Frogs Square-Off Against BYU in Quarterfinals of MWC Tournament
3/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 10, 2010
Game 32 - TCU (13-18 | 5-11) vs. BYU (28-4 | 13-3)
Las Vegas, Nevada • Thomas & Mack Center
Thursday (Mar. 11) • 8:00 p.m. Central Time
Radio - KHFX (1460 AM) & KTCU (88.7 FM) | Brian Estridge (pxp) • John Denton (analyst)
TV - The Mtn. Network | James Bates (pxp) • Joe Cravens (analyst)
Game Notes - BYU in PDF Format 
Too Tuff to Handle
• TCU sophomore 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 in the Spring of 2008.
• Moss posted a career-high 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-7 from behind the three-point line, to go along with eight assists, four rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes of action against 23rd-ranked New Mexico on Jan. 30. The TCU sophomore became the first TCU player to score 30 or more points in a game since Kevin Langford posted 36 points in an overtime victory against Wyoming on Jan. 21, 2009.
• Moss posted 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including five three-pointers, to go along with six assists, five rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot in 32 minutes of action in TCU's 74-69 victory over Mid-America Christian. The TCU sophomore became the first player since Junior Blount in 2002 to post 25 or more points in the season opener.
• The TCU sophomore is averaging 14.6 points per game and has posted a double-digit scoring performance in 24 of 31 games this season. In addition, Moss has recorded seven 20-plus scoring performances and ranks fourth in the Mountain West Conference in scoring average (14.6 P-G).
• Moss is also ranked seventh in the country in assists per game (6.0 A-G) and is ranked first in the Mountain West Conference in assists per game (6.0 A-G). Moss has dished out at least five assists in 23 of 31 games, including four double-digit assist contests. The TCU sophomore is the only player in the conference to dish out 10 or more assists in more than one game.
• The Fort Worth standout has posted two double-doubles this season with his most recent coming against UT Pan American following a 15-point, 11-assist performance in TCU's victory. Moss also recorded a double-double against Texas State where he became the first TCU player to post a double-double in points and assists since Corey Santee on Nov. 28, 2001.
• Moss reached a milestone on Feb. 24 against UNLV when the TCU sophomore scored his 700th career point in his 58th career game for the Frogs. The 6-2 guard has established himself as one of the top players in the conference, ranking first in assists (6.0 A-G) and fourth in minutes played per game (33.4 MP-G) and scoring average (14.6 P-G).
Buljan Ranked Among League's Best
• Senior Zvonko Buljan became the first player in program history to earn Preseason First Team All-Mountain West Conference accolades as voted on by the coaches and media. In addition, Buljan was selected as a Preseason First Team All-Mountain West Conference award winner by two media outlets in CBS Sportsline and Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook.
• The TCU forward has posted nine double-doubles this season, including a 22-point and 16-rebound performance in the Frogs' season opener against Mid-America Christian. In the first game of the Preseason NIT, Buljan posted his second straight double-double with a 14-point and career-high 17-rebound effort against Cal State Northridge.
• Buljan is currently ranked 58th in the country and third in the Mountain West Conference in rebounds per game (8.6 R-G). In addition, the 6-9 forward is ranked second in the conference in defensive rebounds per game (6.6 R-G) and ninth in offensive rebounds per game (2.1 R-G). The TCU senior has recorded at least five rebounds in 29 of 31 games this season.
• The TCU senior posted a scoring milestone against UNLV on Feb. 24, when Buljan collected his 700th career points in only his 58th career game. For his career, Buljan is averaging 12.4 points per game to go along with 8.2 rebounds per evening.
• Buljan has recorded 21 double-digit scoring performances this season, including three 20-plus scoring efforts. The TCU senior collected a career-high 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting, including four three-pointers, on the road at Wichita State. In back-to-back games, Buljan notched career-highs in scoring against Texas Tech (24 points) then Wichita State (29 points).
