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LOCATION: Fort Worth, TX
CONFERENCE: Western Athletic (WAC)
LAST SEASON: 21-11 (.656)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 7-7 (t-4th, Mountain)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 2/3
NICKNAME: Horned Frogs
COLORS: Purple & White
HOMECOURT: Daniel Meyer Coliseum (7,186)
COACH: Billy Tubbs (Lamar '58)
record at school 101-56 (5 years)
career record 540-256 (25 years)
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ASSISTANTS: Brian Fish (Marshall '87)
Rob Flaska (Michigan Tech '82)
Scott Edgar (Pittsburgh-Johnstown '78)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) 16-15-22-27-21
RPI (last 5 years) 141-94-45-23-40
1998-99 FINISH: Lost to Oregon in NIT third round.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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Billy Tubbs still talks about the phantom punch. Had Lee Nailon not been allegedly incited to throw it, the season could have been different. But he did. Nailon took a swing at UNLV's Mark Dickel, getting him tossed out of that game and the next. The result was a tailspin the Horned Frogs couldn't get out of until the NIT. In fact, with two weeks to go in the regular season, TCU was actually in jeopardy of not qualifying for the WAC Tournament. When TCU finally recovered, it was one game short of reaching the NIT Final Four. Nailon is gone, taking his disgruntled act to professional basketball. But in his wake, he left a program that may be even better without him. The Horned Frogs are deeper and enter the 1999-2000 season with more options at every position. Leave it to Tubbs to take what could have been a rebuilding season into another possible NCAA Tournament berth.
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B- BENCH/DEPTH B+
FRONTCOURT B+ INTANGIBLES B+
It's hard to give the backcourt a higher grade considering that Allaway hasn't proven it at the four-year level. However, Tubbs is loaded at the wings to make his backcourt every bit as talented as Jones and Johnson if they live up to their expectation. No one in the WAC has as dominating a frontcourt scorer as Gainous, but he's got to have the help on the boards from Anthony, Long, Davenport and Paulk. The Frogs shouldn't have problems scoring but their defense needs to be a staple like it was two years ago when they ran the table on the WAC Pacific Division. This is the WAC's most dangerous team and there's no reason why they can't unseat favorites Fresno State and Tulsa if Gainous, Allaway, Carroll and, at least, Anthony are on during January and February. Tubbs has the defenders to throw at Fresno State's Courtney Alexander and Melvin Ely and has enough weapons to frustrate Tulsa's stingy defense. The Frogs' schedule will make them a bubble team and if they get into the tournament, they could be one of the most dangerous first-round opponents with their ability to shoot. |
He's got another go-to player in the post in Marquise Gainous, who may score as easily as Nailon and former Frog Kurt Thomas or even former Oklahoma Sooner Wayman Tisdale, another Tubbs protege. Tubbs went to the same junior college well to grab Gainous' teammate in center Derrick Davenport. Put those two next to incoming Kentucky transfer Myron Anthony, Larry Allaway at the point, wings Ryan Carroll, Bingo Merriex, Estell Laster and returnee Shannon Long and the Frogs have enough weapons to light up the remaining WAC. Recruiting the talent was part one. Tubbs took care of the schedule by loading up the non-conference portion. After a realistically difficult Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Ak., the Frogs come home for all but two non-conference games. It's the kind of schedule that can get TCU 20-plus wins. The Frogs need that kind of schedule with the WAC shut out of an automatic berth, Tubbs said He wanted to ensure that the Frogs go into the WAC Tournament with a resume already solid. Winning the tournament in Fresno may not do enough without a 20-plus record. "We needed this kind of schedule," Tubbs said. "We've got a tougher attitude than we had last year. Mentally we'll be better. Prince (Fowler) faded with his leadership and Lee's attitude wasn't the same. We expected him to be the same as the year before and he wasn't. A year ago, even if he had thrown that punch, we would have won the game as if it were no big deal. He was the man. But after 30 seconds we lost our best player and we were done. "We'll stay in the WAC race again this year, but we could win all our games, go undefeated into Fresno and lose the tournament and not get a bid," Tubbs said. That's unlikely. The reason is the Frogs' depth at every position. Fowler was TCU's best on the-ball-defender, but his offense was erratic and his playmaking skill inconsistent. The 5-11 Allaway (Howard County JC/Texas) should step in and be a true point as a junior. "He gives us a semi-coach on the floor and he'll come up with those loose balls and steals," Tubbs said. "He'll get us in the right offense once he learns it. I don't know if he'll be a better closer around the basket, but he's a truer point than Prince." Allaway will start, even though 5-11 junior Thomas McTyer (2.1 ppg, 1.7 apg in 9.9 minutes in 25 games) returns. McTyer, who is Fowler's cousin, started three games last year and gave the Frogs some speed off the bench. He needs to push Allaway to