With the football team on hiatus for the next 6 to 7 weeks (Sorry New Mexico, but you are basically a glorified scrimmage at this point) I tuned in to The Mtn. last night to see if the men's basketball team is "new and improved" as advertised or if it was just the same ole' pathetic TCU hoops. I was pleasantly surprised when I quickly realized that the answer to my question was the former. I think Mac Engel of the FWST summed it up perfectly, "I counted five dunks on Tuesday; the Frogs may have had five dunks all of last season." "It's exciting to know I've got three or four guys that can go up and get it," Horned Frogs junior point guard Hank Thorns said. "We want to send a message this is not the same old TCU." Message received, loud and clear. Thorns, a transfer from Virginia Tech, is one of the biggest reasons for the transformation. Thorns is a natural distributor averaging 10 assists per game and his presence on the floor allows junior guard Ronnie Moss to assume his more natural role as a scoring guard. Thorns also has athletic playmakers to get the ball to in Sammy Yeager and Garlon Green who each scored 17 last night.
The weakness of this Frogs team so far is size down low, 6-9 freshman forward Amric Fields looks like a star in the making but he is young and could use some help. Former Arkansas Razorback forward Andre Clark was supposed to be the force the Frogs needed down low but he is out indefinitely with a knee injury.
Bottom line: Frog fans this is not the TCU basketball that you are used to seeing and it is safe to go to games again, they could use your support.