The Horned Frogs have compromised their chances in their tournament by dropping two consecutive games.
It was a tough week for the TCU Horned Frogs. Last Monday, they fought a hard battle against the Baylor Bears. At least in the first half…
However, due to the Bears’ defensive strategy, the Horned Frogs quickly fell behind. Baylor forced the Horned Frogs out and scored in the mid-range, resulting in a season-low of 54 points.
Then, on Saturday, before the 87-75 downfall, the united Frogs led by 17 points against the BYU Cougars. The weak performance in the second half assured their victory. After leading by 46-29, the Cougars quickly overtook the Horned Frogs, securing a 35-point lead in the last 10 minutes.
Following this defeat, TCU’s tournament chances took a significant hit. Once touted as a strong contender, they now find themselves on the brink of elimination or even completely out of contention. Fortunately for the Frogs, the remaining two games of the regular season are against the worst and third-worst teams in the conference. Before discussing the future, let’s delve deeper into the Cougars’ performance last week.
Pros:
First Half: The united Frogs received little praise last week. Among several notable aspects was TCU’s performance in the first half. Against the Bears, they fell behind in the first 20 minutes. A dry spell in the final minutes of play hurt TCU’s chances, jeopardizing the lead they had built.
On the conference’s average point deficit, the highest in the league, allowing 25 first-half points is rather good. Like TCU’s performance in the first half, the Horned Frogs scored 29 points in the first 20 minutes against the Cougars. For reference, BYU is leading in points per game in the Big 12. Despite scoring only 23 points against the Bears in the first half, TCU managed to earn a 46-point advantage against Providence. Unfortunately for the Horned Frogs, they played poorly in the second half in both matches.
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Strong Turnover: Despite the loss, TCU won the turnover battle in both areas. Against the Cougars, they forced 15 turnovers. Almost a week later, the Frogs turned the tables, forcing 11 turnovers against the Bears. The united Frogs maintained their defensive stance, forcing the opposition into turnover-worthy plays and applying consistent pressure on the perimeter.
Avery Anderson III, Jamie Dixon Jr., and Micaiah Peavy form a strong trio of perimeter defenders. Each player has a unique trait on the defensive end. Anderson III’s quick hands are always a threat, Nelson Jr.’s strength in pairing with big defenders, and Peavy’s adeptness at guarding high-level shooters. With these three absent, the roster is full of players who can compete defensively in every position. The united Frogs have promised defensively that every game is winnable.
Cons:
Lineup Change: Since Anderson III joined the lineup, the Horned Frogs have fallen to 1-2. After transitioning to the second unit, Tennison averages only 6.7 points per game, shooting 28.0% from the floor and 35.7% from beyond the arc— all significantly lower than his season averages. Since rejoining the starting lineup, Anderson III has averaged 7.3 points, 2.0 assists, 2.3 turnovers, and shot 24.0% from the field.
The lineup change at this point is quite peculiar. As head coach Jamie Dixon mentioned in the past, Nelson Jr. and Anderson have played similarly. So why pair two similar players and bench the team’s best shooter? There is no logical reasoning behind the scenes. Certainly, Anderson III and Nelson Jr. form an excellent defensive duo, but no player is shooting over 32% from the three-point line this season alongside them. It is essential to shift Anderson III to the second unit, necessitating change-for-speed presence in reserve.
Second Half: TCU combined for a disappointing 95-60 score in the second half of each game. Despite scoring significantly more, the Horned Frogs lost both games by only 10 points on average. Against Baylor, the offense faltered, mainly due to a stagnant offense, leading to a flat performance (later even worse). Against BYU, the united Frogs went cold for an extended period and showed signs of defensive vulnerability.
The united Frogs have proved to be a frustrating team. Talent is there, but the roster is maddeningly inconsistent. Both offenses went dry for at least four minutes. It’s hard to imagine that the second-best defense in the Big 12 can go scoreless for such a long time.
Zone Defense: How do you slow down a fast-paced team as a sportsman? Zone. Baylor’s head coach Scott Drew brilliantly slowed down TCU’s attack – he implemented a zone. The united Frogs seemed unfamiliar with the new defensive strategy. Typically, the wall-banger plays pick-and-roll, cuts.
