New-look TCU men’s basketball team eager for exhibition game at Tarleton State
After failing to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021, TCU men’s basketball Jamie Dixon was determined to bring in the right mix of players to get the Horned Frogs back into March Madness.
With the season opener less than a month away, Dixon said he has been pleased with how the team has come together so far.
He will get his first look at the Horned Frogs against another team in an exhibition at Tarleton State at 3 p.m. Sunday. TCU opens the regular season against New Orleans at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Schollmaier Arena.
TCU returns six players from last year’s team — starting forward David Punch; reserves Malick Diallo, Jace Posey and Micah Robinson; and redshirts RJ Jones and Ashton Simmons.
With turnover being so high in college basketball, Dixon said it was vital to bring this core back to build around.
“We have six guys returning, two were redshirted, four played and one started,” Dixon said Tuesday. “So as far as [returning] production, maybe not the most, but I feel like we had a good base. I’ve always been a guy that’s been about retention, and that has obviously been the challenge. We wanted to get older. We had to be bigger on the wing, and decision-making at the guard was a priority.”
TCU’s transfer portal haul
TCU seemingly checked all the boxes with their transfer portal haul, starting with 6-foot Iowa guard Brock Harding and 6-foot Providence guard Jayden Pierre. Harding averaged 5.3 assists last year for the Hawkeyes, while Pierre averaged a career-high 12.3 points last season for the Friars.
On the wing, the Horned Frogs added 6-5 Utah Valley guard Tanner Toolson and 6-7 guard Liutauras Lelevicius from Oregon State.
The Horned Frogs also brought in size with 6-10 Florida International center Vianney Salatchoum. He averaged 10.3 points and 1.9 blocks per game last season and was named to the Conference USA All-Defensive team.
“I think we did very well in the transfer portal,” Dixon said. “We made some really good decisions and took advantage of some opportunities. I think we put together a nice group.”
TCU also added two more players in the top-ranked junior college transfer Xavier Edmonds, a 6-8 junior forward, and former Duncanville star Kayden “Bugg” Edwards, a 6-2 freshman guard.
Both players stood out during the Horned Frogs’ fan fest scrimmage on Oct. 3. Edwards scored a game-high 23 points, while Edmonds scored 14 points, hit two 3-pointers and pulled down five rebounds.
Dixon said Edmonds could be one of the biggest surprises on the team, and TCU will need him to be an instant impact player in the frontcourt.
Exhibition at Tarleton State’s new EECU Center
The new-look Horned Frogs will face their first opponent on Sunday in an exhibition matchup at Tarleton State. It’ll be one of the first basketball events held in the Texans’ new EECU Center, an 8,000-seat arena that opened in September.
Dixon said he is anticipating a lively environment in Stephenville.
“We’re excited about Sunday. It’s a unique opportunity,” Dixon said. “This thing kind of fell into our lap. They’re opening up a brand-new arena, they’re paying us to play, and it’s a big event for them. I was trying to find the most difficult atmosphere we could play in, and it was literally right down the street. I think it’s great for Tarleton. They’ve told me it was going to be homecoming, with a football game and concerts.
“The arena is unbelievable. It looks beautiful. I don’t know a lot about them or their team, but our team has had some good practices. I’m excited to see them play against somebody else.”
The Texans went 12-20 last season, but they return forward Chris Mpaka and added Central Florida transfer guard Dior Johnson, a former blue chip recruit.
‘Secret scrimmage’ against Texas
The Horned Frogs will then face Texas in “secret scrimmage” on Oct. 26 in Fort Worth. The programs also scrimmaged last season.
With two early tests, one in a hostile road environment and another against a talented SEC team, TCU will find out where it stands before the season opener.
This story was originally published October 15, 2025 at 10:27 AM.
