TCU is looking to rebound from a forgettable road trip out west as it hosts Oklahoma State on Tuesday night in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Horned Frogs (11-7, 1-4 Big 12) have lost four straight, including at BYU and Utah last week. The Frogs had chances to win both games but fell short. For a team on the March Madness bubble, there isn’t much more margin for error.
As coach Jamie Dixon put it, his team has to find a way to “go win the game down the stretch.”
“We haven’t,” Dixon said. “We haven’t made the shots, haven’t made the free throws.”
In an 82-79 loss at Utah on Saturday, TCU had an open 3-pointer in the final seconds that would have forced overtime but couldn’t convert. In a 76-70 loss to BYU, TCU was in a tie game with five minutes left but couldn’t pull ahead. The Frogs also blew a late lead at Kansas on Jan. 6 to start the four-game skid.
The Frogs’ top player has been sophomore forward David Punch, who is leading the team with 14.2 points per game and 7.7 rebounds.
For Oklahoma State (14-4, 2-3 Big 12), it’s about stacking up wins in what is regarded as the country’s top league. The Cowboys are coming off an 84-83 victory over Kansas State on Saturday, which snapped a brief two-game skid.
The Cowboys, who have the second-highest scoring offense in the league (88.2 ppg), are led by Anthony Roy, who scored 23 points in the win over K-State and is averaging 17.9 points per game. The Cowboys have four more players averaging double figures, but the defense has been shaky.
Oklahoma State is second-to-last in the 16-team Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing 80.9 points per game.
“(We) have a team that I do believe, if we get better defensively, can make a run in the (Big) 12 and get to the NCAA Tournament,” Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz said after the K-State victory.
Lutz made the comment while being asked about his 100th career victory, saying he is more focused on this year’s team than any personal accolades.
“The only thing I’m concerned about is figuring out a way to beat TCU on Tuesday,” he said. “That’s the way I’m wired.”
TCU has won the last seven meetings against Oklahoma State in Fort Worth, including a 73-72 victory last season.
