FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Jamie Dixon may need probably the most stable roster within the nation, which is kind of a change for a TCU program that went by means of a few overhauls earlier than touchdown its highest-ever preseason ranking this fall.
The 14th-ranked Horned Frogs, with preseason Big 12 participant of the 12 months Mike Miles Jr., return all 5 starters and 5 different scholarship gamers. They had consecutive wins over top-10 groups late final season to solidify a spot within the NCAA Tournament, then missed attending to the Sweet 16 after an time beyond regulation loss to Arizona.
This is Dixon’s seventh season at his alma mater, which earlier than final March hadn’t received an NCAA Tournament sport since 1987, when he was a senior guard for the Frogs.
“I know people thought I was crazy when I talked about expectations when I first got here,” Dixon stated.
Right away, the Frogs had three consecutive 20-win seasons and made their first NCAA match in 20 years. But there have been many questions once they slipped after that.
Their 16-16 document in 2019-20 was the primary time Dixon didn’t have a successful document — he was at Pittsburgh from 2003-16 earlier than going to TCU. There had been seven newcomers the next season, when the Frogs had been 12-14 earlier than a extra intensive overhaul as Dixon embraced the switch portal.
Eight transfers had been added earlier than final season, although a number of early accidents slowed their progress. All however considered one of them is again, with the one newcomers being Oklahoma State switch guard Rondel Walker and extremely touted freshman signee PJ Haggerty.
“You saw a team getting better and better. … We’ve made great strides,” stated Dixon, who lauded the advantages of summer time exercises coaches can now have with their groups. “Everybody got better, because most of them were out there almost the entire time.”
LEADING THE WAY
Miles, a 6-foot-2 junior guard, averaged 15.4 factors and 3.8 assists final season. He and 6-11 heart Eddie Lampkin Jr., each Texas youngsters who joined this system earlier than the 2020-21 season, are the one scholarship gamers apart from Haggerty who started their faculty careers at TCU.
Former Memphis switch guard Damion Baugh (10.6 ppg) and former Texas A&M ahead Emanuel Miller (10.3 ppg) had been the opposite Frogs who averaged double-digit scoring final season. Miller and Lampkin led the Frogs with 6.2 rebounds per sport.
“We know with the work we put in the reward is going to come out,” Miller stated. “We compete at such a high level at practice that we know what we’re capable of.”
14th NATIONALLY, 4th IN BIG 12
Three different Big 12 groups are ranked above TCU within the preseason AP ballot: Kansas and Baylor, the final two nationwide champions who’re tied for fifth, and No. 12 Texas. Those are additionally the three groups picked forward of the Frogs within the preseason ballot as voted on by the ten coaches
(*14*) Dixon stated. “But our league’s really good.”
WELLS REBOOT
One of the transfers final season was Shahada Wells, a 6-foot guard from Texas-Arlington. One of their greatest guards in offseason exercises, he performed solely seven video games whereas coping with a knee damage earlier than the Frogs redshirted him to get him wholesome for this season.
“He’s one of our best shooters. He’s becoming a very good defender,” Dixon stated. “He’s our smallest guard. We’ve talked to him about him being more physical, trying to play bigger. But he’s got great hands, very active on the ball, and just a great kid.”
FROGS SLATE
TCU has 12 video games earlier than dealing with the Big 12′s different three ranked groups from Texas within the first 12 days of convention play. The Frogs play their league opener on New Year’s Eve at house in opposition to No. 25 Texas Tech, then go to No. 5 Baylor, host Iowa State and play at No. 12 Texas. Eight of their dozen video games earlier than which might be on campus, with one other just a few blocks away at Dickies Arena. They will probably be in Florida after Thanksgiving to play California, then Clemson or Iowa. They tackle Utah in Salt Lake City a couple of days earlier than Christmas.
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