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GoFrogs: TCU Never Trails In 69-45 Season-Opening Win

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https://gofrogs.com/news/2020/11/25...never-trails-in-69-45-season-opening-win.aspx

GoFrogs: TCU Never Trails In 69-45 Season-Opening Win
FORT WORTH – Seven players made their TCU debuts, led by freshman Mike Miles' game highs in points (13), assists (5) and steals (3), as the TCU men's basketball team earned a 69-45 win over Houston Baptist Wednesday night inside Schollmaier Arena to open the 2020-21 season.

Redshirt junior Chuck O'Bannon Jr. scored 11 points and nine rebounds, becoming the first player in his TCU debut to accomplish this feat since 2015. Junior Kevin Samuel posted his 19th career double-digit rebounding game with a game-high 10 rebounds.

TCU opened the game on a 15-0 run, making six of its first nine shots, while holding Houston Baptist to a 0-for-12 start from the field. Miles, O'Bannon, Kevin Easley Jr., and Taryn Todd all scored their first points in a Horned Frogs' uniform over the first 20 minutes. TCU led 38-16 at the half as Miles led the way with eight points, five assists, and three steals.

The Horned Frogs' defense held the Huskies without a field goal over a seven-minute stretch in the middle of the second half. The Frogs expanded their lead to as many as 29 on three different occasions and saw 12 players see action in the second half alone.

Up Next
TCU will travel to Kansas City, Mo., for the Hall of Fame Classic Presented by ShotTracker. The Frogs will face the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 6:30 p.m. for the first of two games in the tournament. The game will be shown on ESPN3.

Team Notes
- The Nov. 25 start date is the latest start date for TCU since starting the 1994-95 season on Nov. 30 with a 119-78 win over Midwestern State.
- TCU won its sixth-straight against Houston Baptist to move to 7-1 all-time against the Huskies.
- TCU improved to 45-2 at home and 60-9 all-time against Southland Conference opponents.
- With the win, TCU moved to 73-37 in season openers all-time and 5-0 under Jamie Dixon including a 59-13 mark when playing the season opener on its home court.
- HBU's 16 first-half points were the 11th fewest allowed by TCU in a half in program history and the fewest allowed in a half since Alabama State only scored 15 in the first half on Nov. 14, 2016.
- TCU's 45 points allowed were the fewest in a non-conference game since Dec. 21, 2016 in a 74-42 win over Bradley.
- TCU was without juniors RJ Nembhard and Jaedon Ledee.
- The Horned Frogs never trailed during the game.
- Twelve different Frogs saw action, with five players playing their first collegiate minutes.
- The Frogs saw nine players score, including three scoring their first collegiate points and five scoring their first points as a Horned Frog.
- TCU held HBU to just 32.1 percent shooting from the floor, the lowest field goal percentage allowed by TCU since Jan. 11, 2020 when the Frogs held Oklahoma State to just 30.2 percent shooting.
- TCU outrebounded HBU 44-31 (+13), its largest rebounding margin since it outrebounded Central Michigan 48-31 (+17) on Nov. 30, 2018.
- The Frogs started with a lineup of Mike Miles, Francisco Farabello, Chuck O'Bannon Jr., Kevin Easley Jr., and Kevin Samuel.

Individual Notes
- Jamie Dixon began his 18th season as head coach and fifth with TCU. Dixon remains undefeated in 18 season-opening games.
- Transfers Kevin Easley Jr. (Chattanooga) and Chuck O'Bannon Jr. (USC) made their TCU debuts, and Mike Miles, Eddie Lampkin, Terren Frank, Taryn Todd, and Mickey Pearson Jr. made their collegiate debuts.
- Freshman Mike Miles recorded game-highs in points (13), assists (5) and steals (3).
- Miles' 13 points were the most scored by a TCU freshman in his collegiate debut since Jaylen Fisher scored 13 against St. Thomas (TX) on Nov. 11, 2016.
- Chuck O'Bannon Jr. finished with career-highs in minutes played (21), points (11), rebounds (9) and steals (2). He became the first TCU player to record at least 11 points and nine rebounds in his TCU debut since Vladimir Brodziansky recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds in his TCU debut on Nov. 13, 2015 against Southeastern Louisiana.
- Kevin Easley Jr. scored nine points on 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) shooting. It was his 12th career game shooting over 50 percent from the floor (minimum five attempts).
- Taryn Todd scored eight points on 3-of-5 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
- Kevin Samuel scored six points and recorded game-highs in rebounds (10) and blocks (3). It marked his sixth career game in which he has recorded at least 10 boards and three blocks, and TCU improved to 5-1 in such games.
- Diante Smith scored six points and tied his career high with six rebounds (Dec. 6, 2019 against Southern California).
- Francisco Farabello chipped in six points on 2-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. It was his ninth career game with multiple 3-pointers made.
- Redshirt-freshman Mickey Pearson scored his first collegiate points on a second-half dunk.
 
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