TCU became a member of Conference USA in 2001. In three seasons of competition in the conference, the Horned Frog men’s basketball team had never owned a conference record above .500; until this season. Now, after opening the 2004 Conference USA campaign with 2 wins in 3 games, TCU has since dropped two consecutive games to again find themselves under the .500 mark in conference. The Frogs and Head Coach Neil Dougherty realize what must be improved in order to get back on the winning track. The answer to their problem: offensive execution.

After a decisive defeat at Cincinnati on January 17, the Horned Frogs squandered a chance to boost their record to 3-2 in the conference by losing a highly contested match to Depaul 61-54. Down only five at halftime, TCU could never get closer than 3 in the second half despite holding Depaul to only 11 field goals in the final 20 minutes. TCU Head Coach Neil Dougherty attributes the loss to the Horned Frogs lack of execution on the offensive end of the court. “We need to improve on finishing plays on offense,” says Dougherty, “We must begin to execute our offensive opportunities in closer games in order to get the victory.” The Frogs shot 9-26 from the field in the second half and only 33% from the floor in the game.

For the first time in several years, improvement at TCU is needed on the offensive end of the court. Only two years ago, under then Head Coach Billy Tubbs, the Horned Frogs were one of the highest scoring teams in America. The team led the conference in scoring averaging 81 points per contest in 2001-2002. However, that same team allowed almost 84 points per contest, dead last in Conference USA. The team was often blown out by conference foes due to their one-dimensional style of play.

The Horned Frogs of 2003-2004 allow only 69 points per game. The defensive presence and intensity have kept the Horned Frogs competitive in nearly every contest. Coach Dougherty hopes that with improved offense, the close conference losses will become close conference wins. “Our defense keeps us competitive in every game,” says Dougherty, “If we can finish our opportunities and take better shots, we will have a better chance of winning the tight, 50-50 contests.”

The Frogs hope to find themselves back in the Conference USA tournament in early March. The team missed last year’s tournament after tallying only 3 conference victories. The top 12 of the 14 C-USA teams qualify for the post-season tournament. TCU is currently tied for 9th place with 11 conference contests remaining on the schedule.

The Horned Frogs next conference opponent happens to be the team sharing the ninth position in the C-USA standings, the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss. The two teams have identical 2-3 records at in Conference USA. The game could play an important role in the teams’ post-season fate, seeing as head-head results will be a factor in determining C-USA tournament seeding and tiebreakers. Wednesday will be the lone meeting for the two teams this season.

The Golden Eagles arrive in Fort Worth after suffering their first home loss of the season in Hattiesburg, 83-47 to Cincinnati. The 37-point defeat to the Bearcats is yet another low for Southern Miss whose season has been a marred by a series of blowout victories and crushing defeats. The inconsistent play of the Golden Eagles stems from their erratic shooting performances. In conference losses to Louisville and Cincinnati, the Golden Eagles shot 29 and 23% from the floor. In upset conference wins against Marquette and Memphis, Southern Miss had field-goal percentages of 53 and 45%.

Despite their unpredictable play, Coach Dougherty knows that the game against Southern Miss will be a highly contested battle at Daniel Meyer Coliseum. “Southern Miss is an excellent shooting team when they are on their game,” says Dougherty, “When they are on they can compete with anyone in the conference.”

Coach Dougherty and the Horned Frogs will apply pressure on the shooters of Southern Miss and attempt to keep them from establishing any kind of rhythm offensively. If the Horned Frogs can do successfully, the offense of TCU must execute down the stretch in what should be a close contest.

With improved offensive execution and stingy defense, TCU can tie their C-USA win total from last year. Also, and more importantly, a victory will put the Frogs one step closer to their ultimate goal - A Conference USA tournament birth.

by Adam Williams