TCU Horned Frogs fans, you’re facing Seton Hall in the NCAA Tournament
TCU basketball spent most of the season on the dreaded bubble, but the Frogs played their way into the NCAA Tournament with consecutive wins over top-10 teams in Texas Tech and Kansas on Feb. 26 and March 1.
The Frogs (20-12) then elevated their status by rallying from a 20-point deficit to knock off Texas in the Big 12 Tournament. It marked the fifth victory over a ranked team for TCU, which is the most in program history. The Frogs fell a day later to eventual tournament champion Kansas.
TCU returns to the Big Dance for the first time since 2018 and will be eyeing its first victory in the tournament since 1987, when coach Jamie Dixon was a player on the team.
#8 Seton Hall Pirates vs. #9 TCU Horned Frogs
Friday, March 18, 8:57 p.m., truTV
West Regional, San Diego
What to look for: TCU (20-12) has become a March Madness contender since Jamie Dixon took over six seasons ago. This is the Frogs’ second berth under Dixon, and they were among the top snubs in 2019.
But TCU is now looking to make some noise in the tournament. The Frogs are hoping to become one of the darlings of March with players such as Mike Miles, Emanuel Miller, Damion Baugh and Eddie Lampkin having the potential to shine on the big stage. They’ll face Seton Hall (21-10), who came in fifth in the Big East.
Meeting history: The schools have not faced each before.
Why TCU will advance: The Frogs are playing some of their best basketball going into the tournament. They have come together at the right time and appear ready to cap off their season by snapping the 35-year winless drought in the Big Dance. TCU is an athletic team that can rebound and defend, which should pose matchup problems in the early rounds.
Why TCU will be one and done: Turnovers and inconsistency on offense. The Frogs have been turnover-prone all season, which could make for a short stay in the tournament. Additionally, TCU isn’t a great shooting team, especially from 3-point range. If a team gets hot and reaches the 70-point mark, and TCU has an off day offensively, the offseason will come for the Frogs quickly.
Expert speak: “Stylistically the way that they shoot themselves in the foot doesn’t bode well, turnovers, consistency in terms of scoring the basketball. I don’t know if they defend well enough as the other Texas schools to say this is a second weekend team. But I do think the way they’ve been guarded in this league will be good for them.” –ESPN college basketball analyst Chris Spatola
This story was originally published March 13, 2022 at 6:34 PM.