strengthen this position. Tubbs is talking about starting McTyer early to push his confidence, but that probably wouldn't last. Both will be tested in practice with the arrival of UNLV transfer point guard Greedy Daniels, who will sit out the season and have two years of eligibility remaining in 2000-01. Meanwhile, Tubbs' confidence has soared with 6-4 junior Ryan Carroll. Carroll came back from off-season foot surgery and shocked Tubbs by being ready to play from the outset. Tubbs was adamant early that he wouldn't be available. That was hardly the case. He was the Frogs' most versatile player, leading the WAC in three-point shooting while posting the fourth-best single season total in TCU history (71 of 165). He shot 43 percent and made 60.1 percent (89 of 148) from within the three-point line. He finished the season ranked among the team leaders in steals (41), blocked shots (23), rebounds (160), scoring (14.0 ppg) and assists (70). "He didn't practice until Nov. 1 but still played so well," Tubbs said. "He's playing pain free for a change and he'll be our best athlete." Tubbs has options behind or next to Carroll with either 6-6 freshman Bingo Merriex (Wichita Falls HS/Texas) or 6-2 junior Estell Laster (Seminole State JC/Okla.). Merriex was one of the top gets in the recruiting wars in Texas last year while Laster was an honorable mention junior college All-American with 17.8 points and 4.1 assists last season. "They both can shoot it and Bingo could slip in there with plenty of playing time," Tubbs said. "Estell gives us another scoring threat at the two and another good athlete. Both guys can defend on the ball and shut down the passing lanes, something we couldn't do last year." Tubbs has visions of the Mike Jones-Malcolm Johnson-Ryan Carroll threesome of two years ago when all could go off for threes and shut teams down defensively on the wing. The possibilities are plentiful at the other wing or small forward, too. Tubbs could go with the stand-alone shooter in 6-8 junior Vladimir Jaksic (7.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg), or the slashing 6-7 senior Shannon Long until 6-6 junior Myron Anthony is eligible in mid-December. Jaksic started 13 games last season, making 59 three-point shots. He became more of an assist-maker during the final few games, dishing out a season-high seven assists in an NIT second-round win over Nebraska and averaged four assists in the three NIT games. "He's lost 20 pounds and he finally has a better idea of what to do out there," Tubbs said. "But he needs to pick up his defense." Long (7.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg) started 17 of 30 games, working into the lineup midway through the season. He was second on the team in assists (86) and third in rebounds (163). He became a crucial reserve and part-time starter as the Frogs tried to go more athletic at that spot. Long fits in perfectly to the Frogs' attempt to be more pressing on the wings. Tubbs said he could see starting him at power forward because of his tenacity on the offensive backboard. If Tubbs starts Long, he'll have an athletic and slashing group on the floor once Anthony is eligible. The former Wildcat was said to be one of the hardest workers in last year's practices. He never found his niche at Kentucky, but should flourish with Tubbs, a system that's more open than even Kentucky's uptempo style. "He brings a toughness to our team we didn't have," Tubbs said. "He can shoot the three, giving us our best three-point shooting team." If Tubbs goes with Allaway, Carroll, Anthony and Long, he'll have 6-9 senior Marquis Gainous alone in the post. He may try some high-low with Gainous down low and either 6-10 junior Derrick Davenport (Florida CC/Jacksonville, Fla.) or 6-10 redshirt freshman Rebel Paulk (Blanchard HS/Okla.). Gainous posted a pair of 40-point games last season, averaging 18.3 points and 8.7 rebounds and shot 58.1 percent. His defense in the paint improved and he swatted a team-high 35 blocks. He was a second-team all-Mountain Division player and is a top candidate for player of the year. His presence on the floor was felt with 12 double-doubles. He scored 24 or more points nine times and grabbed 12 or more rebounds in seven games. He even hit his free throws, making 75 percent. Gainous and Nailon were supposed to be the immovable bookends, but there didn't seem to be enough shots for the two to coexist. Tubbs has worked better with one dominant player inside and wings who can shoot the three-pointer and get quickly into the offense. He seems to have found that mix. "Marquise went from 216 to 233 and he should get 10 rebounds a game for us," Tubbs said. "But it remains to be seen how tough he is." One thing that's certain is Davenport isn't tougher. He's only 180 pounds, which makes him a shot blocker but not someone you want in the low post. That's why Tubbs is considering putting him up high in the offense where he can shoot facing the basket. Paulk made even more progress sitting out, but his conditioning puts him behind Davenport. He's still tall and his presence gives the Frogs another rebounder and shot blocker. Chris Campbell, a 6-9 sophomore walk-on from the Air Force Academy, 6-8 sophomore Colin Boddicker from the College of Holy Cross and 6-1 redshirt freshman James Jones gives the Frogs three more bodies in practice.
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