Frogs in need of consistent play
By Jordan Blum
Opinion Editor

Forty minutes.

The Horned Frogs have yet to put together 40 minutes of consistent play in a game.
Sure, they can play well in spurts. But, half the time they coast up and down the court trying to make the SportsCenter highlights rather than caring about actually winning a game, unless it starts to look like they might get blown out.

Saturday’s 87-82 overtime loss against Tulane gave an exaggerated look at this style of play as the Frogs got 26 points behind in the first half and then proceeded to go on a 19-2 tear that put them back in the game midway through the second half. Then they again proceeded to lose their composure and the game in overtime.

Simon Lopez/Skiff Staff Senior Marlon Dumont scores over a Tulane defender Saturday. Dumont saw only 17 minutes of action, but scored four points and grabbed five rebounds in TCU’s overtime loss to Tulane, 87-82. The Frogs have lost their fourth consecutive Conference USA game.

Men’s basketball head coach Billy Tubbs said the Frogs have been playing this way since the second exhibition game against Athlete’s Firstwhen they had to come from behind for a narrow victory.

“We get in that comfort zone when we’re 10 plus points down, then we get in a comfort zone and decide to play hard,” Tubbs said. “We don’t decide to play hard to get to that point.”

Tubbs said he had even a bad feeling about the game before it was played.

“I knew we were in trouble (Saturday morning) in a team meeting when one guy said at (7 a.m.), ‘Let’s get this over with’,” Tubbs said.

So, obviously team chemistry is a problem. A big problem.

The Frogs seemed to be at their best when junior-transfer guard Junior Blount took to improvisation and put the team on his back with his somewhat unorthodox, but often highlight-worthy, drives to the basket. Blount also aided the Frogs with his team-high seven assists, but he also nullified those with a game-high seven turnovers.

The problem for the Frogs is not athleticism. At the very worst, the Frogs and the Green Wave were evenly matched in terms of talent. This game should have been a win for the Frogs, especially when playing at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

However, throughout this season Tubb’s famed run-and-gun, Billy Ball style of play has more resembled a pick-up game at the local YMCA than a well-coached college team.

Sure, the games still provide a great deal of excitement for the fans. But when two teams combine for 37 turnovers (19 by TCU), you’re hardly watching quality basketball.

This team obviously has some quality talent, but they lack chemistry and good fundamental play. When a team combines for 46.4 percent free throw shooting, as the Frogs did Saturday, they might as well have 12 Shaquille O’Neal clones to shoot for them at the charity strip.

With a few exceptions, such as the 17 rebounds provided by freshman forward Jamal Brown, the Frogs have played as soft as a San Antonio Spurs center lately and seem rather apathetic at times. They just don’t always look like they want to be on the same team.

But if they really want to take it easy and win a few easy games, I hear the YMCA’s spring league is just about to start up.

Jordan Blum
j.d.blum@student.tcu.edu

credits

TCU Daily Skiff © 2002