TCU Horned Frogs
2023-2024 Result: 21-13 record (9-9 Big 12), NCAA tournament appearance
Projected Starting Lineups
Head Coach: Jamie Dixon (9th season)
Guard: Frankie Collins (SR)
Guard: Noah Reynolds (SR)
Guard: Trazerian White (SR)
Forward: Brendan Wenzel (SR)
Center: Ernest Udeh (JR)
Key Additions
Frankie Collins (Arizona State)
Noah Reynolds (Green Bay)
Trazerian White (UNC Wilmington)
Brendan Wenzel (Wyoming)
Vasean Allette (Old Dominion)
RJ Jones (Kansas State)
Micah Robinson (4-star recruit)
David Punch (4-star recruit)
Key Losses
Micah Peavy
JaKobe Coles
Jameer Nelson Jr.
Emmanuel Miller
Xavier Cork
Chuck O’Bannon Jr.
Avery Anderson III
Trey Tennyson
Jamie Dixon’s Horned Frogs endured a complete roster turnover this offseason, losing all but 1 rotation player from last season (Ernest Udeh). From an offensive standpoint, Dixon did a fantastic job in the portal by replacing last year’s core with some firepower in Frankie Collins, Noah Reynolds, and Trazerion White. All 3 of these transfers averaged over 13 points per game and should fit the fast paced style of Jamie Dixon perfectly. While there is a lack of consistent shooting ability throughout the entire roster, the fast pace and the creation ability of these guards should mask this issue to an extent, as it has with past Jamie Dixon teams. Wyoming transfer Brendan Wenzel will have a lot on his shoulders in the shooting department and he should get plenty of looks from the playmaking ability of the guys around him (37.7% 3pt), but 1 shooter isn’t necessarily going to open up the paint for these drivers. Offensive rebounding has also been a strength for TCU in the past, but this year’s roster doesn’t project to be as great as usual. Ernest Udeh will have to be on the floor way more often this season to fix this small concern (15.9% OREB last season) due to the lack of reliable frontcourt depth on the bench. Freshmen David Punch and Malick Diallo may have to play a significant role in the frontcourt early on, and it remains to be seen how ready they are for big minutes. All in all, the speed and on ball creation of the perimeter group should be more than enough to make TCU a top 50 adjusted offense (per Torvik) for the 3rd year in a row.
The real concerns with the Horned Frogs are on the defensive end. This is where coach Dixon is going to feel the losses of guys like Jameer Nelson Jr, Avery Anderson III, Micah Peavy, and Emmanuel Miller, as this year’s wing/forward group is a significant downgrade from last year’s that brought a ton of athleticism and physicality. Projected starters Noah Reynolds, Trazerion White, and Brendan Wenzel have never graded out as good defenders, so this will be a major hole for this team. Although they may still be decent in this area, not having the same athleticism will affect TCU’s ability to force turnovers which has been a major part to the Horned Frog’s defensive success over the past few years. The frontcourt also downgraded a bit and even though they retained their starting center in Udeh, the overall depth at this position brings questions. TCU may have some options with David Punch, Malick Diallo, and Adam Stewart, but none of these 3 have played a minute of Division 1 basketball. The lack of experience is a theme on this team, as there are 8 total reserves with zero college hoops minutes. And while not having experience brings up questions, these 4-star recruits off the bench are actually my X-factors to keep this defense alive, as they all bring the physical traits that Jamie Dixon likes. If Jace Posey, Punch, or Robinson can carve out at least a 10-15 minute per game role, the defense may be a bit better than expected, but until then this unit has disaster potential.
The 2024-25 version of the TCU Horned Frogs will certainly provide a lot of talent and scoring ability, but it is the defense that could hold them back from being in contention in the Big 12. If they can’t receive any defensive help from the bench unit, it is going to affect the entire makeup of this team. Having no defensive resistance will affect TCU’s ability to get out and run in transition, so until we see anything from the defense we have to assume this will be a down year for the Horned Frogs.