Frogs ready for MWC showdown at UNLV
2/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 29, 2008
Game Notes - UNLV in PDF Format 
Game Day Information
Opponent: The TCU men's basketball team will hit the road for its next two games in Mountain West Conference action as the Purple and White travels to Las Vegas, Nev., for a showdown against UNLV on Saturday afternoon.
Radio: ESPN Radio (103.3 FM) and KTCU (88.7 FM) in the Dallas/Fort Worth area
Brian Estridge (play-by-play) and John Denton (anaylst) will call the game on the TCU/ISP Sports Network. The game can also be heard online at www.GoFrogs.com via Yahoo Sports.
Television: The Mtn. Network
Tim Neverett (play-by-play) and Blaine Fowler (analyst) will handle the game-day duties for The Mtn. Network.
Next on the Schedule: The Horned Frogs will travel to Clune Arena in USAFA, Colo., for their second game on the road trip as they square-off against the Air Force Academy on Wednesday evening with tip slated for 8:00 p.m. CT.
Stealing the Show
• The Frogs will enter the game against the Runnin' Rebels ranked eighth in the nation in steals per game with an average of 9.65 picks per evening. In the NCAA rankings, the Frogs are slated behind VMI (12.8 S-G), Pepperdine (10.1 S-G), Robert Morris (10.1 S-G), Austin Peay State (10.1 S-G), Clemson (10.0 S-G), Tennessee (10.0 S-G) and Minnesota (9.8 S-G).
• The defense of the Purple and White has notched 14 games of 10 or more steals this season and have accumulated a record of 9-5 record in contests where the Frogs post double-digit pick tallies.
• The Frogs have posted two of the top-three steal performances this season in the Mountain West Conference with a 17-pick victory over Texas Southern and a 16-steal triumph over Jackson State. The only team in the conference to notch more picks in a game this season was San Diego State's 19-steal performance against Loyola-Marymount.
• Jason Ebie is ranked 48th among all NCAA Division I student-athletes in steals per game as the TCU sophomore has recorded an average of 1.96 steals per game. The TCU point guard has collected two or more steals in 14 games and has notched at least one steal in 25 of 26 contests - including 24 consecutive games.
Rebirth at the Free Throw Line
• For the majority of the season, the Frogs have been found towards the bottom of the Mountain West Conference standings in free throw percentage - but recently jumped up two spots from ninth to seventh after connecting on 96.4 percent (27-of-28) of their charity stripe against against Colorado State on February 20th at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
Statement Time in the Mountain West Conference
• Teams in the Mountain West Conference have combined for a record of 143-101 (.586 winning percentage) and has a trio of teams with at least 20 wins during the 2007-08 campaign in BYU (22-6), New Mexico (22-7) and UNLV (21-6).
• BYU - who enters this week of action ranked 25th in the country in the latest polls - currently possesses an 11-2 conference record while the Cougars are followed by UNLV (10-3), New Mexico (9-5) and San Diego State (8-6) round out the top of the standings.
• The Frogs have notched a 6-7 conference record and are tied for fifth-place in the Mountain West Conference standings along with Utah and Air Force Academy. Heading into the final three games of the season - Utah holds the advantage over both TCU and Air Force due to a tie-breaker with both programs in head-to-head competition.
• The Purple and White have notched six victories in Mountain West Conference action - which is their highest tally since joining the league three seasons ago and tie the number of total triumphs in the league over the past two seasons.
Frogs Capture 13th Home Victory of Season
• The TCU men's basketball program recorded its 13th home victory of the season and 14th triumph overall as the Frogs notched a 67-61 victory over the University of Utah at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum on Wednesday night.
• Brent Hackett notched his second consecutive 19-point performance as the TCU senior connected on 7-of-10 attempts from the field - including 4-of-6 at the charity stripe. The Frogs' guard also added four boards and one assist in 33 minutes of action.
• Kevin Langford collected his first double-digit scoring performance in the last three games as the TCU forward collected 16 points - including 10 in the first half of action - on 5-of-13 shooting to go along with seven rebounds (all defensive) in 33 minutes of action.
• Alvardo Parker led the Purple and White off of the bench as the TCU center finished with 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go along with five rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists in 23 minutes. Parker led the team in assists for the first time in his career.
• With the victory over the Runnin' Utes, the Horned Frogs notched their 13th victory at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum this season - which is the seventh time in its 46-year history.
• Luke Nevill finished with a team-high 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting to go along with eight rebounds and one blocked shot in 21 minutes of action while Tyler Kepkay added 10 points, four rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes of court time.
