Frogs Play Host to In-State Rival Rice Wednesday
1/3/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2012
GAME #14 - RICE (9-5) vs. TCU (8-5)
TCU GAME NOTES 
// RICE GAME NOTES // LIVE AUDIO 
// 
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012 // 7 p.m. // Fort Worth, Texas // Daniel-Meyer Coliseum (7,201)
Series Record: Rice leads, 90-85 // Last Meeting: Jan. 2, 2011 in Houston (L, 61-70)
TCU Head Coach: Jim Christian (Rhode Island, `88)
Record at TCU: 46-63 (.422) in 4th season // Overall: 184-121 (.603) in 10th season
Rice Head Coach: Ben Braun (Wisconsin, `75)
Record at Rice: 41-68 (.376) in 4th season // Overall: 593-457 (.565) in 35th season
TV: The Mtn. (DirecTV ch. 616) // Talent: Chuck LaMendola (pxp), Travis Puckett (analyst)
Radio: 1460 AM (KCLE), 88.7 FM (KTCU) // Talent: Brian Estridge (pxp), John Denton (analyst)
Internet: GoFrogs.com (radio, GameTracker)
FORT WORTH--TCU continues its four-game homestand Wednesday, when it plays host to Rice at 7 p.m. at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The Owls rank as the Horned Frogs' No. 2 most-played rival all-time.
The Frogs will look to get back on track following Saturday's 74-66 home setback to Tulsa that dropped their record to 1-3 in the last four outings. The squad, which is 5-2 at home, hopes to continue its recent success against in-state opponents Wednesday vs. Rice, as TCU is 4-0 this season against teams from the state of Texas and 10-1 in its last 11 opportunities. The squad is 15-3 overall in Jim Christian's head coaching tenure against Texas foes.
Rice, 9-5 overall this season, arrives in Fort Worth looking to shake off a Saturday road loss at Texas. The Owls are 5-3 in their last eight games overall and 2-1 on the road.
TCU and Rice will meet for the 176th time in the all-time series, which trails only the annual series vs. SMU (186) for most-played Frog opponents. The two squads have split the last four matchups, including last year's 70-61 Owl win in Houston.
Following the contest vs. Rice, TCU will conclude its homestand next Wednesday, Jan. 11, against Texas Pan Am.
Saturday's matchup will mark TCU's seventh televised game of the season and its third on the MountainWest Sports Network (The Mtn.). The TCU broadcast team of Chuck LaMendola (play-by-play) and Travis Puckett (analyst) will handle play-by-play duties.
Fans also can follow the game live on the radio throughout the Metroplex on 1460 AM KCLE and 88.7 FM KTCU with Brian Estridge (play-by-play) and John Denton (analyst) calling the matchup. Links to both the live radio Internet feed and live stats will be available via TCU's official athletics website, GoFrogs.com.
FROG QUICK NOTES
* TCU is 4-0 this season against foes from the state of Texas.
* Six of TCU's eight wins have been by six points or fewer.
* TCU is forcing an average of 18.7 turnovers per game, 2.3 more than any other Mountain West team.
* TCU is No. 2 in the MW in average turnover margin (+3.23).
* TCU is 7-0 when scoring 70 points or more and 5-0 when shooting 45.0% or better from the field
* Craig Williams has scored in double figures a career-best three straight games. He leads TCU during the stretch with 15.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg and a 60.0% shooting rate from the field.
* Hank Thorns has 13 assists and no turnovers in 66 minutes of action over the last two games.
* Thorns is No. 4 in the MW in assists (4.54 apg); No. 5 in minutes played (31.85 mpg); No. 8 in steals (1.62 spg); No. 9 assist/turnover ratio (1.40); and No. 11 in scoring (12.7 ppg).
* Thorns, who has played only 45 games as a Frog, is just 37 assists shy of entering the team's career top-10 list (321).
* Garlon Green has made 9-of-17 shots from 3-point range over the last five games. He leads the team in 3-point percentage (40.9%) overall this season.
* Green is No. 3 in the MW in free-throw shooting (83.3%) and No. 14 in scoring (11.9 ppg).
* J.R. Cadot is No. 2 in the MW in offensive rebounds (3.15 rpg); No. 3 in total rebounds (7.4 rpg); No. 6 in steals (1.77 spg) and defensive rebounds (4.23 rpg); and No. 9 in minutes played (30.31 mpg).
