compiled a 10-4 mark prior to league action. TCU collected key victories during the regular season over NCAA Tournament-bound teams Texas Tech and UAB.
The Frogs posted an 8-8 record in league play, their best since TCU joined Conference USA, and returned to the second round of the conference tournament for the second year in a row. The Purple and White beat Marquette, an NIT participant, in the opening round of the conference tournament before suffering a loss to sixth-ranked and NCAA Final Four squad Louisville.
TCU received the recognition it deserved for its performance last year as the Frogs advanced to postseason tournament play for the first time since 1999.
As a road team, TCU made a run all the way to the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Tournament. TCU defeated Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan before falling in a hard-fought battle at Maryland, 85-73. The Frogs' march in the NIT marked only the third time the Frogs reached the tournament quarterfinals in school history.
The Horned Frogs concluded their final campaign in C-USA at 21-14 overall, and earned the 10th 20-win season in school history and the most wins for the program since 1998-99.
A New League, A New Journey
This year, TCU embarks on a new journey as the Frogs find themselves the new kid on the block in the competitive Mountain West. In addition, the graduation of Corey Santee, Marcus Shropshire, Aaron Curtis and Marcus Sloan has dramatically changed the team's structure this year.
The Horned Frogs will not only compete on a whole new level in the MWC, but also face off against its new conference foes for the first time.
"There is very good parity in the Mountain West," Dougherty said. "It's difficult to measure each team when there are nine close in structure. It will definitely make for an interesting league race."
Dougherty remains conservative in his team's outlook in the new league.
"I think we will be somewhere in the middle of the pack," the head coach added. "In fact, this is the type of league I'm expecting where only a few points will separate each team in the conference standings. It'll be important to come out and play hard every time."
While there is no doubt this year's team is different, the talent and veteran experience among the group are plentiful. The 10 letterwinners returning to the lineup for 2005-06 are all too familiar with competing against some of the elite in the country.
Having battled NCAA-bound teams such as Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Memphis and UAB as a member of Conference USA the past four years, the Frogs have proven they can take on anyone any given night.
The Mountain West will be no exception for TCU as the Frogs have set their sights on making a trip to the NCAA Tournament this year. For Dougherty, his philosophy is quite simple.
"I've told the team that we need to play the whole season like one game," Dougherty said. "It's more realistic to play that way because you don't get wrapped up in the highs and lows of each game. We've got to go to work tomorrow all the time. That has been my layout every season."
The Horned Frogs have made big strides during their offseason, working and training hard to become a more physical team in 2005-06. This year's slate may prove to be tougher for the Frogs when their backcourt is tested early on, but the players have improved in size, strength and conditioning to become a better defensive unit. As with previous teams under Dougherty, consistency and confidence will be key factors to the team's success this season.
In addition, a group of newcomer hopefuls are capable of making big contributions down the road as they learn to work their talents into Dougherty's system and gain more playing time and experience.
Entering the 05-06 season, Dougherty has something he hasn't had in the past - depth. The Frogs are a versatile group of players that can step into more than just one position, giving TCU an advantage over the rest of the competition.
"Losing Santee (the school's all-time assists leader and second in scoring), Shropshire (the school's best 3-point threat), Marcus Sloan and Aaron Curtis made a big impact," Dougherty said. "However, you don't try to replace them. Instead, someone on the team has to step into those positions and figure out how to be effective in their own way. We have a number of players this year who can do that and they will be looked upon for that."
The Seniors
The 2005-06 season will be a bittersweet one for Dougherty and this quartet of seniors as they will be the first graduating contingent that was entirely recruited by Dougherty and his staff. Two of the four seniors will close out their careers as four-year letterwinners for the Horned Frogs.
Chudi Chinweze will be expected to see more playing time in 2005-06 after being sidelined from a season-ending knee injury early on last year. In just eight games, the 6-foot-7 senior averaged 11.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. While it's still too early to gauge Chinweze's progress since the injury, the surgery was successful. The 230-pound forward is poised for a big year, but his performance will be determined as the season unfolds and he regains more confidence having his knee back. A lot of what Chinweze does on the floor comes from his athleticism and aggressiveness. The Houston product will wrap up his final campaign as one of the first two players to have played for Dougherty all four years.
David Markley joined the Frogs as a walk-on three years ago and has earned a spot on the traveling roster ever since. The 6-foot-0, 175-pound senior from Grapevine, Texas, provides depth at the point guard and shooting guard positions and has played in 35 contests during his TCU career. Markley is a favorite among his teammates as well as locally. He was named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll each of the past three years and was the recipient of the team's Dr. James Cash Academic Award in 2004.
Nile Murry, the team's top scoring and assist leader, returns with added responsibilities placed on him in his senior campaign. The Houston, Texas, native was the top scorer in nine of 34 games played last year as well as the top rebounder three occasions. He also paced the Frogs in free-throw attempts (121) and free-throws made (96). The 6-foot-4 guard is expected to increase his role on the team, particularly with the loss of Marcus Shropshire on the perimeter. Murry is a great ball handler and scorer, a player who can get the ball down the court and also shoot from beyond the arc. A highly-touted candidate for postseason honors this year, he will be heavily looked upon as one of the team leaders on the floor.
Judson Stubbs will play a vital role to the team's success this year. Last season as a transfer, he played in all 35 games and tallied 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per outing. The senior from Nassau, Bahamas, also shot 44.6 percent (78-of-175) from the field. With one season under coach Dougherty's reign, Stubbs has had the chance to adjust his style of play to the Division I level. The 6-foot-7 forward possesses a kind of versatility that will serve the Frogs extremely well in 2005-06. Stubbs' abilities and effectiveness mirrors that of former TCU standout Aaron Curtis.
