Killer Frogs

Men's Basketball: TCU Beats No. 16 Arkansas In Scrimmage

The Horned Frogs beat No. 16 Arkansas 66-65 in a preseason scrimmage Friday.
Nick Girimonte|
Micah Robinson (left) and Brendan Wenzel (right) celebrate a TCU scrimmage win over Arkansas on Friday, November 1, 2024 at Dickies Arena.
Micah Robinson (left) and Brendan Wenzel (right) celebrate a TCU scrimmage win over Arkansas on Friday, November 1, 2024 at Dickies Arena. | X: @TCUBasketball

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TCU Horned Frogs

It is time to get excited about TCU basketball again. The Horned Frogs beat No. 16 Arkansas in a preseason scrimmage Friday 66-65.

Ernest Udeh Jr. led the Frogs with 13 points and eight rebounds, while Frankie Collins dished out six assists in the upset.

Comeback Frogs

TCU was down 41-54 against the Razorbacks before the Frogs finished the game on a 25-11 run.

Jamie Dixon's squad held Arkansas to 1 of their last 9 from the field, including a scoring drought that lasted the last 3:28 of the game.

Down two in the final minute, Wyoming transfer Brendan Wenzel hit a go-ahead corner three-pointer to gives the Frogs the one point lead that John Calipari's team could not answer.

For a team of freshmen and transfers, being this resilient early in the season is an encouraging sign for a this next look TCU team.

Screw It, Throw It Up To Udeh

Ernest Udeh Jr. looks primed for a breakout. The only returning scholarship player for the Frogs dropped 13 points and eight rebounds with two blocks and a steal in 17 minutes.

These numbers are close to Udeh's career-highs as he looks to take a big step in his skillset.

The main man feeding Udeh all night was Arizona State transfer Frankie Collins who looks to be a difference maker for TCU.

Collins led the Frogs with six assists, an area TCU was lacking in last season.

If Udeh can play big minutes, he will elevate this Horned Frog team to a new level that was not there last year.

Deep Squad

Jamie Dixon went twelve deep into their rotation, something that allowed them to stay fresh down the stretch.

This included true freshmen Micah Robinson, David Punch, and Malick Diallo, a new sight for Frog fans.

TCU has not seen a true freshman play big minutes for them since Mike Miles Jr. so this year's roster will be interesting to see who makes the rotation and how playing time shakes out.

Altogether, this win injects a lot of optimism for a TCU team that is still wondering what their identity will be.

They respond from a secret scrimmage loss to No. 19 Texas in San Antonio that seemed underwhelming for this team's expectations.

TCU will open their regular season at home on Monday, November 4 at 7 p.m. CT against Florida A&M.

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Nicholas Girimonte
NICK GIRIMONTE

Nick Girimonte, a senior at Texas Christian University majoring in Communication Studies with a minor in Journalism, is passionate about media, storytelling, and sports. Originally from Windsor, CA, Nick moved to Fort Worth, TX in 2021 to pursue his career goals. He has gained diverse hands-on experience as an on-air talent for Frogs Today, covering TCU sports, and as a writer and podcast host for TCU Horned Frogs on SI. Nick specializes in covering both men’s and women’s basketball. His podcast, “Frog Fever,” covers TCU and Big 12 Men’s Basketball. Additionally, he works with the TCU Football video crew, contributing to game footage and analysis. Nick has also held roles with the Texas Rangers, Barstool Sports, and Austin Industries, where he worked on social media content, event planning, and brand visibility. Nick is excited to contribute to TCU Horned Frogs On SI and looks forward to his next sports communication journey after graduation in May 2025.

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