Tuesday, November 6, 2001

Horned Frogs open season with commanding exhibition win
By Matt Stiver
Skiff Staff

Oh, and the TCU men’s basketball team played a game last night.

Five hours after hearing they would have a different coach next season, the Frogs drubbed Czech-Select, 146-70, in their first exhibition of the season.

“It was difficult, after just hearing Coach (Billy) Tubbs would be leaving after this year,” senior forward Marlon Dumont said.

David Dunai/SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Redshirt freshman guard Corey Valsin goes for a dunk Monday in Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The Frogs beat the Czech-Select 146-70 hours after learning of head coach Billy Tubbs’ resignation.

The Frogs will enter the season with question-marks at post and point guard positions. Against not-exactly top-flight competition, those questions remain unanswered. Lapses in defense, missed shots and suspect interior play will not lead to 76-point victories in Conference USA.

The teams traded baskets most of the game, even when TCU was able to implement its full court press. Yet the game consisted mainly of organized street ball: Dunks, layups and three pointers by the dozen with little defense. Czech-Select attempted to slow the tempo early in the first half, to little avail.

Several Frogs had stand-out performances.

Dumont surpassed his career-highs with 20 points and 11 rebounds — before halftime.

In the early minutes of the game, Dumont’s inside presence, both inside and outside, helped turn a 10-6 game into a rout. Dumont scored 16 of TCU’s first 26 points, including two that came on follow dunks. Dumont finished with 31 points and 13 rebounds.

During a four-minute stretch in the second half, junior Alan “Junior” Blount drained seven ‘threes’ en route to finishing with 26 points.

“I just came out and tried to play my game,” Dumont said. “We just need to play basketball right now.”

If only it were that simple for the Frogs.

Matt Stiver
m.r.stiver@student.tcu.edu