• A native of Split, Croatia, Buljan has recorded nine double-doubles this season and is only one of three players in the Mountain West Conference to have nine or more double-doubles (Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State | Darington Hobson, New Mexico).
Hail to the Chief
• Upon capturing the Northeastern Prep School Championship at Bridgton Academy, Ronnie Moss and Greg Hill took a tour of the White House in Washington, D.C. Even though President George W. Bush was unable to meet with the team during their visit, Moss and Hill were able to get their picture taken with an up-and-coming Senator from Illinois named Barack Obama.
Century Milestone
• The Frogs scored 108 points in a triple overtime victory over Texas State on Nov. 24, 2009, which marked the first time that TCU has surpassed the 100-point milestone since Jan. 4, 2003. In that game, the Frogs scored 102 points against Centenary. In addition, this is also the first time that TCU has scored 108 points in a game since Jan. 5, 2002, against South Florida.
Scoring Tops
• Currently, the Frogs have three players ranked in the top-20 in the Mountain West Conference in scoring average in Moss (14.6 P-G | 4th), Buljan (12.4 P-G | 9th) and Ruzgas (10.7 P-G | 18th). This season, the combination of Moss, Buljan and Ruzgas are averaging 55.6 percent (1,158-of-2,084) of the Frogs' total scoring.
Hey Everybody, It's Niko
• In his first season with the program, Nikola Cerina has appeared in 28 games where he is averaging 5.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while connecting on 48.3 percent (58-of-120) of his field goal attempts. The TCU freshman is averaging 20.5 minutes per game and has started 19 of 28 games this season, including 15 of the last 16 contests for the Frogs.
• A native of Topola Oplenac, Serbia, Cerina is the first-ever international true freshman to play for the Frogs. Every international player that has appeared on the Frogs' roster has gone to either high school, prep school or junior college in the United States.
• Cerina has posted back-to-back career-high scoring performances after collecting 17 points, including the first 11 points of the game, against Utah followed by 21 points on the road in Mountain West Conference action against Wyoming. This season, the TCU freshman has recorded six double-digit scoring performances.
• In his last five games, Cerina has been one of the most productive players for the Frogs as the 6-9 forward is averaging 10.8 points to go along with 5.2 rebounds per game. The TCU freshman has connected on 51.4 percent (19-of-37) during that stretch.
No Three for You!
• The Frogs have held 13 opponents to less than 30 percent shooting from behind the three-point line this season. During one stretch, TCU held Louisiana Tech (1-of-13), SMU (0-of-13) and St. Gregory's (2-of-19) to less than 15 percent from beyond the arc.
• The Frogs are currently ranked 96th in the country in three-point field goal defense, allowing opponents to connect on 33.6 percent (189-of-563) of their field goal attempts. In addition, the Frogs are ranked fifth in the Mountain West Conference in that category and have held opponents to fewer than four three-pointers in 12 of 31 games this season.
• The Frogs held SMU to zero three-point field goals in their road victory on Dec. 2, which marked the first time in 492 games that TCU held an opponent to zero three-pointers. The last time came against Louisiana Tech on Jan. 3, 1994, when the Bulldogs finished the game 0-of-4 from behind the three-point line.
Call to Duty
• This season, three walk-ons have seen action in their first-ever game donning the Purple and White in Marin Bavcevic, Tory Woods and Zach Huie. Bavcevic has appeared in seven games while Woods and Huie made their collegiate debuts in a home victory over St. Gregory's. Woods has seen action in three games and scored his first career points against the Cavaliers.
Mountain West Conference History
• In five seasons as members of the Mountain West Conference action, the Frogs have recorded a 22-56 (.282) overall record.
Seventh Heaven
• The Frogs are the only team in the Mountain West Conference to have two players connect on seven or more three-pointers in a game this season. Greg Hill finished with seven three-pointers against the Air Force Academy on Feb. 6, while Edvinas Ruzgas achieved the feat against St. Gregory's on Dec. 20.
TCU Athletics Media Relations
