Inside TCU basketball’s COVID-related issues as it tries to make second-half push
TCU men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon estimated his team has missed close to 90 individual practices due to COVID-related issues this season.
The latest setback came on Jan. 18 when Dixon himself tested positive for COVID-19, forcing TCU to postpone two games last week and play at Kansas on Jan. 28 instead of on Jan. 26 as was originally scheduled.
TCU played for the first time in 16 days on Thursday, falling to No. 15 Kansas 59-51 in Lawrence. Dixon was proud of the fight his team showed given the circumstances.
“You point to not playing, but we’re not practicing,” Dixon said. “We’ve actually had seven stoppages, so there’s obviously been some challenges. We’re not where we need to be, but no one cares so we’ve got to get better because of it. I’m encouraged by what we did here.”
Dixon looked like his old self on the sidelines following his bout with COVID-19, saying: “You feel different, but it’s different for everybody and every person. It’s good to be out there, there’s no question.”
TCU didn’t look like a team that had much rust, either, jumping out to an early lead and turning in one of its best defensive performances. Fatigue and conditioning issues might have caught up with them late in the second half as the Jayhawks pulled away.
Overall, though, there were positive vibes coming from TCU’s locker room even though it’s now lost four straight games. The Frogs have a short turnaround with a game at No. 12 Missouri in the Big 12/SEC Challenge on Saturday.
Asked how the team can build off the KU loss, freshman guard Mike Miles said: “Just knowing that we’re a good team. We started off hot on defense and rebounding then we kind of faded away in the last few minutes of the game. We’ve got to keep it going for 40 straight minutes.
“Today was definitely a light for us.”
Now it’s on to Missouri. TCU traveled to Columbia following Thursday’s game and will have a light day Friday before Saturday’s 1 p.m. game.
TCU would’ve loved to go 2-0 on this road trip, but is now hoping for a split. That would rank as a successful trip given the time off leading into it.
“I told our guys, we’ve got a lot of games left,” Dixon said. “We almost have half of our season left. We lost to another ranked team on the road. It’s hard. Are we good enough? Not today. But tomorrow and Saturday we have to find a way to become that team.”
