With their losing streak now up to 11 in row, the TCU men’s basketball team heads to Lawrence, Kansas, for a rematch with the No. 7 Kansas Jayhawks.
Earlier this season, the Jayhawks routed the Frogs in Daniel-Meyer Coliseum 91-69. Kansas guard Andrew Wiggins scored a career-high 27 points and accounted for five assists in the win.
TCU (9-14, 0-11 Big 12) was completely dismantled on Wednesday night by the second-to-last place Baylor Bears (15-9, 3-8 Big 12), who hit a season-high 16 three-pointers against the Frogs.
The Jayhawks (18-6, 9-2 Big 12) have lost two of their last four games after winning their first seven conference games. They are coming off an 85-82 overtime loss on the road to rival Kansas State (17-7, 7-4 Big 12).
Against the Wildcats, Kansas rallied from a nine-point deficit with less than two minutes remaining in the game, but ultimately couldn’t pull out the win in extra time.
“We’re just upset that we did not get the win, [because] it means a lot to the Kansas people,” Jayhawks forward Perry Ellis said after the loss. “We just have to move on now.”
Despite the loss, the Jayhawks still hold a one-game lead on first place in the Big 12 and have not lost two games in a row since early December.
The Frogs have been blown off the court in two straight games. Last Saturday, Iowa State forward Melvin Ejim scored a career-high 48 points as TCU lost by 15.
Wednesday’s loss to Baylor was just another mark in a long line of struggles for the Frogs this season.
TCU lost two of its primary big men due to season-ending injuries before the season began. The Frogs rank dead last in the Big 12 in scoring offense, scoring margin, field goal percentage, rebounding and rebounding margin.
“There are a lot of teams that are better than we are,” TCU head coach Trent Johnson said after the loss to Baylor.
Of the Frogs’ 16 total players, only four have played in every game this season: junior guard Kyan Anderson, senior forward Jarvis Ray, freshman forward Brandon Parrish and sophomore guard Christian Gore.
Anderson scored a season-high 29 points during Wednesday’s loss. He is the 32nd player in school history to reach 1,000 points.
Kansas center Joel Embiid is still battling a serious bone bruise in his knee that he suffered while facing TCU last January, according to The Kansas City Star.
“His body does not feel good,” Kansas head coach Bill Self told The Kansas City Star. “He has no strength. He winces when he moves. We see it, and of course we’re going to shut him down for a while. I don’t know how long.”
Embiid is widely regarded as one of the top prospects for this summer’s NBA Draft. The freshman seven-footer from Cameroon averages 10.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game this season.
Self made it clear to The Kansas City Star on Tuesday that if Embiid is healthy, he will play against the Frogs.
“Of course you think long-term,” Self said. “But you also know that he’ll have a better chance to perform in games in the future the less time he’s off now, too.
Tip-off for the contest is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. CT. from Allen Fieldhouse.
