GoFrogs: TCU Hosts No. 7 Kansas Saturday Morning

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TCU Hosts No. 7 Kansas Saturday Morning

Tip is set for 11:00 a.m. CT and will be shown on ESPN.

FORT WORTH, Texas – TCU hosts No. 7 Kansas Saturday morning inside Schollmaier Arena, beginning at 11:00 a.m. CT.

Fans not able to attend the contest against the Jayhawks can follow it live on ESPN with Dave Flemming (Play-By-Play) and Miles Simon (Color) calling the action live.

Saturday’s game is also available on the radio airwaves via KTCU, ESPN 103.3 FM, FrogVision, SiriusXM (83/199) or TuneIn Radio.

The Opponent
No. 7 Kansas comes into Saturday’s showdown with an 18-4 overall record, including a 6-3 league mark after dropping K-State in its last outing, 77-59. Against the Wildcats, senior Perry Ellis dropped 19 points on 8-of-11 from the field. Devonte’ Graham and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk added 10 points apiece, respectively.

On the season, Ellis is averaging 16.5 points a contest and 6.6 rebounds a game. Wayne Selden is also in double-figures, totaling 15.0 points per game, while shooting 46 percent from beyond the arc.

The Series
The two conference foes will battle for only the 13th time in program history Saturday. Kansas currently leads the all-time series, 11-1 after dropping TCU last month, but the Horned Frogs claimed a 62-55 victory over KU at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in 2013.

Tough At Home In League Play
Dating back to last season, TCU has won four out of its last eight Big 12 Conference home games, having defeated Texas, Texas Tech, K-State and Oklahoma State. The only losses during that stretch came to No. 17 Iowa State in the regular-season home finale a year ago, versus No. 17 West Virginia, No. 19 Iowa State and Texas Tech last month.

In the four victories, the Horned Frogs have held all four under 60 points for the game.

Playing Kansas Close
In TCU’s last four meetings against Kansas, the Frogs have made things interesting. The Purple and White dropped a 70-63 setback last month in Lawrence. A year ago at home, TCU pulled within two with 33 seconds left, but couldn’t get over the hump, falling 64-61.

The last four meetings has seen the two teams separated by a total of 24 points. The average score in those four contests has been 70-64 in slight favor of Kansas.

The Breakdown
Game One: 61-64 (Fort Worth)
Game Two: 72-81 (Lawrence)
Game Three: 59-64 (Kansas City)
Game Four: 63-70 (Lawrence)

The Comeback Kids
TCU erased a 14-point halftime deficit last Saturday to record a 75-63 victory over Tennessee, who earlier this week defeated No. 20 Kentucky. Against the Vols, the Horned Frogs did it on both ends of the court in the second half, holding Tennessee to only 23.5 percent from the field, including a 0-for-15 showing from deep. On offense, TCU shot 62.5 percent for the half and 50 percent from three. Individually, Malique Trent came alive in the second stanza, scoring 14 of his team-high 15 points in the period.

He’s Heating Up
Chauncey Collins has begun to make his mark as of late, scoring the basketball from all over the court. The sophomore, who has scored in double-figures in six out of the nine league games, which includes games of 20 versus West Virginia and 19 against Texas Tech, has hit three or more three’s in five out of the nine games.

In the five games against league foes ranked in the top-25, Collins is averaging 13.0 points per game and 3.0 assists per contest. He is also shooting 46 percent from behind the arc in the five outings.

Guarding The Rock
TCU is a perfect 7-0 this season when holding its opponent to under 40 percent from the field. The Horned Frogs limited Tennessee to only 33.3 percent from the floor, including only (8-of-31) 25.8 percent from behind the arc. By defeating Texas at home, 58-57, the Frogs also held their fifth opponent this season to 59 points or less.

In the last two season’s against league foes, TCU has now held six opponents to under 60 points. The Frogs’ only loss during the six games came in a 58-53 setback at K-State last January.

Close Calls
In all but six of TCU’s 12 losses this season, the Frogs have either led or trailed by only single digits in the final six minutes of the contest. Five out of the six where TCU hasn’t accomplished that feat came on the road at Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor, Oklahoma State and Washington.

Against Texas Tech, the Frogs led by one with 3:02 showing on the clock. Against West Virginia, TCU led by one with 5:56 remaining in the game. Against Rhode Island, the Purple and White took a two-point lead with 2:16 left to go. The Frogs also cut it to three against South Dakota State with 3:30 showing on the clock in the second half. The Purple and White closed within seven in the final seconds at No. 1 Kansas.

TCU Notes
• TCU is 41-8 when leading at the half under head coach Trent Johnson.
• TCU has held 35 opponents to 59 points or less under Trent Johnson.
• TCU will play its seventh opponent either ranked or receiving votes in its last 10 games vs. Kansas.
• TCU returned three starters from a year ago in Chris Washburn, Kenrich Williams and Karviar Shepherd.
• All three are TCU’s captains this season.
• TCU has won four out of its last eight Big 12 Conference home games.
• TCU played its first 11 games without Chris Washburn and Kenrich Williams.
• Williams will miss the entire season with an injury.
• Malique Trent ranks fifth in the Big 12 Conference in steals and No. 67 in the NCAA.