• The Frogs debuted a new lineup for the first time this season in Kevin Langford, John Ortiz, Jason Ebie, Brent Hackett and Ryan Wall - who made his first start of the season. The starting five for the Purple and White finished with a combined 49 points to go along with 19 rebounds while all of them seeing action in at least 15 minutes against Utah.
• The Frogs held Johnnie Bryant - who entered the game ranked seventh in the Mountain West Conference in scoring average - to eight points - including 1-of-2 from behind the three-point arc. In their first meeting, Bryant drained eight treys against the Frogs.
Frog Defense Standing Tall
• The Frogs have forced opponents into 463 turnovers (17.8 turnovers per game) where they have scored 492 points off of the miscues of their foes - an average of 18.9 points.
The Glass Cleaners
• Alvardo Parker and Luke Tauscher each recorded a double-digit rebounding performance against Rice on November 13th and became the first set of teammates to accomplish that feat in the same game since Chudi Chinweze (13) and Bingo Merriex (11) did it against UAB on February 18, 2003 - a span of 131 games.
Time Well Spent
• Heading into the 2007-08 season, Neil Dougherty was excited about the depth on his bench and its shown as the Frogs have nine players that are averaging double-digits.
• Kevin Langford is one of four players to average over 20.0 minutes per evening as the TCU junior is collecting 29.8 minutes of court time per evening. The Fort Worth talent is joined in that category by Brent Hackett (26.1 MP-G), Henry Salter (25.3 MP-G) and Jason Ebie (21.2 MP-G).
• The Frogs have five other players who are averaging double-digits in minutes played in John Ortiz (19.4 MP-G), Alvardo Parker (19.4 MP-G), Neiman Owens (14.6 MP-G), Mike Scott (12.7 MP-G) and Keion Mitchem (12.5 MP-G).
Scouting the Opponents - UNLV
• UNLV will come into the contest against the Horned Frogs with a 21-6 overall record - including a 10-3 mark in Mountain West Conference action - which places them in second-place in the league standings. The Runnin' Rebels have won four of their last five conference games with three of them coming at home.
• Wink Adams is one of the top players in the Mountain West Conference as the UNLV guard is averaging 16.1 points per game to go along with 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Adams is ranked first in the Mountain West Conference in free throw percentage (85.7%) and listed third in scoring average (16.1 P-G), seventh in assists per game (3.37 A-G) and eighth in field goal percentage (40.2%)
• Joe Darger is having a strong junior campaign as the Runnin' Rebel forward is ranked second on the team with a 12.0 points per game average to go along with 4.9 boards per contest in 27 games this season. The 6-7 forward is one of the top outside threats for UNLV as he has connected on 37.4 percent of his three-point attempts.
• Curtis Terry is enjoying a standout senior season as the UNLV point guard is averaging 10.4 points per game to go along with 3.3 rebounds per game while connecting on 41.3 percent (88-of-213) of his field goal attempts. The UNLV senior is ranked first in the Mountain West Conference in assists per game with a 4.85 average mark.
• Junior Rene Rougeau is one of the top pick-artists in the Mountain West Conference as the UNLV guard is averaging a league-high 2.26 steals per game - which also ranks him 26th among all NCAA Division I players.
• The Thomas & Mack Center is one of the hardest places to play in the Mountain West Conference as UNLV has notched a 31-2 record over the last two seasons and 129-31 mark over the last 160 games on their home floor.
• UNLV is ranked 32nd in the country according to the Collegiate Basketball News Men's RPI College Basketball Rankings - which is the second-best mark in the Mountain West Conference behind BYU's 26th-place listing. The Runnin' Rebels have recorded the highest strength of schedule at 46th followed by BYU's 117th ranking.
• The Runnin' Rebels have collected their second consecutive 20-plus winning season as UNLV notched 30 wins during the 2006-07 campaign - accumulating a 51-13 record over the last two seasons COMBINED. The Runnin' Rebels have won 20 or more games in 31 of the 50 years existence of the program.
Frogs Closing in on 400th Victory at the DMC
• Following a 67-61 victory over the University of Utah on February 27th, the Purple and White recorded their 399th triumph inside the confines of the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum since its' opening on December 18, 1961.
Charity Stripe Levels on the Rise
• Over the course of the Mountain West Conference schedule - the Horned Frogs have improved their shooting percentage from the free throw line as the Purple and White are ranked third in the league after connecting on 74.5 percent (178-of-239) of their charity stripe attempts through 13 games.
