4. #11 Trevian Tenneyson, 6’3″, 180 lbs., Sr., G, Arlington, Texas, Texas A&M Corpus Christi Transfer
9.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 45% FG, 43.4 3-PT FG%, 88.5 FT%, 47 ast.-41 TO, 25 stl, 25.5 mpg
Jan. 16 @ Cincinnati: 17 pts, 3 rebs, 6-12 FG (5-8 3-PT FG), 2 ast.-2 TO, stl, 39 mins
Tenneyson is TCU’s best shooter. Since the game in Cincinnati, Tenneyson has four games with three or more three-point makes. He has five games with 20 or more points in his last nine games, and he has shown he is durable in that stretch with six games playing 30 or more minutes.
5. #21 JaKobe Coles, 6’8″, 215 lbs., Jr., F, Denton, Texas, Butler Transfer
9.5 ppg, 4 rpg, 49.2 FG%, 38.3 3-PT FG%, 73.5 FT%, 20.5 mpg
Jan. 16 @ Cincinnati: 7 pts, 3 rebs, 3-8 FG (1-3 3-PT FG), TO, blk, stl, 18 mins
Coles is coming into Saturday’s game playing really well. Despite being TCU’s fifth-leading scorer, Coles has five games scoring in double figures in his last six overall and five games shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
6. #3 Avery Anderson III, 6’2″, 170 lbs., Sr., G, Justin, Texas, Oklahoma State Transfer
8.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 45.2 FG%, 28.8 3-PT FG%, 81.6 FT%, 96 ast.-52 TO, 33 stl, 22.2 mpg
Jan. 16 @ Cincinnati: 3 pts, 2 rebs, 6 ast.-6 TO, 1-5 FG (1-3 3-PT FG), blk, 25 mins
Anderson is TCU’s sixth leading scorer but leads the team in assists, so he is obviously a player to watch Saturday afternoon. He has nine games this season with five or more assists.
7. #8 Ernest Udeh Jr., 6’11”, 260 lbs., So., C, Orlando, Florida, Kansas Transfer
4.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 60.7 FG%, 56.1 FT%, 19 blk, 16.6 mpg
Jan. 16 @ Cincinnati: 11 pts, 9 rebs, 5-8 FG, 1-2 FT, ast.-TO, 5 stl, 24 mins
I usually include six players in my forensics, but Udeh Jr. is worth mentioning. He’s a force in the interior. He has five games since playing at Cincinnati with five or more rebounds. But remember, his missed free throw against Cincinnati came at the end of regulation that sent the game to overtime. The Bearcats went on to win in overtime.
Previous Game vs. TCU: Bearcats win 81-77 in OT
Wes Miller called this win his favorite of the season on his radio show this week. It was a huge win for the Bearcats at the time, their first Big 12 win at home. The win put the Bearcats at 2-2 in Big 12 play at the time, and it was a hard-fought win. TCU jumped out to a 23-13 lead within the first 5:26 of the game. They made nine of their first 10 shots. But then the Bearcats defense clamped down and got some huge stops to give themselves a chance to overcome the early deficit.
Day Day Thomas was spectacular that night with 21 points and six assists. John Newman III also had 20 points and a team-high seven rebounds. But there were so many role performances behind them from Dan Skillings chipping in 13 points, the last two coming on the game-winner in overtime. Viktor Lahkin has 11 points including a go-ahead three in overtime. Jizzle James had four assists off the bench and Aziz Bandaogo, after missing the previous game at Baylor due to injury, had six points, six rebounds and two blocks off the bench.
And so much for TCU coming out hot shooting. They ended up shooting just 41.7% from the floor. Meanwhile, Cincinnati was Joe Cool shooting 50% or better in both halves of regulation and overtime.
Keys to Saturday afternoon’s Game
1. Free Throw Shooting: This game is bound to be close. Therefore, make your free throws like an offensive line should protect its quarterback. I actually tweeted during the game on Jan. 16 a poll asking which was harder: the Bearcats making a free throw or the Bengals gaining one yard. Free throw shooting is like offensive line play, or should be. You’re given free shots, make them. An offensive line’s job is to protect its quarterback and pave the way for the running game, something we know about here in Cincinnati. We also know how important free throw shooting is here in Cincinnati. In these tug-of-war Big 12 games, they are massively important.
2. Taking care of the ball: For as great of a win as the Bearcats got over then No. 19 TCU in January, they did turn the ball over 15 times in that game.
3. Playing with a sense of urgency: Every time the Bearcats have been down this season, they’ve gotten up. Wes Miller said after the game on Wednesday that it’s the character of the team that has them in every game. Their character is what prevailed them in a got-to-have-it game at Central Florida and helped them earn a top-15 win at Texas Tech. With the season hanging in the balance as far as NCAA Tournament hopes are concerned, their character and resolve will be tested.
