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Tubbs wants regular season finale to be more than about him

Curtains close on Billyball’s final act
TCU may have a shot at postseason NIT, Tubbs says
By Ram Luthra
Sports Editor

Coach Billy Tubbs is not ready to declare Saturday’s contest his final home game at TCU.
Tubbs said if his team can win and keep it going into the Conference USA Tournament in Cincinnati, TCU might have a shot at earning a bid in the National Invitational Tournament.

But Tubbs said for that to happen the Frogs must win when they play East Carolina 7 p.m. at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in the regular-season finale.

David Dunai/STAFF REPORTER Billy Tubbs gives the referee a piece of his mind during a game earlier this season. Tubbs has provided an ear full to referees from the Southwest Conference, Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA during his eight-year career at TCU.

“In reality, a win Saturday against ECU and a couple of wins in the conference tournament might put us in another game,” he said.

Tubbs said there will be distractions for players, but he encourages his team to keep focus on the game.

“The main storyline is playing East Carolina and playing for a seed,” Tubbs said. “It is not about me. We need to focus on getting a win, because the higher the seed you are the worst the teams you will play. This is an important game to determine who we will play in the first round and in the second round.

“We still have a lot to play for this season,” Tubbs said. “And it is best that we keep focus. Now is not the time to reflect on this being my last game, now is the time on keep going forward.”

Junior-transfer guard Junior Blount said the game, which possibly may be the final home games for Tubbs and the three seniors (J.R. Jones, Marlon Dumont and Colin Boddicker), has not been a distraction for the Frogs.

“It’s a big game for both teams,” he said. “I don’t think this being Coach Tubbs’ last game has anything to do with the way we will play. We know it is his last game, but our focus has been on ECU. We just have to play regardless if he was going to be here next year.”

Blount said since this marks the first meeting between the schools there will be some unfamiliarity come Saturday.

“We have not really talked about East Carolina too much, yet,” Blount said. “We know they played (well) against Marquette, but they (are) still in (the) lower half of the standing like we are.”

With the win against then No. 9-ranked Marquette Tuesday, ECU earned a bid in the C-USA Tournament and won its first ever win over a Top 10 team.

Tubbs said he was not surprised with ECU’s upset over Marquette.

“It is not a real surprise,” Tubbs said. “They have played well at home and have won a couple of games in a row now. Actually, you now have two teams that might be in the bottom of the division, but they are probably two of the teams that are playing as well as anyone else.”

TCU is coming off a win against Tulane on Tuesday. Blount scored a career-high 42 points in the win against the Green Wave.

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