Frogs Look to Rebound on Road Against Louisiana Tech
12/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2008
Game Notes - Louisiana Tech in PDF Format 
Game Preview
• The Horned Frogs will travel to Ruston, La., for the first time since December 17, 1994, when Bulldogs captured a 79-73 victory over the Purple and White. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. Central Time.
• This will be the 11th meeting between the Frogs and Bulldogs as TCU has posted a 6-4 all-time record over Louisiana Tech. During their meetings - the Frogs have only recorded a 1-2 record in Ruston, La.
• The Frogs and Bulldogs can also be heard over the airwaves via Fox Sports Radio 1460 AM and KTCU 88.7 FM with Jeff Williams (play-by-play) and Jeff Lewis (analyst). TCU faithful can listen to the game courtesy of Yahoo Broadcasts on www.GoFrogs.com.
Stellar Defense Equals Victories
• Prior to their setback at Indiana - the defense of the Frogs had been nothing short of stellar during their six-game winning streak as TCU has held its opponents to a combined 38.9 percent (118-of-303) shooting from the field and a combined 20.2 percent (20-of-99) shooting from behind the three-point line during that stretch.
• During a three-game stretch - the Frogs held SMU, St. Gregory's and Colorado to 46 or fewer points, which marked the first time since the 1951-52 season that TCU held three consecutive opponents to less than 46 points after achieving the feat against Rice (30), Texas (43) and SMU (43).
• In five of the last six games - the Frogs' defense has held opponents to 15 points fewer than their season average coming into the contest. On the season - only two teams has recorded a higher score than season scoring average against the Frogs in College of Charleston (86 points against TCU | 80.8 season scoring average) and Indiana (66 points against TCU | 63.2 season scoring average).
Hometown Hero
• In his three seasons with the Purple and White - Kevin Langford has not only been a maintstay in the Frogs' starting lineup, but has also been one of their most productive players. A starter in 71 consecutive games - the TCU senior has posted a double-digit scoring performance in 53 of those contests (7 - Sr. | 24 - Jr. | 22 So.).
• The Fort Worth product has an opportunity to become the 29th player in TCU history to reach the 1000-point milestone as Langford currently sits at 941 career points with the Frogs. Langford only needs 59 points to reach the 1,000-point milestone and become the 16th player in TCU history to reach the mark in under three full seasons.
• For his career - Langford has scored 1,007 points after collecting 66 points during his freshman campaign at the University of California. The 6-8 forward transferred to TCU prior to the 2005-06 campaign.
Point of Order
• Jason Ebie has started all 11 games for the Frogs at the point guard position where he ranks third in the Mountain West Conference in assists per game (4.55 A-G) and set a career-high with nine assists against St. Gregory's. Ebie's nine assists are tied for the most in the conference this season with Jackson Emery (BYU) and Luka Drca (Utah).
• Ebie has dished out three of more assists in 10 of 11 games this season and has averaged 5.5 assists per game over the last six contests. The TCU junior has also improved his scoring average as he ranks fifth on the team by averaging 6.3 points per game - which is up from 4.7 points per game last season.
Good Things Come in Three's
• The Frogs have made at least one three-pointer in 321 consecutive games dating back to the 1997-98 season. The last time that the Purple and White failed to connect on a trey came against LIU-Brooklyn on November 22, 1997.
• The Frogs have recorded at least one three-pointer in 538 of their last 539 games. Prior to that failed connection against LIU-Brooklyn - TCU made at least one three-pointer in 217 straight games dating back to the 1989-90 season when the University of Texas stopped the Frogs behind the arc on February 11, 1990.
Frogs Record 400th Victory at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum
• With a victory over McNeese State on November 22nd - the Frogs notched their 400th victory at the DMC. In the 48-year history of the DMC - the Frogs have posted a record of 404-236 (.631) on their home court. Over the past 11 seasons - the Frogs have posted a 144-61 (.702) overall record at home and have won at least 10 games in seven of those campaigns.
Non-Conference - No Problem at Home
• The Horned Frogs have captured 17 of their last 20 games at home against non-conference opponents. In their last 10 games - TCU has posted victories in eight of them with setbacks coming against a pair of Big 12 Conference-foes in Oklahoma and Nebraska.