• Prior the beginning of conference action, the Frogs connected on 60.7 percent (187-of-308) of their free throw attempts - which ranked them last in the Mountain West Conference. After 13 conference games, the Frogs have moved up two spots to seventh in the league in free throw percentage at 66.7 percent (365-of-547).
• The Frogs have connected on 66.2 percent (251-of-379) of their free throw attempts at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum and 78.0 percent (103-of-132) of their charity stripe tries at the DMC during conference action.
• The Purple and White connected on 15-of-15 of their free throw attempts against UNLV at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum - which tied a program record for free throw percentage in a single-game. The Frogs also connected on 96.4 percent (27-of-28) of their free throw tries against Colorado State - which was the highest free throw shooting percentage in program history for any game where TCU attempted 22 or more tries.
Always Be Ready to Play
• This season, all 14 players that have suited up for TCU have played - that feat wasn't reached until the 24th game at Colorado State during the 2006-07 campaign.
Home-Grown Talent Pays Dividends for Horned Frogs
• The Frogs have filled their roster with a quintet of DFW talents in Brent Hackett (Southwest H.S.), Kevin Langford (North Crowley H.S.), Ryan Wall (Coppell H.S.), Daniel Ford (Aledo H.S.) and Luke Tauscher (Southwest H.S.).
• Hackett was the first player that Neil Dougherty signed from the Dallas/Fort Worth Area, and he also ties with Langford as his brother, Keith, was a recruited and coached by the TCU head coach at the University of Kansas.
• A pair of honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference players last season, Hackett and Langford are currently ranked first and third on the Frogs in scoring average at 13.6 points and 11.7 points per game.
• Ryan Wall is in his second season with the Frogs' program after spending a pair of seasons at the University of New Mexico. The TCU guard connected on the game-winning three-pointer to defeat the Lobos on Jan. 15th. Wall's shot was ranked fifth on SportsCenter's Plays of the Day on Wednesday (Jan. 16th).
• TCU newcomer Luke Tauscher sat out last season due to an injury, but the 6-11 center has averaged 2.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in his 22 games on the floor for the Frogs.
Frogs Adding a Little Salter to Their Diet
• TCU newcomer Henry Salter has made a tremendous impact on the Frogs' lineup in his first season with the program as he has collected 10 or more points in 20 of the 24 games. The TCU guard has recorded double-digit scoring evenings in four of the last five games that he has appeared.
• The TCU junior is currently ranked sixth in the country in three-point field goal percentage as he has connected on 47.7 percent of his attempts and 85th in three-point field goals made per game.
• Salter is ranked 12th in the Mountain West Conference in scoring average (13.3 P-G) and 15th in rebounds per game (5.0) and is one of four players (Lee Cummard, J.R. Giddens and Luke Nevill) to be ranked in the top-20 in more than six statistical categories.
• The former NJCAA All-American is also ranked second in the Mountain West Conference in three-point field goals made per game with an average of 2.58 treys per contest and has connected on 46.6 percent (27-of-58) of his trey attempts against Mountain West Conference competition.
The "Langford" Road Home
• Kevin Langford has been one of the Frogs' top all-around players this season as the Fort Worth native is ranked first on the team in scoring average (13.6 P-G) and leads the Purple and White in free throws made (130), free throw attempts (179) and free throw percentage (72.6%). During his two-year career, Langford has attempted 416 free throws - which ranks eighth in the record books.
• The TCU forward was selected as the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week on December 24th after averaging 24.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in a pair of victories for the Frogs. Langford scored a career-high 31 points against Prairie View A&M and became the first player since Junior Blunt during the 2001-02 season to score 30 or more points in a game.
• The Fort Worth native has notched a double-digit scoring performance in 22 of 26 games this season - including a Mountain West Conference-high 22 consecutive games that was snapped against the University of New Mexico on February 16th following a four-point output.
• Langford received his degree in sociology with a minor in criminal justice this past December.
The Hackett Man
• Senior Brent Hackett recently etched his name in the TCU record books as he became the 28th player in program history to record over 1,000 points for the Purple and White and currently sits tied for 23rd place in the all-time rankings with 1,057 career scores.
• The TCU guard is also ranked fifth in the all-time record books in three-point field goals attempted (551), sixth in three-point field goals made (181) and eighth in career steals (116).
• During his career with the Frogs - Hackett has appeared in 118 career games and has earned a spot in the starting lineup on 84 occasions - missing only four starts in the last three seasons.
• An honorable mention All-Mountain West Conference performer during the 2006-07 campaign, Hackett has been one of the top scorers for the Frogs over the last four seasons as he has collected 10 or more points in 52 career games - 16 (Senior) / 18 (Junior) / 18 (Sophomore).
