Men's Basketball Opens Practice Friday
10/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 1, 2015
Coming off a season that saw many highlights, including a top-25 national ranking, the Horned Frogs will look to build upon their recent success and make some more noise both nationally and within the conference in 2015-16.
Last season saw the program jump into the national spotlight prior to the start of conference play after beginning the year 13-0. When it was all said and done, TCU was one of only six teams in the entire nation to start the year 13-0, joining the likes of Final Four participant Kentucky, National Champion Duke, Colorado State, Virginia and Villanova.
To duplicate that same type of success though the Frogs must replace three starters from a year ago in all-conference honoree Kyan Anderson, Trey Zeigler and junior Kenrich Williams, who will miss the entire upcoming season with an injury.
The good news though is the cupboard is not bare for fourth year head coach Trent Johnson. With the return of starters Karviar Shepherd and Chris Washburn, the Horned Frogs have a solid foundation in place to go along with other seasoned veterans and a talented crop of newcomers. The duo, who were named captains for the upcoming year, should give the Frogs plenty of firepower on both ends of the court to once again push for a postseason bid in 2015-16.
Simply put, the building blocks are in place for TCU to make a run as the program enters its new basketball home, the Ed & Rae Schollmaier Arena, which underwent a $72 million renovation.
Shepherd returns following a season in which he finished 14th overall in the Big 12 Conference in rebounding, averaging 5.7 boards a contest. He was also No. 15 in offensive rebounds, while ranking in the top-20 in league games in rebounds with 5.2 per contest.
Washburn, who one national analyst has tagged as one of the top returning players in the Big 12 Conference this season, should become even more of a factor for TCU in 2015-16 after closing out last season scoring back-to-back double-digit outings at the conference tournament. When it was all said and done, the Grand Prairie native scored in double-figures in eight games and ranked No. 12 overall in the Big 12 Conference in rebounding and No. 7 in blocked shots, respectively.
Senior Devonta Abron should help bolster the Frogs' inside presence this season as well. Abron came off the bench for the Purple and White in 28 games a year ago and has been a key contributor during his time in Fort Worth.
Maybe an even bigger storyline heading into this season is the added additions of Vladimir Brodziansky, JD Miller, Lyrik Shreiner and Malique Trent. The quartet will play a big role in TCU's season and are expected to make a huge impact.
Brodziansky, a 6-foot-10 forward, comes to Fort Worth after shining at Pratt Community College (Kan.) this past season where he averaged 15.3 points per game and 8.8 rebounds a contest. Trent competed last season at New Mexico Junior College where he earned NJCAA All-American Honorable Mention accolades, as well as being named the NJCAA Freshman of the Year after averaging a team-leading 15.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
Miller will don the Purple and White after being ranked a four-star recruit and the 19th best small forward in the nation by ESPN.com, while Shreiner was a three star prospect by both Rivals and ESPN after breaking the Arizona high school state scoring record after shooting 26-of-27 from the field en route to a 65-point outing.
Help also returns in the backcourt for TCU in Brandon Parrish, Michael Williams, Chauncey Collins and Dalton Dry. Parrish is a true scoring threat from anywhere on the court after totaling six double-digit outings throughout last season, while dropping 11 points against league foes West Virginia and Iowa State twice. A part-time starter a year ago, look for the junior's numbers to increase in 2015-16 with more touches. On the flip side Williams, Collins and Dry should give Johnson solid depth at the guard position following the loss of four-year starter Anderson.
The Frogs are slated to open their 2015-16 campain at home against Southeastern Louisiana. In total, the Frogs will play 18 home games this season.