No Three for You
• This season - the Frogs are ranked first in the Mountain West Conference in three-point field goal percentage defense as opponents have only connected on 26.7 percent (50-of-187) of their trey attempts.
• Prior to the setback at Indiana - the Frogs have held opposing offenses to 20.2 percent (20-of-99) from behind the three-point arc during their six-game winning streak. No team connected on more than four treys during that time.
• The Frogs are currently ranked 15th in the country in three-point field goal percentage defense and have held opponents to an average of 4.5 three-point field goals made per game this season.
Scouting the Bulldogs
• Louisiana Tech comes into the contest with a 5-6 overall record - including setbacks in each of its last two contests against McNeese State and Samford. The Bulldogs are 3-0 at the Thomas Assembly Center this season.
• Kyle Gibson is the top offensive threat for the Bulldogs as the La Tech forward is averaging 15.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while starting 10 of 11 games. Gibson has connected on 40.6 percent (43-of-106) of his field goal attempts and 41.1 percent (23-of-56) of his three-point field goal attempts.
• Jamel Guyon is ranked second in scoring on the Bulldogs as the La Tech guard is averaging 13.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. The 6-3 guard has connected on 37.5 percent (45-of-120) of his field goal attempts this season for the Bulldogs.
• The Bulldogs have four players that are averaging 10 or more points per game this season in Kyle Gibson (15.9 P-G), Jamel Guyton (13.7 P-G), Kenneth Cooper (12.5 P-G) and Magnum Rolle (11.4 P-G). The four top scorers for the Bulldogs are averaging 73.1 percent (512-of-700) of the total points for Louisiana Tech this season.
International Flavor
• The Frogs have three international players on the roster in John Ortiz (Colombia), Zvonko Buljan (Croatia) and Edvinas Ruzgas (Lithuania). The Frogs have never had more than two international players on their roster at any one time during their history. There have been at least two international players on the TCU roster in each of the last five seasons.
Bigger in Texas
• The Frogs have six players that reside from the State of Texas - including four players from the Dallas/Fort Worth area in Kevin Langford (Fort Worth), Ronnie Moss (Fort Worth), Kevin Butler (Duncanville) and A.J. Siebert (Southlake).
The Man Known as "Z"
• Zvonko "Z" Buljan has played a big role for the Frogs in the low post as the TCU forward is averaging 11.3 points per game to go along with a team-high 6.6 rebounds per contests. The 6-9 forward is ranked sixth in the Mountain West Conference in rebounds per game (6.6 R-G), ninth in the field goal percentage (50-of-88 | .568) and 20th in scoring average (11.3 P-G).
• After coming off of the bench during a three-game stretch - Buljan returned to the starting lineup against Colorado where he recorded the first double-double of his Frogs' career with a 15-point, 10-board performance. The TCU forward has recorded a double-digit scoring performance in four of the last five games - including a career-high 19 points against Indiana.
Second Generation Stars
• The Frogs have two players on their roster who have parents who played collegiate athletics in Kevin Langford (Father - basketball at UT Arlington | Mother - basketball at UT Arlington) and A.J. Siebert (Father - football at Northern Arizona).
Experience Matters
• The top-five minute leaders for the Frogs in Ruzgas, Ebie, Langford, Buljan and Moss have tallied 1,467 of 2,200 total minutes this season or 66.7 percent of all court time. The Frogs have five players that are averaging 20.0 or more minutes and 10 players that are averaging 10.0 or more minutes per game this season.
Charity Stripe Highs
• The Frogs connected on 27 free throws against Nebraska - which was their highest talley since a 27-free throw performance against Colorado State on February 20, 2008. Their 27 free throws are tied for third-most in the MWC this season.
• In their last eight games - the Frogs have connected on 77.6 percent (121-of-156) of their free throw attempts and have missed less than five charity stripe tries in seven of those contests. Last season - the Frogs finished seventh in the Mountain West Conference in free throw percentage, but are currently ranked second this season at 71.7 percent (142-of-198).
Frogs Ink One on Signing Day
• The Frogs signed Garlon Green (Missouri City, Texas | Hightower High School) to a National Letter of Intent on November 12th. The 6-7 wing enters his senior season as the 19th-ranked prospect in the State of Texas and is the younger brother of Gerald Green, Jr. - who plays for the Dallas Mavericks.
