Big 12 media day: No. 14 TCU men’s basketball embracing newfound expectations
When Jamie Dixon returned to coach his alma mater in 2016, he was confident about what was possible at TCU.
Dixon knew better than anyone what the history was in Fort Worth and how far the program needed to go to become relevant in a competitive conference. The past didn’t concern him.
It was all about the potential and future.
“I’ve always had higher expectations than what has gone on at TCU,” Dixon said. “I thought I had to come in with that mentality from the day I got here at TCU. Obviously we had to raise the expectations, raise the bar, whatever analogies you want to use. We just had to do that. And some might have thought it was a little bit wishful thinking.”
Dixon turned those wishes into reality as the Horned Frogs are in the midst of the best run in program history since the 1950s.
TCU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 35 years. The Horned Frogs start the season with their highest preseason ranking in history at No. 14. It’s only the third time the program has started a season ranked in the Top 25.
With unprecedented success comes unprecedented expectations. That can make life difficult for some coaches, but for Dixon it’s exactly what he wants.
“We’re not trying to shoot down expectations. We’re not trying to lower them. This is a place we needed to raise expectations. There were none. There was no bar. We’re not going to stop now,” Dixon said.
That mindset has been absorbed by the players who say they don’t feel any extra burden on their shoulders despite being in foreign territory. TCU won’t be viewed as just a cool story during the college basketball season. No, the Horned Frogs will be expected to contend with the likes of the nation’s best.
“We’re embracing it all. At the end of the day we know how hard we work in practice, how hard we work off the court. We know with the work we put in the reward is going to come out,” Emmanuel Miller said. “We compete at such a high level at practice that we know what we’re capable of. When we play someone is there will be no pressure at all.”
For Miller, who was selected Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, also doesn’t view the lofty preseason ranking as a sign that TCU has arrived. In fact it was quite the opposite.
“It’s humbling. We’re ranked No. 14, but there are still 13 teams ahead of us. So it just shows us how much work is needed to be done to become No. 1,” Miller said.
It’s the exact type of mindset you would expect from a senior. Experience won’t be an issue as TCU returns all five starters and its top six leading scorers.
The Horned Frogs will have confidence on most nights with the feeling that they have the best player on the floor with Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Mike Miles Jr., the first Horned Frog to earn the award.
“It means a lot, man,” Miles said. “A lot of hard work went into this and finally being recognized it means a lot to me. The leading returning scorer in the Big 12 still feels like there’s another level of production he can reach as he feels healthier than he did in 2021.”
As for the rest of the team, Miles feels the experience gives TCU a special quality.
“I think our biggest strength will be our chemistry. We’ve got the whole team coming back basically. A lot of teams don’t start off the season with the type of chemistry we have so I feel like that’s going to be our biggest advantage,” Miles said.
The Horned Frogs added Oklahoma State transfer Rondel Walker and freshman PJ Haggerty to the mix.
With so many returners, it’ll be on the veterans to take the next step in their development. Forward Micah Peavy has drawn rave reviews from players and coaches alike.
“Coming from last year to this year there’s been major improvement. We know what he can do on the defensive end, I feel like this year he’s stepped up his offensive game a lot. He’s been in the gym everyday, he’s stepped up,” Damion Baugh said.
Peavy averaged just over six points last year and has shown an improved jump shot and confidence as a shooter.
Shahada Wells is another player the staff is excited about. Wells appeared in just seven games last year as he dealt with a knee injury. Healthier this year, Dixon thinks he’ll help bolster the backcourt and help improve TCU’s outside shooting.
“We’re really excited about Hada,” Dixon said. “He played really well in our scrimmage the other day (vs. Alabama). He gives us a guy that can play both spots for us, the 1 and 2. He’s one of our best shooters. He’s becoming a very good defender. He continues to improve.”
Then of course there’s Baugh, who led the team in assists and was second in scoring. Eddie Lampkin looks to build off his double-double performance against Arizona and is leaner. Chuck O’Bannon also returns and averaged 9.5 points last year while being one of the team’s best shooters.
The nucleus of a successful team has already been established and this core has already proven it can compete at the highest level. Now it’s about maintaining that going forward.
For all the talent TCU has and the history the program has made the last few months, the Horned Frogs were picked to finish fourth in the toughest basketball conference in the land. It was a stark reminder of how much further there is to go.
But it also gives TCU something to continue to chase as they look to solidify themselves as one of the Big 12’s premiere programs.
“We wanted to do something special, do something that hasn’t been done. And we’ve still got a lot of work to do,” Dixon said.
