Three more TCU games sell out as press row fills with NBA, media

Not only is Saturday night's TCU-Kansas game sold out at Schollmaier Arena, but now three more are as well.

And for the first time, so is press row, basically.

No, those seats aren't actually for sale, but they're all taken for the 8:15 p.m. tip between the Horned Frogs and Jayhawks because a dozen NBA teams will have representatives at the game. New York Knicks president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry, in town for Sunday's game against the Mavericks, will attend.

Steven Schoon, TCU associate director of athletics communications, said all 42 seats in the media section are assigned, a first since the renovated facility opened Dec. 20, 2015.

Last week, the TCU-Oklahoma game drew 11 NBA scouts from seven teams, Schoon said. Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson attended that game and is on the list for Saturday, as well.

Media credentials total 34, including photographers, Schoon said.

Saturday's game pits once-beaten No. 16 TCU (13-1) against 13-time league champion No. 10 Kansas (10-3). Both are 1-1 in the Big 12. TCU is 0-9 against ranked teams at Schollmaier Arena.

TCU's Kenrich Williams and Kansas' Devonte Graham, Lagerald Vick, Svistoslav Myklailiuk and Udoka Azubuike are considered NBA targets. There was an outside chance Kansas guard Billy Preston could regain NCAA eligibility in time for the TCU game.

TCU coach Jamie Dixon said Williams, a senior from Waco whose 19 double-doubles were the most in the Big 12 last season, is getting positive feedback from pro scouts who have attended TCU practices.

Saturday is the second sellout of the season, including last week's game against Oklahoma and Naismith player of the year candidate Trae Young, which drew the second-biggest crowd at Schollmaier.

Additionally, TCU announced sellouts for the games against Texas Tech on Feb. 3, Texas on Feb. 10 and Baylor on Feb. 24. Home games remain against Iowa State on Jan. 17, West Virginia on Jan. 22, Oklahoma State on Feb. 17 and Kansas State on Feb. 27.

Last year, the Baylor and Auburn games sold out in the 6,800-seat arena.

TCU averaged 6,126 in attendance last season, the second-most in school history for basketball.

The Frogs' highest season average is 6,341 in 1986-87, when TCU won the second of back-to-back Southwest Conference titles with current coach Jamie Dixon as a player.

TCU is ahead of that pace this season at 6,350 with more than 4,700 season tickets sold.

The Frogs, who last week reached the Top 10 in the AP Top 25 poll for the first time, set a school record with a 17-game winning streak before losing to Oklahoma. The Frogs, one win shy of tying the best start in school history (14-1 in 1951-52), are projected to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time in 20 years.

This story was originally published January 5, 2018 at 2:54 PM with the headline "Three more TCU games sell out as press row fills with NBA, media."