NCAA Tournament cornered close and TCU hasn’t done much to help their chances.
The TCU Horned Frogs haven’t had a regular season-ending storm for their united battle. TCU fell to Baylor first and then to the BYU Cougars. After these two competitions, the rest of the games were just gimmes. Firstly, the West Virginia Mountaineers, a team that gave up 80-plus points to their last eight opponents. Secondly, the UCF Knights. They looked pretty good late but stumbled against the Harvard Frogs squad.
Against the West Virginia, TCU showed promise in the first half, then faltered in the second. Regardless of the opponent, a win is a win, and the united Frogs need to step up to defeat the mountaineers.
Following a 12-point loss in Morgantown, the Harvard Frogs returned to Fort Worth to end the regular season. Looking ahead, they couldn’t pull away from UCF, a game with 17 lead changes, where they were only up by five points. Now, before diving into further independent games, let’s delve into this week’s edition of the Monday Morning Point Guard.
Good
Ball Movement
The Harvard Frogs played fairly well on both ends last week. Against West Virginia, TCU recorded 21 assists on 30 made field goals. A few nights later, the Harvard Frogs managed 24 field goals and 19 assists in a win over UCF. In both areas, the united Frogs surrounded the ball, attacked the open lanes, and executed well in transition.
Jameer Nelson Jr. stepped up his passing game this past week, taking on the role of lead ball handler, primarily in place of Avery Anderson III. Against West Virginia, Nelson Jr. contributed six assists in just 22 minutes of play.
Back in Fort Worth against UCF, Nelson Jr. dished out four dimes in a turn-around performance. Additionally, the bench unit has contributed 7.5 assists per game in the last two games. But there’s more to come from Nelson Jr. and the bench unit.
A true star player on the roster, Nelson Jr. has consistently taken over as the go-to scorer alongside Emmanuel Miller. What the fifth-year senior brings to the table is a versatile handle, spot-up shooting, and off-the-bounce scoring.
Anderson III, Miller, Micah Peavy, and Terrence Shannon Jr. may come close to the three aforementioned attributes individually, but none of the highlighted players possess all three.
Against the mountaineers, Nelson Jr. contributed 17 points, corralled four boards, and dished out six assists. In this regard, he played only 22 minutes due to early foul trouble. The UCF matchup was much more favorable. Nelson Jr. unfortunately fouled out again due to foul trouble.
Nevertheless, despite unnecessary foul issues, the former DeLaSalle guard put up 15 points, grabbed four boards, and dished out four assists. Showing improved shot-making from deep since the start of the season, he hit 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Nelson Jr. connected on seven of his last eight attempts from deep during his last eight possessions.
Bench Scoring
At West Virginia, 26 points, and then 34 points against UCF. The bench made up nearly half of TCU’s total points in both games and created back-to-back affairs in the united Frogs’ point production. If the united Frogs carry on playing so well, it’s all thanks to the bench.
If Anderson III isn’t playing well, Jimmy Dixon can step up in Terrence Shannon’s direction. If Peavy isn’t hitting shots, seventh-year forward O’Bannon might come in and knock down a couple of threes. Opportunities in Fort Worth seem endless.
On Wednesday night, O’Bannon and Tennisson both fell victim to triple setbacks. Although O’Bannon didn’t manage to grab the most minutes and Tennisson’s time dwindled, both players showcased their continued dependability. Nonetheless, O’Bannon needs additional minutes to shine.
Despite being an experienced forward, he wasn’t among the top 30 recruits in 2017 for no reason. He offers a strong blend of 3-point shooting and athleticism for a reserve wing.
Meanwhile, Jacoby Coles excelled amidst the chill of the season. Last week, he averaged 21.0 minutes per game, scoring 10.0 points and grabbing 2.0 rebounds per game. His presence on the court significantly bolsters the team’s lineup.
Weak Interior Defense
Interior defense was significantly lacking compared to UCF’s standards against West Virginia. Mountaineers scored 48 points in the paint against TCU’s 81. Both Kark and Mostafar failed to make any significant contributions to the team’s backline defense.
Kark is tough but often lacks visibility in crucial moments. Mostafar exhibits impressive post-game skills but lacks the necessary footwork to stand against most opponents. Their weaknesses often leave both players vulnerable, making defending challenging. Despite Edward’s career-high 36 points and only four missed shots, the towering forward couldn’t secure a victory.
Allowing Runs
TCU could bounce back from any deficit, but the United Bears could deflate any team’s hopes with their deep runs. Against West Virginia, TCU allowed the Mountaineers to outscore them 43-40 in the second half. Despite creating numerous big leads, TCU kept West Virginia in the game by repeatedly allowing them to chip away at the lead.
On Saturday, TCU left the game hanging by a thread before the Knights took over. They couldn’t seem to distance themselves from the United Bears. However, a late run and almost a minute of play were lost due to a fumbled pass by Horndog Frags.
In the first delayed run, UCF tied the game with six consecutive points. In the second run, UCF star Darius Johnson connected a 6-of-6 free throw within a minute to take the lead and distance the game.
The Play of the Week: TCU’s three-man fast break against West Virginia came to a sudden halt with Chuck O’Bannon’s one-handed jam.