Big Victory Against Big 12 Conference
• With a 62-46 victory over Colorado on Wednesday evening - the Frogs recorded their first triumph over a Big 12 Conference-opponent since November 23, 2004, when TCU posted an 83-68 win over Texas Tech. The victory over the Buffs also gave TCU its first road win over a Big 12 Conference-foe since December 7, 2002, when the Frogs defeated Baylor by a 72-64 count.
Six Shooters
• Prior to a setback against Indiana - the Frogs were enjoying a six-game winning streak which was their longest winning streak since the 1998-99 campaign when TCU won eight straight contests. That season - the Frogs advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT Tournament - which was their last post-season appearance.
The Shooter
• Edvinas Ruzgas has made a tremendous impact for the Frogs in his first season as the former Weatherford College standout ranks first on the team in three-point field goals made (24) and three-point field goal attempts (58) while standing third in field goals made (41). The 6-6 guard has connected on 50.6 percent (41-of-81) of his field goal attempts and 81.3 percent (13-of-16) of his free throw tries.
• Ruzgas has notched five double-digit scoring performances - including a career-high 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting against Clemson and a 16-point effort in his TCU debut against Western Michigan. The TCU junior ranks second on the team in double-digit scoring efforts behind Kevin Langford's seven 10-plus scoring performances.
• In the Mountain West Conference standings - Ruzgas is ranked fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.414), sixth in minutes played per game (32.5 MP-G) and eighth in three-point field goals made per game (2.18 3FG-M).
Keion Me
• After earning a spot in the starting lineup over the last six games - Keion Mitchem has not disappointed as he is averaging 6.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game during that stretch. He recorded one of the best games of his career against Colorado where he scored 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting - including 3-of-3 from behind the three-point line - while playing in a season-high 24 minutes of action.
• Mitchem scored 10 points against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi - which marked the first time in his career that he has collected back-to-back double-digit scoring performances. The TCU guard notched 10 points on the road at Indiana where he connected on 4-of-8 shooting - including two treys - in a setback to the Hoosiers.
Tuffy Times
• TCU newcomer Ronnie "Tuffy" Moss originally signed with Kent State, but was granted his release and signed with the Frogs after Christian was announced as the new head men's basketball coach for the Purple and White.
• Moss became the first freshman since Femi Ibikunle in 2003-04 to start his collegiate debut for the Frogs and only the third freshman this decade to earn a spot in the starting lineup in his first game (Corey Santee | 2001-02).
• One of the team's best on-ball defenders - Moss has proven to be an offensive threat as the TCU freshman is ranked fourth on the team in scoring (7.7 P-G) and has notched five double-digit scoring performances. Moss ranks second on the Frogs this season in double-digit scoring efforts (5) behind Kevin Langford (7).
KB Energy
• Duncanville standout Kevin Butler has provided the Frogs with plenty of energy and production off of the bench in his first season as the 6-6 forward is averaging 4.3 points per game in 19.6 minutes of court time. Butler has played in at least 15 minutes in eight of 11 games and has scored at least six points in five of those contests.
• Butler had a tremendous performance against ACC-opponent Clemson as he posted a career-high nine points - including 2-of-2 from behind the three-point line - to go along with six steals, four rebounds and two assists. His six-steal effort against the Tigers is the highest single-game tally in the Mountain West Conference this season.
• The TCU rookie is ranked first on the Purple and White in steals (20) and steals per game (1.82 S-G) - which is also tops in the Mountain West Conference this season.
Smell the Roses
• Kavon Rose was the final freshman to commit to the Frogs during the summer months after he was released from his National Letter of Intent from Oregon State. In his first season with the Frogs - Rose is averaging 2.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per game while seeing action in all 11 games. The TCU newcomer earned his first collegiate start against McNeese State.
• Rose scored a career-high seven points against the College of Charleston then responded with a six-point scoring effort against Nebraska. The TCU newcomer has appeared in at least 15 minutes in seven of 11 games.
Big Pappi
• John Ortiz has appeared in nine games for TCU in his senior campaign while earning a spot in the starting lineup on three occasions. The Frogs are 3-0 when Ortiz appears in the starting lineup as the TCU senior is averaging 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in his final campaign.
Overhaul on the Boards
• One of the areas of improvement that Christian has stressed to the Frogs has been their presence on the glass. The Frogs have out-rebounded their opponents in six of 11 games this season (+47 in those games).
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