TCU return the bulk of their scoring from a season ago as they look to take that next step and make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
CBB Review is once again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the 2022-23 season. Each day we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Coming in ranked number 16 are the TCU Horned Frogs.
In the Round of 32 last year playing against the 1 seed Arizona, TCU took the Wildcats to overtime and almost pulled off the major upset. This year, they bring back most of the guys who got them to that point, including preseason player of the year Mike Miles and the big man down low Eddie Lampkin. With another year of experience and chemistry, the TCU Horned Frogs are more than capable than being not only a top team in the Big 12 but the entire country.
To those who have not, click here to learn more about our preseason top 100 teams heading into the 2022-23 college basketball season.
Head Coach: Jamie Dixon (7th Season with Team)
2021-2022 Record: 21-13 (8-10)
2022 Postseason Finish: NCAA Tournament Round of 32 Exit
Notable Departures:Â Francisco Farabello (Transfer/Creighton)
Projected Roster
PG: Mike Miles (6-2, 195, Jr.)
2021-22 stats: 15.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 75.9 FT%
SG:Â Damion Baugh (6-4, 194, Sr.)
2021-22 stats: 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.3 steals, 41.9 FG%
SF:Â Chuck O’Bannon Jr. (6-6, 215, Sr.)
2021-22 stats: 9.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 40.8 FG%, 70.3 FT%
PF:Â Emanuel Miller (6-7, 217, Sr.)
2021-22 stats: 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.8 blocks, 49.3 FG%
C:Â Eddie Lampkin Jr. (6-11, 263, So.)
2021-22 stats: 6.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.5 blocks, 60.6 FG%
6:Â Micah Peavy (6-7, 215, Jr.)
2021-22 stats: 6.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.5 blocks, 44.4 FG%
7:Â Rondel Walker (6-5, 180, Jr.)
2021-22 stats: 4.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.6 steals (Oklahoma State)
8:Â Shahada Wells (6-0, 183, Sr.)
2021-22 stats: 1.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 27.8 FG%, 27.3 3P%
9:Â Xavier Cork (6-9, 230, Jr.)
2021-22 stats: 3.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.7 blocks, 60 FG%
10:Â JaKobe Coles (6-7, 216, So.)
2021-22 stats: 2.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.4 blocks, 70.6 FT%
Team MVP: Mike Miles
Mike Miles Jr. is the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year!#GoFrogs 😈 pic.twitter.com/gkhSkjG8WC
— TCU Basketball (@TCUBasketball) October 12, 2022
There’s a reason why Mike Miles was named the preseason Big 12 player of the year for this season. Miles is one of the most gifted scorers in the country. Whether that’s scoring in traffic or pulling up and hitting a big jumper, Miles can do it all. He jumped up two points in scoring last year, so don’t be surprised if we see 18 or more points a night from him.
Defensively, he isn’t exactly a lockdown defender but he holds his own, getting over one steal per game last year. With more experience and maturity, expect that number to go up, and his all-around ability will not only benefit his game, but allow his teammates to maximize their performances.
Make-or-Break Player: Eddie Lampkin
Lampkin quickly became a household name after dominating the Arizona big men in the Round of 32, scoring 20 points and snatching 14 rebounds. The question is, will we get that Eddie Lampkin or the Lampkin that scored 2 points the game before against Seton Hall. He is yet to show consistency in college, but if he becomes a 12-point, 8-rebound guy every night, that is more than enough for TCU to be extremely dangerous. People are ranking the TCU Horned Frogs high assuming he will be able to do this, so a lot of pressure lies on Lampkin for this upcoming season.
Analytic to Know: 324th in 3P% and 3rd in Returning Minutes
TCU shot a shocking 30.2% from three this past season, finishing bottom 5 among Power 6 conferences. To make matters worse, Francisco Farabello, their top three-point shooter at 38.4% hit the portal and is now at Creighton. The only notable transfer they brought in is Rondale Walker, who shot 28% from three last year, and they don’t have any incoming recruits that can serve as a three-point specialist. So, unless someone drastically improves this season they could really struggle from deep, which may hurt in late-game situations.
Someone they hope to take a step is Shahada Wells, who shot 39.3% from deep at UTA before transferring to TCU last season and only playing 7 games. He can earn valuable minutes on this deep team if the shots are falling for him.
Bringing back starters and depth is extremely important for success in college basketball. We’ve seen the last three champions (Kansas, Baylor, Virginia) all return a majority of their starting lineup into the next season. TCU returns 88.7% of their minutes from last year, and having chemistry on the court is really going to benefit them throughout the season. With guys getting a year of experience and the ability to learn their teammate’s tendencies, the TCU Horned Frogs could be a fun and cohesive team on the court.
Team Outlook
It will be here before you know it! The first of 17 home games is Nov. 7.
📅 https://t.co/Pe9w5ieVas
🔗 https://t.co/4evAU3XqJn#GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/RSExR4eg6S— TCU Basketball (@TCUBasketball) July 15, 2022
If this team can build off of the end of last season, good luck taking them down. Miles looks to be a potential All-American, Lampkin can go down as one of the best big men in the country at the end of the season, and the rest of their projected rotation provides value in so many different ways. Pair that with one of the best coaches in the country in Jamie Dixon and you’ve got yourself an elite team.
The TCU Horned Frogs face a pretty easy nonconference schedule, with only two top 50 matchups according to CBB Rank in Iowa and Providence. This will give the team a positive record, but might not help with the resume in what looks to be the best conference in all of college basketball, the Big 12. Many college basketball experts project TCU to finish behind Baylor and Kansas, and some have them behind Texas and even Texas Tech. The TCU Horned Frogs will have to bring their A-game every night, and they are more than capable of doing so.
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