TCU’s Jamie Dixon expected to return for the Kansas game following bout with COVID-19
TCU basketball coach Jamie Dixon has been cleared to return to the sidelines after a bout with COVID-19, according to sources.
Dixon is traveling with the team this afternoon to Kansas. The Frogs face the 15th-ranked Jayhawks on Thursday night at Allen Fieldhouse. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Lawrence.
TCU will be searching for its first win at Allen Fieldhouse as the program is 0-9 all-time.
The Frogs (9-5, 2-4 Big 12) are expected to have most of their players available for the game after the last three games were postponed due to COVID-related issues. Only sophomore guard Francisco Farabello is not making the trip to Kansas, according to a source.
TCU last played on Jan. 12, an 82-46 loss at Oklahoma. The Jan. 16 game at West Virginia had to be postponed due to COVID issues with the Mountaineers. Then TCU experienced its own COVID issues, forcing postponements against Texas Tech (Jan. 19) and Texas (Jan. 23) last week.
The TCU-KU game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, too, but had to be pushed back two days to allow the Frogs more time to get through the necessary protocols.
KU pounded TCU earlier this month in Fort Worth, rolling to a 93-64 victory on Jan. 5. The Jayhawks out-rebounded the Frogs 41-20 that night.
That started TCU’s current three-game losing streak in which it’s lost by a combined 93 points to KU, Baylor and OU. Prior to this losing skid, the Frogs won five straight.
“It’s been a rough patch these past three games, but everyone goes through it at some point in the season,” TCU junior guard RJ Nembhard said. “We’re a young team. The two weeks off I think was very helpful, very productive. Guys were able to come together and we’re closer than ever. We had a lot of team meetings and building that chemistry up even more.
“Now it’s time to regroup and come back with a whole different mindset in the second half and make this NCAA Tournament push.”
Following Thursday’s game at Kansas, TCU will travel to No. 12 Missouri for a Big 12/ SEC Challenge matchup on Saturday.
This story was originally published January 27, 2021 at 4:20 PM.
