TCU basketball will be the only Power 5 team playing in inaugural SoCal Challenge
TCU has plenty of fans and alums in the Southern California area, so it’s no surprise the men’s basketball team has been chosen to take part in the inaugural SoCal Challenge over Thanksgiving week.
Tournament organizers announced the preseason tournament on Wednesday with TCU serving as the only Power 5 team in it. Other schools scheduled to take part in the eight-team event include Cal Poly SLO, Fresno State, Idaho, Nicholls State, Pepperdine, Santa Clara and Utah Valley.
The tournament will take place at JSerra Pavilion in San Juan Capistrano, California. The Big West Conference is hosting the event.
Games are scheduled to be played on Monday Nov. 22 and Wednesday Nov. 24 (with a first-round played at four host team sites the week before). TCU is scheduled to host Nicholls State at Schollmaier Arena on Nov. 18 in a first-round matchup.
TCU is then scheduled to face Santa Clara on Nov. 22 and Pepperdine on Nov. 24 in California. Santa Clara went 12-8 and Pepperdine went 15-12 last season. Game times and TV partners are to be announced.
TCU will be playing Nicholls State, Santa Clara and Pepperdine all for the second time in program history. The Frogs had a 107-59 victory over Nicholls State on Nov. 24, 1990; they lost to Santa Clara 78-63 on Dec. 28, 1981; and they lost to Pepperdine 57-45 on Dec. 27, 1945.
The Horned Frogs are scheduled to open the 2021-22 season with a home game against McNeese State on Nov. 11. Other nonconference games on the schedule include a neutral-site game against Texas A&M at the Toyota Center in Houston on a date to be announced; at Georgetown in the Big 12/ Big East Battle on Dec. 18; and hosting LSU in the Big 12/ SEC Challenge on Jan. 29.
The Frogs were 12-14 last season, the first losing season in Jamie Dixon’s career.
This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 11:15 AM.
