Frogs Travel to The Pit to Face New Mexico
1/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 25, 2011
GAME #22
TCU (10-11; 1-5 MWC) at NEW MEXICO (13-7; 1-4 MWC)
TCU GAME NOTES 
| UNM GAME NOTES | LISTEN LIVE 
| 
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011 | 8 p.m. MT | Albuquerque, N.M. | University Arena [The Pit (15,411)]
Television: The Mtn. (DirecTV ch. 616) | Talent: Rich Cellini (pxp), Dave Bollwinkel (analyst)
Radio: 1460 AM (KCLE), 88.7 FM (KTCU) | Talent: Brian Estridge (pxp), John Denton (analyst)
Internet: GoFrogs.com (radio, GameTracker)
Series Record: UNM leads, 13-5 | Last Meeting: March 3, 2010 in Albuquerque (L, 66-73)
TCU Head Coach: Jim Christian (Rhode Island, '88)
Record at TCU: 37-47 (.440) in 3rd season | Overall: 175-105 (.625) in 9th season
UNM Head Coach: Steve Alford (Indiana, '87)
Record at UNM: 59-28 (.678) in 4th season | Overall: 367-211 (.635) in 20th season
FORT WORTH--TCU continues its league schedule Wednesday, Jan. 26, when it travels to Albuquerque, N.M., to take on New Mexico at the Lobos' University Arena. Tip-off for the contest, which will be televised by The MountainWest Sports Network (The Mtn.), is set for 8 p.m. MT.
TCU, 10-11 overall this season and 1-5 in the Mountain West Conference, will be aiming for its second conference victory and its first away from Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs have dropped three straight games, and seven of their last eight contests overall, entering Wednesday. The squad will have to overcome one of the nation's toughest environments in the Lobos' University Arena, nicknamed "The Pit." The Frogs have never won in eight previous trips to Albuquerque.
New Mexico, 13-7 overall and 1-4 in the MWC, also enters Wednesday's contest looking to shake off some recent struggles, having dropped three straight games and four of five overall. The squad currently sits in a tie for seventh place in the MWC standings with Wyoming, one spot ahead of the Frogs.
New Mexico owns a 13-5 advantage in the all-time series and has won five straight matchups with the Frogs dating back to the 2007-08 season.
Wednesday's game marks TCU's 10th televised matchup this season and its ninth on The Mtn. Broadcast duties will be handled by Rich Cellini (play-by-play) and Dave Bollwinkel (analyst). The Mtn. is available nationwide on DirecTV channel 616.
In addition to television coverage, the contest also will be broadcast live on the radio throughout the Metroplex on both 1460 AM KCLE and 88.7 FM KTCU. Brian Estridge (play-by-play) and John Denton (analyst) will serve as the on-air talent. Live stats and a link to an Internet radio feed will be available via TCU's official athletics website, GoFrogs.com.
A LOOK AT THE STARTERS*
TCU Projected Starters
No. - Name - Pos. - Ht. - Wt. - Yr. - PPG, RPG, APG
4 - Amric Fields - F - 6-9 - 210 - Fr. - 7.4, 2.7, 0.5^
5 - Ronnie Moss - G - 6-2 - 205 - Jr. - 15.7, 3.5, 3.6
10 - Hank Thorns - G - 5-8 - 165 - Jr. - 9.6, 3.2, 6.1
12 - Nikola Cerina - F - 6-9 - 245 - So. - 4.2, 2.9, 0.6#
33 - Garlon Green - F - 6-7 - 210 - So. - 11.7, 4.4, 1.1
New Mexico Projected Starters
No. - Name - Pos. - Ht. - Wt. - Yr. - PPG, RPG, APG
5 - Dairese Gary - G - 6-1 - 205 - Sr. - 13.8, 3.0, 5.2
10 - Kendall Williams - G - 6-3 - 170 - Fr. - 11.6, 2.9, 4.6
23 - Phillip McDonald - G - 6-5 - 200 - Jr. - 11.4, 5.0, 0.8
32 - Drew Gordon - F 6-9 - 245 - Jr. - 11.4, 9.0, 1.3^
53 - Alex Kirk - F - 6-11 - 230 - Fr. - 7.1, 4.9, 1.0^
^-blocks per game; #-steals per game;
*-players determined by starters from each team's previous game
FROG QUICK NOTES
- Each of TCU's last five opponents has shot 54 percent or better in at least one half of play against the Frogs.
- Three of Nikola Cerina's four double-figure scoring efforts this season have come in the last six games. He finished his freshman season with 10-plus points in four of his last five contests.
- Ronnie Moss leads TCU in scoring and ranks No. 4 in the MWC with an average of 15.7 ppg.
- Moss needs only three points to move into a tie for 20th place on TCU's career scoring chart with Brent Hackett and Junior Blount (1,098 points).
- Hank Thorns leads the MWC in assists (6.05 apg) and ranked No. 17 nationally as of Jan. 24. He also is No. 2 in the MWC and No. 38 in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio (2.37).
- Thorns has five 10-assist games, three more than any other MWC player.
- Thorns is on pace to finish among the top-5 players in TCU history in single-season assists.
- Garlon Green leads the MWC in 3-point percentage overall this season with a figure of 51.6%. Twenty-six of his 40 career 3-pointers have been recorded in the last 13 games.
