TCU Men's Basketball Preview: Kansas
TCU begins conference play in arguably the hardest place to play in the Big 12 in Allen Fieldhouse against No.2 Kansas Saturday. Coming in at 11-2, the Frogs are still looking for their first Quad 1 or Quad 2 win of the year. This is by far their best opportunity to make a statement and make a serious case to the committee to boost their resume. Kansas opens as an 8.5-point favorite, so it will definitely be an uphill climb to get this done.
Attacking the Jayhawk Stars
Kansas' rotation is extremely thin and dependent on their three or four stars. Relying heavily on their starters, the bulk of the Jayhawks' scoring relies mostly on Hunter Dickinson, Kevin McCullar Jr., and KJ Adams Jr., with Dajuan Harris Jr. doing much of the facilitating. Attacking these players and getting some of them in foul trouble puts an immense amount of pressure on a team that has really weak depth, if any at all. TCU's deep rotation is a huge advantage against a team with little holes to exploit.
Helping Out Miller
Emanuel Miller has been the only consistent form of offense in the half-court this season. Having multiple ways to score is so important against such a talented team like Kansas, which likes to keep teams in the half-court on defense. Micah Peavy, Jameer Nelson Jr., and JaKobe Coles, if he is able to play, could all be massive in playing an X-factor for this game.
Ernest Udeh Jr. Revenge Game
Ernest Udeh Jr., TCU's starting center, returns to Allen Fieldhouse for the first time since he transferred from Kansas. Aside from having the extra chip on his shoulder, Udeh is coming off his best game in his career with 13 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks and is looking to carry that momentum forward. He is also the only Frog that can match up in size with arguably Kansas' best player, Hunter Dickinson, so expect Udeh Jr. to play big minutes to neutralize Dickinson's production.
Run It Back
The last time the Frogs traveled to Lawrence, TCU beat Kansas 83-60 in what was the highest-ranked road win in program history. Shahada Wells led the Frogs with 17 points, while Mike Miles Jr. added 15 points and four assists. Hopefully, TCU can channel that same performance on Saturday to add a much-needed signature win.
How to Watch, Listen, and Stream: Kansas vs. TCU
- Tipoff - 1 p.m. CT
- Television - CBS with Brad Nessler and Bill Raftery
- Radio - AM 570 KLIF with Brian Estridge and Collin Boddicker (also available on Sirius XM Channel 375, HFTV, TuneIn, and Varsity
- Live Stream - fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Lock in. It's basketball season.
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