Welcome to the Parker's
• Alvardo Parker has been a force for the Frogs under the basket for the past two seasons as the TCU senior is ranked third in the all-time record books in blocks per game (1.61 B-G) and fifth in career blocked shots (90).
• The TCU forward has recorded at least one blocked shot in 44 of 56 career games with the Purple and White and has notched at least one swat in 19 of 26 games in his final campaign.
• Parker is ranked sixth among all Mountain West Conference players in blocked shots per game (1.12 B-G), seventh in offensive boards per game (1.96 R-G) and 18th in boards per game (4.7 R-G).
• This is only the fourth year of organized basketball for the Turks & Caicos Islands' native as he spent his first two seasons at Frank Phillips Junior College followed by his TCU career.
Frogs Strong on the Glass
• The Frogs are currently ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in rebounds per game with a 35.8 boards per contest average - but sit at the top of the rankings in offensive rebounds per game where the Purple and White has collected 12.62 rebounds per game.
• At one point in the 2007-08 season - the Frogs were ranked as high as fourth in the nation in rebounds per game, but have struggled grabbing boards on the road where they are averaging 32.2 rebounds per game compared to 38.1 rebonds per game at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
• In games that the Frogs win - the Purple and White is averaging 40.1 boards per evening compared to 30.9 rebounds per game in contests where TCU suffers a defeat.
It's All About the Ebie, Baby!
• TCU sophomore Jason Ebie has made tremendous progression in the Frogs' lineup during his second campaign with the Purple and White as he is ranked 48th in the nation in steals per game with a 1.96 picks per contest average.
• Ebie is ranked second in the Mountain West Conference in steals per game (1.96 S-G) and has produced at least two steals in 14 of 26 games and one steal in 25 of 26 contests - including 24 consecutive games - this season.
• The Houston, Texas, native has appeared in all 26 games this season - including 11 trips to the starting lineup - while finding himself ranked fifth in the TCU record books with Al Thomas (1991) for steals per game average (1.96 S-G). Ebie needs only five steals over the final stretch of the season to break in the top-10 single-season marks for steals.
Great Scott!
• In his first season with the Purple and White, Mike Scott has made an immediate impact as he has started in 15 of 26 games this season while averaging 3.4 points, 2.4 assists, 1.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.
• The Frogs' point guard scored a career-high 11 points on two occasions against SMU and Jackson State during his rookie season while notching eight games of five or more points this season.
• Though he's only a freshman, Scott is not the youngest member for TCU as the Philadelphia native is 21-years-old.
Neon Keion in Primetime
• Sophomore Keion Mitchem has given the Frogs an added burst of energy off of the bench as the TCU guard is averaging 4.2 points to go along with shooting 40.9 percent (38-of-93) from the field during his second season.
• Mitchem earned his first career trip to the starting lineup against the Air Force Academy where he finished with a season-high 10 points - including a trio of three-pointers - in addition to one assist and one steal.
• The TCU sophomore has surpassed career-highs in 17 statistical categories this season and has posted nine of more points in back-to-back games coming off of the bench on two occasions during the 2007-08 campaign.
Standing "O" for Ortiz
• Junior John Ortiz has played a vital role for the Frogs in the low post as he is averaging 5.3 points to go along with 5.0 rebounds per game during the 2007-08 campaign. The TCU newcomer is ranked fifth in the Mountain West Conference in offensive rebounds per game (2.04 R-G) and 14th in rebounds per game (5.0 R-G) this season.
• In his first collegiate start with the Frogs, Ortiz notched a career-high 11 rebounds against the University of Wyoming and has grabbed five or more rebounds in 14 of 25 games for the Purple and White
• Ortiz has collected five double-digit scoring performances this season for the Frogs with a career-high 13 points coming at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum against New Mexico. He has notched 10 or more points in three conference games.
Never Shy Away from the National Spotlight
• Neil Dougherty is not one to shy away from a nationally-ranked opponent as the Frogs have competed against 17 squads ranked in the top-25 during his six-year tenure. To put the numbers into perspective - TCU played 19 nationally-ranked teams during the entire decade of the 90s - a span of 303 games.
• The Purple and White recorded four victories over nationally-ranked foes during Dougherty's tenure with their latest victory coming against 14th-ranked Air Force Academy where TCU notched a 71-66 victory at the February of 2007 at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum - which snapped a six-game losing skid against nationally-ranked opponents.
