TCU basketball preparing for a ‘very dangerous’ K-State team Wednesday on road
Kansas State has opened Big 12 play with three consecutive losses, but two of those losses have come by one possession. As TCU coach Jamie Dixon put it, the Wildcats are a “very dangerous” team despite being at the bottom of the conference standings.
“They shoot it well,” Dixon said. “They’re very dangerous because of the way they play. They’re streaky. They can play big. We’re well aware of all they can do.”
TCU (10-2, 0-1 Big 12) and K-State (8-6, 0-3 Big 12) are set to meet at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
The Frogs saw a seven-game winning streak end Saturday as they fell to No. 1 Baylor 76-64 at Schollmaier Arena. TCU was coming off an 18-day COVID pause that led to one nonconference game being canceled and the first two Big 12 games (at Kansas, vs. West Virginia) being postponed.
Given the extended break, most were impressed with how TCU fared in the Baylor game. The Frogs had a six-point lead at halftime before the Bears turned it on late. TCU guard Mike Miles, who played through a wrist injury much of the second half, finished with a game-high 26 points.
But being “competitive” in a game against the country’s top-ranked team shouldn’t be celebrated, Dixon said. After all, TCU expects to win, especially at home regardless of opponent.
“We’re trying to win every game. We don’t feel we can lose any games,” Dixon said. “That was the message. We played well … could’ve won, should’ve won, but we didn’t. We didn’t get it done.”
Now TCU will look to get back on track on the road. The Frogs are 3-2 in Manhattan under Dixon. They are looking to start 2-0 in true road games for just the fourth time in the last 70 years. TCU won at Georgetown last month.
TCU is expected to have its roster at full strength for Wednesday’s game. X-rays on Miles’ wrist were negative and he practiced this week. So did the other scholarship players available.
Dixon said Monday’s practice got better as it went on and he feels the team’s conditioning is improving following the COVID delay.
“Practice ended very competitively, so it was good in that regard,” Dixon said. “Sometimes it takes a little to jump-start it. As far as conditioning, whether you’re tired or not tired, you’ve got to find a way to get it done at the end of the day. That’s what we’re trying to instill in these guys.”
