(Photo/Gregg Ellman )
FORT WORTH, TX — TCU (11-9) is looking to turn things around this Tuesday night as they welcome No. 10 West Virginia (15-6). The Horned Frogs are on a two game losing streak and are in need of a tally in the win column.
TCU lost earlier this week to Kansas State, that was an ugly loss for the Horned Frogs. They couldn’t find the basket and their defense was questionable. They shot 32 percent from the floor and 22 percent from beyond the arc. Kevin Samuel was unreliable under the basket as TCU got outrebounded 37-32.
The Horned Frogs are searching for answers as their playoff hopes hang on by a thread. TCU needs to find some consistent rhythm and depth on offense if they want to start knocking off the remaining teams on their schedule. Their go to shooter right now is RJ Nembhard, who is averaging 16.9 points per game. Nembhard is a great guard, but no team can win with one player.
Their defense comes and goes in spurts. Kevin Samuel is a force under the basket and crashes the boards, but he doesn’t always show up. As for the rest of TCU, their defense is there when they play hard, but their intensity fluctuates.
West Virginia is coming into this game HOT HOT HOT off a huge 19-point comeback to No. 12 Texas earlier this week. The Mountaineers finished off the game on a 34-18 run, shooting 54.5 percent from the floor. Some would say it was fueled by the heated altercation between Ramey and Jones. The two went at it which resulted in a verbal altercation, Texas had a 14-point lead at that point.
West Virginia had five players score in the high double figures last game. They have a stacked offense with multiple players that can score. TCU can’t let them get in the swing of things on offense and can not play lazy defense or they will have an uphill battle to fight. Limiting their second chance opportunities will be crucial for TCU, Kevin Samuel will need to dominate under the basket and clean up the boards.
These two teams will go head to head in a big 12 matchup on Tuesday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m.
