TCU basketball brings its fast-paced, high-scoring act West in 1996-97 ... as in the Western Athletic Conference.
HORNED FROGS RETURN FOUR STARTERS AMONG SEVEN LETTERMEN
Head coach Billy Tubbs welcomes four starters, as well as three additional letter winners, from last year's squad (one which tallied 2,519 points, the second-highest single-season total in TCU history). Starters returning include center Damion Walker (C, 6-8, So-1L) a 1995-96 freshman all-america selection, forward James Penny (6-5, Jr-2L) and guards Jeff Jacobs (6-1, Sr-3L) and Anthony Burks (6-0, Sr-1L). Also returning to the Horned Frog lineup are guard Luke Allan (6-5, So-1L) and forwards Dennis Davis (6-9, Jr-2L) and Saipele Tuialii (6 7, Sr-1L).
Walker, a 27-game starter a Year ago, was the nation's second-leading frosh scorer and the third-leading freshman reoounder (20.5 ppg. 8·8 rpg.). The Southwest Conference's Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, he registered 12 double-doubles, scored 20+ points on 18 occasions and enjoyed 27 double-figure scoring outings.
Penny, a 29-game starter, literally leapt onto the scene, recording 63 blocked shots over 30 games (the second highest blocked shot total in a TCU season). In addition, he posted averages of 11.1 ppg. and 5.8 rpg.
Jacobs also averaged 11.1 ppg., as well as contributing 5.0 assists for the campaign. He heads into his senior season just 72 dishes shy of the TCU career mark. Jacobs also has a knack for the dramatic, having hit five last minute, game winning shots in 1995-96.
Point guard Anthony Burks (9.2 ppg., 4.1 apg) ranked among the team's top free throw shooters last season, hitting 75.2 percent from the line.
Allan (2.4 ppg., 1.9 rpg.), a former walk-on who earned a scholarship through his hard-nosed play, saw action in 19 contests.
Davis' strength and physical stature (he weighs 255 pounds) provides a physical presence on the court. He averaged 5.2 ppg. and 5.1 rpg. over 27 contests, seven in a starting role.
Tuialii, who missed the final four games due to a broken ankle, averaged 3.2 ppg. and 3.4 rpg. over 25 games.
A TRIO OF REDSHIRTS JOIN RETURNING VETS
While a newcomer to the active roster, Prince Fowler (5-11, 180, guard, sophomore, Las Vegas, Nevada/ Western) is no stranger to hoops at the Division I level. Fowler, who joined the Horned Frogs prior to last season, registered 25 starts in 30 games while at the University of Oklahoma in 1994-95. During that time, he averaged 6.6 points and 2.2 assists per outing. Also returning to the Horned Frog camp are redshirt freshmen Scott Barrett (6-8, 200, forward, Bryan, Texas/ High) and Drew Peterson (6-7, 195, forward, Omaha, Neb./Burke High).
THREE NEWCOMERS GRACE HORNED FROG ROSTER
A pair of highly-touted junior-college signees, as well as one freshman will bolster the Horned Frog program this fall. Guards Malcolm Johnson (6-4, 200, Lawton, Okla./ Seminole JC), and Mike Jones (6-3, 210, Oklahoma City, Okla./ Northeastern Oklahoma A&M), as well as freshman guard Patrick Batteaux (6-1, 185, Sugar Land, Texas/ Elkins High).
Johnson (24.0 ppg., 7.1 rpg.) set numerous scoring marks over the past two seasons at Seminole, JC, including having scored a two-year total of 1,589 points. Jones averaged 22.2 ppg. and 8.1 rpg. Batteaux, who doubles as a defensive back for the Horned Frog football team, will join the Frogs following the '96 grid season.
"One of our objectives in recruiting was to improve our outside scoring, and in Johnson and Jones, we feel that we've accomplished reached that goal", says coach Tubbs. "Batteaux is an outstanding athlete who will join us after the football season ends."
WALKER SELECTED FOR SUMMER COMPETITION
Damion Walker was invited to the U.S. Basketball National Team Trials, held this past May-June in Colorado Springs, Cole. Walker was one of five Western Athletic Conference players invited to the Trials.
TCU OFFENSE APPEARS POTENT ... AGAIN!
Returning its top-three scorers from a year ago, one of the Horned Frogs' strengths should again be offensive fireworks. TCU averaged a conference-leading 84.0 ppg. last season, paced by Damion Walker's 20.5 ppg. average, and tallied a total of 2,519 points over the course of the season (second in TCU history only to the 1994-95 total of 2,529 points). While achieving that TCU-record tally, the Horned Frogs also set school marks for points in a first half (63 vs. Alaska-Anchorage) as well as points in a game (124 vs. Alaska-Anchorage). TCU also posted a pair of 100-point outings, bringing the number of Horned Frog century outputs under Billy Tubbs to 14!
16 HOME GAMES FOR TCU IN 1996-97
TCU's schedule features 16 home games in 1996-97. The only time the Horned Frogs venture away from Daniel Meyer Coliseum prior to WAC play will be to participate in a pair of tournaments (Big Island Invitational Nov. 29-Dec. 1 and Cessna Classic Dec. 27-28). The Horned Frogs will compete in the Mountain Division of the WAC, facing Brigham Young, New Mexico, Rice, UNLV, UTEP, Tulsa and Utah, in addition to crossover rival SMU.
PLUS FOUR NATIONALLY TELEVISED CONTESTS AT DMC
TCU will be featured on four nationally-televised contests during the 1996-97 season, all originating in Fort Worth. A pair of ESPN dates is on the ledger, as the national network will be on hand Dec. 14 when the Horned Frogs host Texas Tech, then return Jan. 6 when TCU hosts UNLV to open WAC play in the late-night portion of "Big Monday". A pair of ESPN2 broadcasts will see TCU host Purdue (Dec. 30) as well as Utah (Jan 18).
All of which points towards an exciting 1996-97 season, which tips-off November 23, when the Horned Frogs host McNeese State at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum!