FWST: TCU basketball sits at a crossroad after demoralizing NCAA Tournament loss to Utah State

[TopFrog]

Steven Johnson: TCU basketball sits at a crossroad after demoralizing NCAA Tournament loss to Utah State​

Steven Johnson

It’s one thing to fall just short against an Arizona or a Gonzaga. It’s another conversation when you look like you don’t belong on the same court as Utah State.

The Horned Frogs’ historic season where they accomplished the feat of reaching the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season ended with a whimper on Friday as TCU was out-coached and got pushed around by an Aggies program that hadn’t won a NCAA Tournament game in 20-plus years.

By the end of the game Utah State guard Darius Brown was isolating defenders and taking stepback jumpers. Brown was toying with TCU and there was nothing the Horned Frogs could do to stop it.

The frustration permeating through the fanbase about whether TCU has hit its ceiling will only intensify for head coach Jamie Dixon. To be clear, Dixon isn’t going anywhere and shouldn’t be. Blowout loss aside, there’s no denying what he’s done for the program, but that’s an objective take.

Read more at https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/texas-christian-university/article286996545.html

Also at https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ot...caa-tournament-loss-to-utah-state/ar-BB1kpG0X

 

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

That is a mostly good assessment of the team and program. And fans/supporters can help bring in transfer recruits with NIL.

 

[Putt4Purple]

That is a good assessment of the team and program. And fans/supporters can help bring in transfer recruits with NIL.

And isn't this the rub for current college athletics. NIL. Show me the money. This is now the only current way to be competitive in college. Buying athletes who care more about money than their own educational welfare, school welfare and community pride. I personally would not be as proud of an achievement if I knew the only way it was done was by buying it instead of working for it. A bad slope society and college sports is heading down. Go Frogs!

 

[froginmn]

That is a good assessment of the team and program. And fans/supporters can help bring in transfer recruits with NIL.

IMO a way more impactful change would be to create a loud and energetic atmosphere inside our arena.

I haven't been in DMC since I was in school but I doubt that the atmosphere is great. For those who do attend, what say you about the home atmosphere? Does it make for a tough place to play a road game?

I never liked DMC and felt that a round arena was perfect for equestrian type events and bad for basketball. Not sure that we can replace it now but if the volume can be amped up and the atmosphere turned into something people want to be part of, you'll give the team extra wins and better seeds.

Talent matters for sure and most notably an inside presence (ironically, like Eddie) seems like it would have helped Friday but in basketball especially, a raucous home atmosphere would help a lot.

 

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

IMO a way more impactful change would be to create a loud and energetic atmosphere inside our arena.

I haven't been in DMC since I was in school but I doubt that the atmosphere is great. For those who do attend, what say you about the home atmosphere? Does it make for a tough place to play a road game?

I never liked DMC and felt that a round arena was perfect for equestrian type events and bad for basketball. Not sure that we can replace it now but if the volume can be amped up and the atmosphere turned into something people want to be part of, you'll give the team extra wins and better seeds.

Talent matters for sure and most notably an inside presence (ironically, like Eddie) seems like it would have helped Friday but in basketball especially, a raucous home atmosphere would help a lot.

I agree. TCU is deficient as an enthusiastic basketball fanbase, but to a large extent could compensate for the outdated, poor roundhouse seating bowl and ugly circular tube sock hanging in the rafters by being enthusiastic about the program; packing it in and raising the energy so that recruits want to come and people want to be a part of it and become fans. That is how basketball works - it is a loud energy event that recruits people by the excitement.

Unfortunately, TCU foolishly didn’t build a new arena worthy of the Big XII to set the tone and rejuvenate the fanbase and help recruiting, so now it is harder. Unfortunately, NIL may have to compensate for the lack of atmosphere that recruits want to be a part of. @Putt4Purple

The Frogs have the good coach, got lucky with an alum who wants to be here, and it would be difficult to near impossible to lure one here that is better and wants to stay.

 

[06DallasFrog]

I do not feel like either of the previous posts hit home as far as facilities…

 

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

The Frogs didn’t have enough talent. Other than Miller, every player probably had a deficiency in their game.

TCU didn’t have a true point guard or good guard play. Nelson, Anderson and Tennyson could not measure up to Miles and Baugh. Nelson and Anderson were not good perimeter shooters and Nelson was the only one hoped to be a true point guard. Peavy has a good all-around game but was not a premium shooter that you would like at the shooting guard position.

Last year, Damion Baugh was maybe underappreciated - overshadowed by Miles. Baugh last year averaged 5.8 assists, 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals and was a good defender - that is a very good all-around stat line - all around talent - a complete player. He also improved his three point shooting to 33% last year and could score in the paint. He should have come back for another season and maybe NIL could have helped that!

Front court - TCU was consistently or too often outscored in the paint.

And don’t blame Jamie Dixon for not having enough talent. He is trying and I am sure working his tail off. Hopefully it now gets better after three tourneys in a row, a first! TCU is not known as a basketball school, rather bottom of the Big 12, and the fanbase as a whole is not alluring to top recruits. Dixon is much better than the fanbase.

 

[Dogfrog]

Let’s just keep following the Startlegram’s lead and continue rubbing the team’s noses in it. The game was bad but Utah State was good. As for our facility, if you haven’t attended a basketball game since you left school, maybe you shouldn’t comment on the atmosphere. I am at every home game and the atmosphere is excellent.