- TCU is 10-0 when scoring over 70 points this season and 0-11 when scoring fewer than 70 points.
- TCU is shooting 51.6% from the field in its 10 wins and only 38.6% in its 10 losses. The squad owns an average rebounding edge of +4.8 in victories and is at -5.5 in losses.
- TCU leads the MWC and ranks No. 48 nationally in 3-point field-goal defense (30.8%). The squad also paces the league in keeping opponents off the offensive glass with a defensive rebounding rate of 72.0% and ranks No. 2 in 3-pointers made (6.81 3pg).
SCOUTING THE NEW MEXICO LOBOS
New Mexico, led by fourth-year head coach Steve Alford, is 13-7 overall this season and 1-4 in the MWC following Saturday's 63-62 road loss at UNLV. The Lobos' MWC win came at home against Colorado State, while their other league losses have come at Wyoming, vs. San Diego State and at Utah. The squad started the season 10-1 before finishing non-conference play with a 12-3 record.
As a team, New Mexico averages 74.8 ppg with a +9.0 average scoring margin. The squad owns a +5.4 average rebounding margin, which ranks No. 2 in the MWC, and leads the league in assist average (15.40 apg).
Four Lobos average scoring in double figures, including senior guard Dairese Gary, who leads the squad at 13.8 ppg and ranks No. 2 in the MWC in assist average (5.15 apg). Freshman guard Kendall Williams ranks second on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg) and is No. 3 in the league in assists (4.6 apg), while junior forward Drew Gordon, a transfer from UCLA who became eligible to play for the Lobos in the second semester, averages 11.4 ppg and a team-best 9.0 rebounds.
INSIDE THE SERIES
New Mexico holds a 13-5 edge in the all-time series that stretches back to 1964. The Lobos, which own an 8-3 advantage since the Frogs joined the MWC prior to the 2005-06 season, have won each of the last five games. TCU took 3-of-4 meetings played during 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons. The Lobos are 8-0 against TCU in Albuquerque.
TCU vs. New Mexico - Last 10 Meetings
Date - W/L - Score - Site
Feb. 11, 2006 - L - 42-53 - Fort Worth
Jan. 3, 2007 - W - 64-52 - Fort Worth
Feb. 17, 2007 - L - 58-74 - Albuquerque
March 6, 2007 - W - 62-54 - Las Vegas
Jan. 15, 2008 - W - 74-72 - Fort Worth
Feb. 16, 2008 - L - 48-64 - Albuquerque
Jan. 24, 2009 - L - 52-69 - Fort Worth
Feb. 24, 2009 - L - 62-76 - Albuquerque
Jan. 30, 2010 - L - 57-73 - Fort Worth
March 3, 2010 - L - 66-73 - Albuquerque
LAST SEASON VS. NEW MEXICO
- Jan. 30, 2010 - Fort Worth (UNM, 73-57)
Darington Hobson scored 19 points with some key second-half baskets and No. 23 New Mexico stretched its winning streak to six games with a 73-57 victory over TCU.
Plagued by turnovers, TCU was still close until Hobson scored consecutive baskets for the Lobos to start a 9-0 run over a 3-minute span in the second half. Hobson's tip-in pushed the lead to 43-32 with just under 13 minutes left and the Horned Frogs never got closer than nine after that. Before that spurt, TCU (10-12, 2-5) got within 34-32 on Zvonko Buljan's 3-pointer.
Phillip McDonald had 18 points and Roman Martinez 16 for New Mexico. Ronnie Moss led TCU with a career-high 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting with five 3-pointers and eight assists. Buljan finished with 11 points.
- March 3, 2010 - Albuquerque (UNM, 73-66)
TCU had four players in double figures, but it was not enough as the Frogs dropped a 73-66 decision to No. 8 New Mexico at The Pit. The Lobos secured their first outright conference championship since 1994.
UNM led 31-29 lead at intermission and moved in front by 11 points (62-51) with 6:19 remaining following a 3-pointer by Roman Martinez. The Frogs responded and were able to cut the lead to three points, 67-64, with one minute left following a 3-pointer by Keion Mitchem. The Lobos were able to seal the victory late, receiving four free throws by Dairese Gary and a lay-in by Martinez in the final moments.
Ronnie Moss finished led TCU with 14 points, while Zvonko Buljan added his third consecutive double-double following with a 12-point, 11-rebound performance. Darington Hobson finished with a game-high 20 points for UNM to go along with 14 rebounds and seven assists. Martinez collected 19 points while drilling five 3-pointers.
CERINA ROUNDING INTO FORM
Nikola Cerina opened his sophomore season in a slump following a breakout freshman season in 2009-10, but he has since started to round into form since the opening of conference play.
- Cerina has started each of the last four contests for the Frogs and has scored in double figures three times in the last six games. He is shooting 51.2% from the field.
- Cerina reached double figures only once in TCU's first 15 games of the season. He shot only 35.4% in the opening stretch of the season.
- Cerina experienced a solid debut season in 2009-10 while becoming the first international true freshman ever to hit the court for the Frogs.
- Cerina started 16 of the last 17 games in which he appeared and ended the season on a high note, averaging 12.0 ppg over his last five outings.
