Preview: UTEP

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – For the first time in a decade, TCU is hooping on Turkey Day.

The Horned Frogs commence the St. Pete Showcase with their first-of-two games at noon CT on Thursday vs. UTEP. TCU concludes the tournament on Saturday with a noon tilt opposite Nebraska.

The Game
Teams: TCU (5-0) vs. UTEP (3-1)
Date: Noon CT on Thursday, Nov. 23
Location: McArthur Center at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida

Coverage
Live Stream: Be the Beast ($20 tournament pass)
Radio: 88.7 KTCU FM

Nevada Cullen play-by-play

Live Stream: Be the Beast ($20 tournament pass)
Social Media: X / Instagram @tcuwbb

Opening Tip

TCU is competing on Thanksgiving Day for the sixth time in its 47-year history. The Horned Frogs played Thanksgiving hoops in 1989, 2002, 2008, 2010 and 2013.
The Horned Frogs are 1-4 all-time in Turkey Day tussles. TCU entered the Thanksgiving holiday win column on Nov. 28, 2002 with a 68-54 win over Holy Cross at the WBCA Classic in West Lafayette, Indiana. The 2002-03 TCU team went on to earn the program's third NCAA Tournament berth.

TCU is partaking in a Thanksgiving weekend tournament for the 25th time.
TCU holds a 27-25 all-time record in games played over Thanksgiving weekend.

The Horned Frogs last played over the holiday on Nov. 26-27 at the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic.

Frog Focus

TCU is two wins away from matching its best start to a season in school history. The 2019-20 Horned Frogs squad began the season 7-0 and went on to finish with a 22-7 overall record.
Mark Campbell is the first head coach in program history to begin his TCU tenure 5-0.
TCU added to its season-long second quarter scoring surge in Sunday's win over Army. The Horned Frogs outscored the Black Knights 24-11 on their way to a 45-24 halftime lead. TCU holds a 107-54 second quarter scoring edge through five games.
Sedona Prince leads the NCAA in free throw attempts (44) and double-doubles (four). The center also ranks fourth nationally in total rebounds (55) and 12th in blocks (12).
Prince's fourth double-double arrived on Sunday via a 33-point, 16-rebound, two-block effort vs. Army. Prince set single-game career highs in scoring and rebounding as well as field goals made (12).
TCU has knocked down the second-most 3-pointers of any team in the country with 50. Only Utah (69) has made more. The Horned Frogs have drained 10-or-more deep balls in three of their five wins (TAMU-Kingsville, Rice, Army).
Conner has led the country in 3-pointers for two straight weeks. She has 26 entering Thursday's game.
Conner canned a career-best 7-15 attempts from distance in Sunday's win over Army as a part of a 24-point, nine assist outing.
Conner and Prince rank first and third, respectively, in the Big 12 in points per game. Both players have scored in double figures in all five TCU victories. Conner is sixth in the country in total points (112) while Prince's 108 points scored are the ninth-most across the D1 ranks.
Prince and Conner have both scored 30 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in a game this season. They are the fourth and fifth Horned Frogs since 1999-00 and first since Amy Okonkwo in 2019 to accomplish the feat.
Jaden Owens moved to second in the Big 12 in assists per game (6.0) after recording a TCU career-high nine in Sunday's victory against Army. That figure ranks 24th nationally.
TCU is assisting on 71 percent (93-132) of its field goals this season. The Horned Frogs dished out a season-high 24 assists on Sunday vs. Army.
The Horned Frogs continue to rank third nationally in blocks per game (8.0). Prince and Agnes Emma-Nnopu have delivered four-block games in TCU's wins over Incarnate Word and Army. Prince and Emma-Nnopu rank first and second, respectively, in the Big 12 in total blocks. Emma-Nnopu's 10 rejections rank 23rd nationally.
The Horned Frogs are the lone Power Five conference team whose primary starting lineup is comprised entirely of first-year transfers. TCU is one of just three teams across the D1 ranks, alongside Mercer and Utah State, starting five transfers.
TCU has limited all five of its opponents to 56-or-fewer points. The last time TCU held five-or-more opponents under 56 points came during the 2019-20 campaign.
The Horned Frogs' field goal percentage defense (.312) is the 17th-best clip nationally.
TCU is limiting opponents to 4.6 three-pointers per game and kept all five of its opponents below a 25 percent clip from distance.

A Win over the Miners Would…

Give TCU its second 6-0 start to a season in program history and first since 2003-04
Mark the first time the Horned Frogs have won six consecutive games since 2019-20
Extend Mark Campbell's record-setting first year head coach winning streak to six
Be TCU's second win on Thanksgiving Day
Stake TCU to its seventh victory in its last eight tries dating back to March
Give TCU its second neutral site victory in 2023
Boost TCU's all-time neutral site record to 86-93
Be the Horned Frogs' first win over UTEP in 22 years
Signify TCU's first win in the Sunshine State since defeating Fordham 48-47 on Nov. 26, 2011 at the UCF Thanksgiving Classic
Augment TCU's all-time record against current Conference USA members to 75-66
Be TCU's first win over an in-state opponent since defeating Texas Tech on Jan. 19, 2022

Series History: UTEP
Meeting: 16th
All-Time Series: TCU leads, 8-7
Since joining Big 12: 0-1
Date Series Began: Dec. 9, 1978
Last Game Played: March 24, 2016
Last Meeting: UTEP won, 79-71
Current Win Streak: UTEP, W2
TCU at Home: 4-0
TCU on the Road: 2-5
TCU on a Neutral Court: 2-2
Largest Margin of Victory by TCU: 23 (Feb. 6, 2001)
Largest Margin of Victory by UTEP: 15 (Dec. 29, 1995)
Longest Winning Streak by TCU: 4 (March 1, 1999-Feb. 6, 2001)
Longest Winning Streak by UTEP: 2 (Feb. 21, 2001-Present)

Series Since TCU Joined Big 12
TCU Record in Series: 0-1
TCU at Home: 0-0
TCU on the Road: 0-1
TCU on a Neutral Court: 0-0

Last 10 Games
Date    W/L     Score  Location
3/24/2016     L        79-71  El Paso
2/21/2001      L        79-76  El Paso
2/6/2001       W       80-57  Fort Worth
2/17/2000     W       79-71  Fort Worth
1/22/2000     W       66-59 El Paso
3/1/1999       W       67-58  Las Vegas
3/2/1998       L        63-49 Las Vegas
2/6/1997       W       60-57  El Paso
1/12/1997      W       67-59  Fort Worth
12/29/1995    L        69-54 El Paso

Series Notes: UTEP

TCU and UTEP played annually for five seasons from 1997-2001 during their shared affiliation as Western Athletic Conference members.
The last meeting between the Horned Frogs and Miners was a WNIT Super 16 matchup.
TCU went on to capture its first conference tournament title in program history in March 2001 after splitting its regular season series with the Miners.
The first time TCU and UTEP's paths crossed on the hardwood was on Dec. 9, 1978 in just TCU's second season of existence.
Adeola Akomolafe, TCU's director of recruiting operations and student athlete development, is an El Paso native.

Schedule

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Agnes Emma-Nnopu

Jaden Owens

Sedona Prince

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