The TCU men’s basketball team will get its first public showing Friday night when the Horned Frogs face the Arkansas Razorbacks in a first-ever charity exhibition game at Dickies Arena, providing a crucial test for a dramatically rebuilt roster.
The matchup benefits Cook Children’s Health Foundation and marks TCU’s return to Dickies Arena, where the program holds a 4-1 record since 2019.
For head coach Jamie Dixon, who sits just 12 wins shy of 500 career victories, the exhibition is a vital opportunity to assess his rebuilt team. The Horned Frogs return just 4.7% of their scoring from last season — the lowest in the Big 12 and 10th-lowest nationally.
“We’ve been focused so much on offense in the summer. With two percent of our scoring back, we’re in a unique situation,” Dixon said.
TCU lost its top seven scorers, including all-conference performers Emanuel Miller and Jameer Nelson Jr. Center Ernest Udeh Jr. stands as the lone returning scholarship player, having started 29 games last season while averaging 4.3 points and 5.3 rebounds.
“We need him to be better,” Dixon said. “We need him to be the best big guy on the floor. That’s what we need and he’s been in and out with injuries… He’s a great teammate, great personality, but we need production.”
To rebuild the roster, Dixon and his staff have added seven transfers and four freshmen. The backcourt appears to be shaping around Arizona State transfer Frankie Collins and Green Bay transfer Noah Reynolds.
“There are two that have elevated and it’s the two that we’ve been expecting, that’s Noah and Frankie,” Dixon said. “Noah has been our best player, our most consistent player throughout practice.”
Reynolds arrives after averaging 20 points per game at Green Bay last season, while Collins started at Arizona State, contributing 13.6 points and 3.2 assists per game. They’re joined by Old Dominion transfer Vasean Allette, who Dixon said has been the team’s most improved player through preseason practices.
The Razorbacks, now led by former Kentucky coach John Calipari, enter Friday’s exhibition fresh off an 85-69 victory over top-ranked Kansas. Arkansas features a rebuilt roster of its own, highlighted by freshman guard D.J. Wagner, who contributed 24 points against the Jayhawks.
At Calipari’s request, the exhibition will feature four quarters instead of two halves, allowing both teams to work on late-game situations with different lineup combinations.
season starts early
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— TCU Men’s Basketball (@TCUBasketball) October 11, 2024
The Horned Frogs open their regular season on Monday against Florida A&M at Schollmaier Arena, as Dixon seeks to guide TCU to what would be a program-record fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
Despite the roster changes, expectations remain high for a program that has reached new heights under Dixon. TCU has made four NCAA Tournament appearances in the past six seasons after qualifying just once in the previous 30 years.