* Cadot is the only MW guard, and the lone league player shorter than 6-8, averaging more than 6.1 rebounds this season. He has at least five boards in all but one contest.
| RICE PROJECTED STARTERS | ||||||
No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Year | 2011-12 Statistics |
3 | Tamir Jackson | G | 6-3 | 194 | Jr. | 14.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.5 apg |
4 | Connor Frizzele | G | 6-1 | 191 | Sr. | 9.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1.2 apg |
14 | Arsalan Kazemi | F | 6-7 | 220 | Jr. | 13.7 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 2.2 spg |
20 | Lucas Kuipers | F | 6-8 | 217 | Sr. | 7.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 0.8 apg |
31 | Dylan Ennis | G | 6-2 | 182 | Fr. | 7.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.0 apg |
| TCU PROJECTED STARTERS | ||||||
No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Yr. | Year | 2011-12 Statistics |
5 | Kyan Anderson | G | 5-11 | 165 | Fr. | 6.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 2.5 apg |
10 | Hank Thorns | G | 5-9 | 165 | Sr. | 12.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4.5 apg |
23 | J.R. Cadot | G | 6-5 | 210 | Sr. | 10.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.8 spg |
33 | Garlon Green | G/F | 6-7 | 215 | Jr. | 11.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.8 apg |
41 | Craig Williams | F | 6-8 | 265 | Sr. | 6.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 0.4 apg |
SCOUTING RICE
Rice, 9-5 this season under fourth-year head coach Ben Braun, fell at Texas in its latest outing on Saturday, 73-59. The squad opened the season with four straight home wins. Like TCU, the Owls also played Lamar this season, dropping an 87-81 home decision to the Cardinals on Dec. 17.
Rice finished last season with a 14-18 overall record and was 10th place in Conference USA with a 5-11 league mark. Nine letterwinners and four starters return from last year's squad.
The Owls feature an experienced starting lineup that includes two seniors, two juniors and one freshman. Junior guard Tamir Jackson paces the team in scoring at 14.1 ppg and assists at 3.5 apg. He also has made a team-high 16 3-pointers. Senior forward Arsalan Kazemi is the NCAA's leading rebounder at 12.3 ppg and averages 13.7 ppg. Kazemi also has totaled a nation-best 11 double-doubles this season and ranks No. 33 in the country in steals (2.2 spg).
As a team, Rice ranks among the nation's top-50 teams in rebound margin (No. 26), steals (No. 36) and field-goal percentage defense (No. 36).
INSIDE THE SERIES
Rice and TCU have met 175 previous times, which ranks as the Frogs' second-longest series all-time behind only SMU (186). The Owls own a slim 90-85 advantage, although the Frogs are 51-29 in games played in Fort Worth. While the squads have split the previous four meetings, TCU is 8-6 since the breakup of the Southwest Conference in 1996.
| TCU vs. Rice - Last 10 Meetings | |||||
Date | W/L | Score | Site | ||
Jan. 30, 1999 | L | 69-76 | Houston | ||
Feb. 25, 1999 | W | 63-62 | Fort Worth | ||
Feb. 3, 2000 | W | 83-70 | Houston | ||
March 3, 2000 | W | 85-62 | Fort Worth | ||
Jan. 20, 2001 | L | 66-73 | Fort Worth | ||
Feb. 10, 2001 | W | 72-76 | Houston | ||
Nov. 13, 2007 | W | 76-49 | Fort Worth | ||
Dec. 29, 2007 | L | 65-70 | Katy, Texas | ||
Jan. 2, 2009 | W | 70-58 | Fort Worth | ||
Jan. 2, 2011 | L | 61-70 | Houston | ||
LAST TIME WE MET: RICE 70, TCU 61
Hank Thorns set a then-career best with 18 points and dished out eight assists, but TCU was unable to hold a double-digit first-half lead during a 70-61 road setback to Rice in Houston on Jan. 2, 2011.
After TCU jumped out to a 10-point lead in the game's opening six minutes, Rice rallied to tie the contest at the half before scoring the first 11 points of the second period. The Frogs cut the lead to as few as four on three separate occasions, but each time was turned back by the Owls.
Thorns led the way for TCU by making 7-of-11 shots in 36 minutes of action. Greg Hill posted his second-straight double-figure performance with 12 points, while he added five rebounds. Garlon Green hit a trio of 3-pointers on his way to scoring 11 points, while J.R. Cadot led TCU on the glass with six rebounds.
TCU shot 48.9% from the field, including 54.5% in the first half, and held the Owls to only a 42.9% rate. Despite being outshot, the Owls were able to force 16 Frog turnovers that resulted in 20 points while going 26-of-30 at the free-throw line. TCU managed only an 8-of-15 showing at the stripe.
Four players scored in double figures to lead Rice, including Arsalan Kazemi, who totaled 20 points and eight rebounds. Kazemi went 10-of-11 at the charity stripe. Trey Stanton added 11 points and nine rebounds, while guards Connor Frizzelle and Tamir Jackson scored 14 and 12 points, respectively.
*Box score available on page 39 of TCU game notes.
WILLIAMS STEPPING UP DOWN LOW
Craig Williams, who spent three years at Temple (2007-11) before transferring to TCU in the offseason, has been a major contributor for the Frogs in recent games, using his 6-10, 265-pound frame to give TCU a lift in the paint.
* Williams has scored in double figures a career-best three straight games, including a career-high 25-point performance during the Dec. 22 home win over Grambling State.
* Prior to the current stretch, Williams had never previously double digits in points in back-to-back games.
* Williams also his first career double-double vs. Grambling, adding 10 rebounds.
* Williams owns TCU's top individual scoring and rebounding totals this season. In addition to his 25 points being the most by a Frog in 2011-12, he had 13 rebounds Dec. 6 vs. Lamar.
* Williams has led TCU twice in rebounding and once in scoring.