The Juniors
A sharp-shooting and athletic wing, Blake Adams will have the opportunity to accumulate more playing time and experience as he takes on more responsibilities. In 2004-05, the 6-foot-6 forward added a pair of double-figure scoring games to his résume. Adams played in 31 of the 35 games last year, including all of TCU's conference tournament and NIT contests. The Houston, Texas, native averaged 1.4 points and 0.7 boards in 5.0 minutes per game.
Neil P. Dougherty, the head coach's son, will be one of two key players on the team who can take their game from the perimeter up a notch. A heady point guard, he improved over the past two seasons after playing against Horned Frog great Corey Santee every day in practice. Dougherty played in a total of 53 games, including a career-high 30 contests last season, in a reserve role the last two years. The younger Dougherty was a recipient of the team's Dr. James Cash Academic Award in 2004-05 and also earned a spot on the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll for two straight years.
A physical presence for the Frogs, Femi Ibikunle has developed his game tremendously since his arrival two years ago. His strength and agility have significantly improved in a short period of time, which has shown in his ability to run the ball and defend. The 6-foot-9, 265-pound center was the team's top rebounder and field-goal shooter last season. One of 13 players from Nigeria to play Division I basketball in 2004-05, Ibikunle started all but one game to lead the team in field-goal percentage (.488) while also setting personal bests in scoring average (4.9 ppg) and rebounding (5.4 rpg). The speech communications major ranked 19th among C-USA players in boards per contest last year.
Transfer Aliou Kane will prove to be a very solid rebounder, and has demonstrated an early knack to make mid-range jump shots. The 6-foot-10 native of Dallas, Texas, averaged 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds at Collin Community College in Plano, Texas, helping the team finish with an 18-12 record. Kane ranked 28th among all junior college players in the 2005 class by Hoop Scoop and chose TCU over SMU, Texas A&M and St. John's. He originally attended the University of Minnesota after completing an impressive prep career.
Art Pierce, an excellent passer and outside shooter, will be looking at increased playing time as the junior has improved in strength every year. A product of Tyler, Texas, Pierce is one of just five Horned Frogs with Division I college starting experience. He played in 30 of TCU's 35 games last season, averaging 5.4 minutes per outing. The 6-foot-9 forward reached the 100-point plateau for his career with a free throw against Cincinnati and needs just one rebound to reach that same total. Off the court, Pierce is one of three Horned Frogs to receive recognition to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll in each of the last two seasons.
Ryan Wall, one of two transfers returning to his Texas roots this year, played for the University of New Mexico the last two seasons. The 6-foot-1 guard, who hails from Coppell, Texas, totaled 41 career games for the Lobos and had a career- and team-best 12 points against Colorado State last year. A solid floor leader at UNM, he will be looked to makethe same valuable contributions on the practice court this season.
The Sophomores
This is the year for local native Brent Hackett to shine for the Horned Frogs. With the departure of Santee, Hackett is one of two players on the team who can take over the reins at point guard. Last season, the sophomore tied for third on the team in 3-pointers made (14). At 6-foot-3, 196 pounds, Hackett can shoot from long range and quickly get the ball movig down the court, an essential component to the Dougherty system. In 2004-05, he tallied 2.9 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per outing as a true freshman. Hackett was the first Fort Worth product to sign with TCU out of high school since Juan Bragg in 1994.
University of California transfer Kevin Langford will have to sit out for the 2005-06 season to fulfill NCAA transfer eligibility rules. The 6-foot-7 forward returned to his hometown and is expected to make a big impact for the Horned Frogs during his three remaining season. In one year at Cal, the Fort Worth, Texas, native played in 26 of the Bears' 29 games and averaged 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest.
Neiman Owens has the ability to become a major presence on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. The 6-foot-4 guard from Channelview, Texas, appeared in 32 of 35 games last season and average 8.1 minutes. Owens has been a fan favorite with his aggressive style of play, and his outside shooting touch has continued to improve. Last year, he tallied 1.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.6 assists per contest.
The Stars at TCU are Big and Bright
While there is much to learn about college basketball at the Division I level for this trio of promising rookies, they will enter their first season under the security blankets provided by the veteran players. Listening, learning and competing will play big factors in their careers at TCU.
"I'm really excited about our freshmen," Dougherty said. "There's much for them to learn and adjustments to make in their first year. If one of them can come out from underneath that security blanket and give the team something, then we'll take it. Otherwise, there's no pressure yet for the freshmen to meet certain expectations as they learn the system."
A highly-touted player from Cedar Hill, Texas, Clarence Masters has shown early on that he can compete with the veterans for playing time in 2005-06. The 6-foot-5 freshman played for one of the state's top high school programs, helping his Cedar Hill team to a runner-up finish in Class 5A in 2003-04. Masters was rated as the No. 38 senior in the Lone Star State according to the Texas Basketball Magazine as well as listed 120th among all players in the region according to the Southeast Regional Basketball Report.
At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Dallas Hunter earned first team all-region honors in Class 5A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) as a senior. He was also a two-time District 9-5A selection to the first team at Plano East High School in Plano, Texas. Hunter played at both the guard and forward positions and helped his team to a No. 18 ranking in the final 2004-05 TABC Class 5A poll.
Allen Taylor, the lone freshman who hails outside of Texas, was an all all-area and all-state player at Irmo High School in Irmo, S.C. Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 250 pounds, he participated in the 2004 Nike All-American Camp and the Nike Peach Jam Tournament. Taylor was named a South Carolina Select All Star.