 

[TopFrog]

Let’s just keep following the Startlegram’s lead and continue rubbing the team’s noses in it. The game was bad but Utah State was good. As for our facility, if you haven’t attended a basketball game since you left school, maybe you shouldn’t comment on the atmosphere. I am at every home game and the atmosphere is excellent.

I have been to games at old DMC when a few thousand could be very loud in there. Also there is hardly a bad seat for viewing the entire floor and seeing the action.

It's not the arena. Or the uniforms.

 

[froginmn]

Let’s just keep following the Startlegram’s lead and continue rubbing the team’s noses in it. The game was bad but Utah State was good. As for our facility, if you haven’t attended a basketball game since you left school, maybe you shouldn’t comment on the atmosphere. I am at every home game and the atmosphere is excellent.

I'm just asking the question because I live 1,000 miles away. I'll take your word for it that the arena is excellent; having watched games (on TV) at numerous other arenas it looks to me as though there are a lot tougher places to play than our arena...

 

[geezer]

Even in my student days (before mud was invented), DMC could get really loud and rowdy.

 

[Horned Toad]

I have been to games at old DMC when a few thousand could be very loud in there. Also there is hardly a bad seat for viewing the entire floor and seeing the action.

It's not the arena. Or the uniforms.

I agree about the arena. The round house some are strangely putting down amplifies the crowd noise if anything. It’s like being inside a megaphone at times. The arena size is perfect for our fan base and when the product is good, so is the fan base. Pretty typical of most programs. Just have to put a good team on the floor and the arena will be full.

 

[namollec]

I was interested in season tickets this year. When I looked, the only ones available were near the top of the seating so close to the rafters.
But when I watched the games on tv, whole swaths of seats down low were unoccupied. Yes, i would have gladly paid to be down close.

Who has those seats but refuse to go to games??????

 

[This Ain't Chopped Liver]

Let’s just keep following the Startlegram’s lead and continue rubbing the team’s noses in it. The game was bad but Utah State was good. As for our facility, if you haven’t attended a basketball game since you left school, maybe you shouldn’t comment on the atmosphere. I am at every home game and the atmosphere is excellent.

I am not rubbing their nose in it. I have not complained once about the outcome of the final game. “Rubbing their nose in it“ is continuing to say they underachieved and disappointed when maybe they didn’t have the skills/talent to be better. Pointing to an honest assessment of talent as I see it as reason to the outcome of the season is in my view defending the team. Heck, I don’t remember once criticizing the team for underachieving after a loss this season.

It is after the season, so I contributed my crude assessment of talent to go along with Steven Johnson’s good postseason analysis of the team while defending Dixon’s program.

 

[Dogfrog]

I am not rubbing their nose in it. I have not complained once about the outcome of the final game. “Rubbing their nose in it“ is continuing to say they underachieved and disappointed when maybe they didn’t have the skills/talent to be better. Pointing to an honest assessment is defending the team.

It is after the season so I offered my crude assessment to go along with Steven Johnson’s. Post season analysis.

Stephen Johnson has been negative to an extreme. I have less problem with fans who attend games being negative. Just wonder when it ends.

 

[Horned Toad]

I was interested in season tickets this year. When I looked, the only ones available were near the top of the seating so close to the rafters.
But when I watched the games on tv, whole swaths of seats down low were unoccupied. Yes, i would have gladly paid to be down close.

Who has those seats but refuse to go to games??????

When the remodel was done and my wife and I got our new seats we started at the top row of section 210. I used the base of a column support for the rafters as my beer holder. It wasn‘t a bad seat and we could see the game perfectly. Over the years we made our way around to the middle of section 201 row B. Right on the mid court line. I’ll probably never move again unless I can move to row A. It cost about $250 a season per ticket and is the best sports value for the dollar. I too am amazed at the empty seats but it is what it is. When there’s a good game, they are usually full.

 

[Horned Toad]

Stephen Johnson has been negative to an extreme. I have less problem with fans who attend games being negative. Just wonder when it ends.

I respect your opinion but respectfully disagree about Johnson. He’s been more than fair with his sport opinion, that’s what he gets paid for. He’s not a TCU employee. He’s spot on in this article.

 

[Dogfrog]

I respect your opinion but respectfully disagree about Johnson. He’s been more than fair with his sport opinion, that’s what he gets paid for. He’s not a TCU employee. He’s spot on in this article.

He was very negative as we awaited tournament selection. That’s fine. Yesterday he called our loss embarrassing. That’s ok, although I was very mildly embarrassed. Today the loss was DEMORALIZING? So now all hope is shattered? What will it be tomorrow? Jonestown? I mean come on.

There is no doubt this is a pivotal point for TCU basketball as we lose our primary players. Just don’t think our departing players deserve this.

 

[What Up Toad]

He was very negative as we awaited tournament selection. That’s fine. Yesterday he called our loss embarrassing. That’s ok, although I was very mildly embarrassed. Today the loss was DEMORALIZING? So now all hope is shattered? What will it be tomorrow? Jonestown? I mean come on.

There is no doubt this is a pivotal point for TCU basketball as we lose our primary players. Just don’t think our departing players deserve this.

It was demoralizing. This team looked panicked and outmatched. From beating Houston early in the season to looking like we didn't belong in tournament once we got there, it doesn't feel like we're in a spot to compete for the top spot in the Big 12 anytime soon.

 

[Dogfrog]

It was demoralizing. This team looked panicked and outmatched. From beating Houston early in the season to looking like we didn't belong in tournament once we got there, it doesn't feel like we're in a spot to compete for the top spot in the Big 12 anytime soon.

Sorry to hear you were left devoid of all confidence and hope.