TCU looks to stack two consecutive wins over two consecutive losses with a win against UCF for the final home and conference game this weekend. If the Frogs succeed on Saturday, TCU will have a positive conference record for the first time since joining the Big 12.

The Frogs took a hard loss against the Bears on Monday Feb. 26, losing by only eight points. However, the game never felt close based on the performance on both sides of the ball.

TCU averaged over 70 points per game this season, but had their season-low in scoring with 54. A win looked likely for the Frogs after the loss to Baylor as the team traveled to Provo, Utah to face BYU, but the Cougars overcame their 17-point deficit at halftime to top the Frogs by 12.

“We were really disappointed by our offensive performance in the second half,” head coach Jamie Dixon said. “At the same time, I don’t know if our defense was good in the first half.”

Improvement on defense is a common theme from game to game, Dixon said, but the Frogs have an opportunity to shine on Saturday. UCF’s offense is ranked last in the Big 12, averaging only 65.7 points per game compared to TCU’s  76.5.

With Emanuel Miller ranked fourth in the Big 12 in points with 16.1 per game, the Knights also have players in the top 10 in scoring. Jaylin Sellers and Darius Johnson average 14.2 and 14.1 points per game, respectively.

The Frogs are equipped to shut down UCF’s offense, using height as a strong advantage on defense. TCU’s zone defense tops three of UCF’s starting lineup; Sellers, Johnson and C.J. Walker are under 6-foot-4.

It’s currently unknown whether Ernest Udeh Jr. will be in the starting lineup for the Frogs on Saturday. He’s the closest post-matchup for UCF’s 7-foot Ibrahima Diallo, standing at 6-foot-11. Diallo makes his presence known in the paint, averaging 1.5 blocks per game, second in the Big 12.

TCU’s Xavier Cork and Essam Mostafa both stand at 6-foot-9 and will need to play aggressively to compete with Diallo, who trails Miller by 0.6 rebounds per game with 5.2.

The game is key for the Frogs as they head into the Big 12 tournament next week. Having two wins heading into the conference dance would be fuel to potentially take home the gold.

Getting hot at the right time is also key for having a deep run in March Madness.

TCU will face the Knights on Saturday, March 9 at the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena for the final home game of the regular season. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. CST and the game will be available for streaming on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.