• The Horned Frogs are 12-89 (.118) all-time against nationally-ranked teams and has dropped 16 of their last 18 games against teams ranked in the top-25. The Frogs haven't had much success against ranked teams on the road as they have dropped 48 of their last 49 contests with their lone victory coming against Hawaii (83-79) on January 19, 1998.
Close Encounters of the Trey Kind
• The Frogs have made at least one three-pointer in 306 consecutive games dating back to the 1997-98 season where 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 connected on at least on three-pointer in 523 of their last 524 games.
• Prior to that failed connection against LIU-Brooklyn, the Frogs recorded a three-pointer in 217 straight games dating back to the 1989-90 season when the University of Texas stopped TCU from behind the arc on February 11, 1990.
Home Sweet Home
• The Frogs have been very successful at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum since its opening prior to the 1961-62 campaign as the Purple and White has notched a career mark of 399-234 (.630) on their home floor.
• Over the past decade, the Frogs have recorded a 139-59 (.702) overall record at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum and have won at least 10 games at home in seven of the last 10 campaigns.
• The Purple and White have recorded 13 victories at home this season - which marks the seventh time in the 46-year history of the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum that the Frogs have notched 13 or more wins in a season.
Finding Nemo
• Senior Neiman Owens is one of the most experienced and durable players on the Frogs as the TCU guard has appeared in 119 games - including 60 starts during his career with the Purple and White. The TCU senior did not start against Angelo State in the season opener - which snapped his 60-game starting streak dating back to the 2005-06 campaign.
• Owens has appeared in more games than any other player on the Frogs' roster and appeared in his 101 consecutive game against Colorado State on February 20, 2008. The Channelview, Texas, native scored his 400th career point against UT Arlington on December 17, 2007 and has notched 438 points during his career with the Frogs.
• The TCU senior has collected at least two rebounds in 20 of 26 games this season with a season-high seven boards coming against Jackson State. Owens posted a season-high 10 points in his homecoming to the Houston area against Rice where he also added four rebounds, three steals and two assists in 26 minutes of action.
The Wall
• Even though TCU has only been a member of the Mountain West Conference for the last three seasons, Ryan Wall has been affiliated with the conference in each of his five collegiate seasons. The TCU senior was a member of the University of New Mexico for two seasons (2003-04 and 2004-05) before transferring to the Frogs prior to the start of the 2005-06 campaign en route to appearing in 56 career games with the Purple and White - including his first start against Utah.
• The TCU senior connected on the game-winning three-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining to give the Purple and White a 74-72 victory over the University of New Mexico on January 15th at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. Wall's shot was highlighted on SportsCenter's Top-10 Plays of the Day as it registered as the Number-Five Play of the Day.
Cool Hand Luke
• After missing the 2006-07 season due to back surgery, Luke Tauscher made his return to the Frogs' lineup this season where he has averaged 8.0 minutes of court time. On eight occasions, the TCU freshman has competed in 10 or more minutes and has recorded at least three boards in 10 of 22 games during the 2007-08 campaign.
• The Fort Worth, Texas, native recorded his first career double-digit rebounding performance against Rice where he grabbed 12 boards and notched a pair of eight-rebound affairs against MWC-foes Colorado State and Utah. The TCU center is ranked sixth among all freshmen in the Mountain West Conference with a 3.0 boards per game average.
Morones Making Most of Opportunities
• TCU sophomore Martiese Morones has been making the most of his opportunities on the court as the Frogs' point guard has appeared in 20 games this season - including 10 or more minutes in four of the last five games.
• Morones has already set career-highs in 20 season statistical categories and career-highs in 15 single-game statistical categories this season while scoring a career-high three points on five occasions during the 2007-08 campaign.
• The Frogs' point guard is the son of TCU assistant coach, Sean Woods - who was a standout at the University of Kentucky where he was a member of the "Unforgettables" on the 1992 team that fell 104-103 to Duke in the NCAA Elite Eight in what is considered the greatest basketball game of all-time.
The Scoring Frenzy
• Three times during the 2007-08 campaign, every member of the Purple and White that saw action on the court scored at least one point in the game. The Frogs accomplished this feat against Angelo State, Grambling State and Colorado State. The same feat was reached twice all of last season against San Diego State and Air Force.
The Woes of the Road
• The Purple and White has struggled on the road this season where the Frogs have accumluated a 1-9 mark away from the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The Frogs dropped three games on the road where they held a double-digit lead in the second half of action - including a seven-point advantage over nationally-ranked University of Texas.
• With a victory at Colorado State, the Frogs snapped their 12-game road losing streak, but have dropped 20 of their last 22 games. In the Mountain West Conference, the road victory over the Rams was the second victory in league action.
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