The University of Arizona men’s basketball team (6-5, 0-0 in Big 12) is set to play TCU (7-4, 0-0 in Big 12) on Monday, Dec. 30 in McKale Center at 6 p.m. This marks Arizona’s first Big 12 conference game of the season. 

History vs. TCU

The two programs have met three times since their first match on Dec. 29, 1939. TCU won the match 37-32 as well as the following game years later on Dec. 30, 1952, 63-48. The most recent matchup was held in San Diego on March 20, 2022. Arizona won this 2022 game 85-80 in overtime. 

TCU players to watch

The Horned Frogs are led by nine-year head coach Jamie Dixon. Dixon has earned four college basketball National Coach of the Year honors and is notably a two-time gold medalist with the USA U-19 team having won as head coach in 2009 and 2021. Before Dixon joined TCU in 2016, the Horned Frogs struggled in the prior season, finishing with an 0-18 record and were 2-16 in the Big 12. However, in the 2016-2017 season, the team made an impressive 12-win improvement, marking the second-largest turnaround in the school’s history.

The transfer portal has opened up many new opportunities for players, including those at TCU. This was the case for senior guard Frankie Collins, who started his collegiate career at the University of Michigan and spent his previous two seasons at ASU. Collins leads the Horned Frogs in points, averaging 11.2 points per game. He has seen the most minutes on the court, with an average of 30.9 minutes. 

Prior to his arrival at TCU, Collins made an impressive stat line for himself his junior season at ASU where he averaged 13.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.4 steals per game. Notably, he shot 42.3% from the field during the season.

Ernest Udeh Jr., a 6-foot-11 center, has helped TCU this season, leading the team with eight rebounds a game alongside 9.1 points per game on shooting 63.8% from the field. He’s grabbed a total of 72 rebounds this season, significantly more than any other player for TCU.

Last season, Udeh Jr. shot 60.9% from the field and led the team with 22 blocked shots. Notably, Udeh Jr. has contributed 10 or more rebounds four times this season.

With an average of 10.5 points per game, following Collins second in points, is Trazarien White, a senior forward from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. White shoots a 40.2% from the field and a 33.3 percent at the three. 

During his junior season at UNC Wilmington, White led the team in scoring and rebounding with 19.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. He also scored over 30 points on three separate occasions, one of which was a 38-point effort against Campbell University on Feb. 26. 

During a 76-71 victory against Texas State University on Nov. 12, White put up 16 points, the second highest scorer of the match. Additionally, he put up two rebounds and had one steal. 

Wildcats to watch

The Wildcats are led by head coach Tommy Lloyd, now in his fourth season at Arizona. Lloyd has been recognized for his achievements, earning the 2022 NABC National Coach of the Year, 2022 USBWA National Coach of the Year, 2022 Associated Press National Coach of the Year and 2022 Pac-12 Coach of the Year.

Caleb Love, a fifth year guard transfer from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has consistently been a leader for the Wildcats, averaging 15.2 points per game. Love has also put up 31 assists this season, contributing to his role as a play-maker. During his senior season at Arizona, Love was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and was selected to the first, second and third team All-American.

After the Wildcats suffered a 57-54 loss against UCLA on Dec. 14, Love dominated the basket in Arizona’s 96-64 victory over Samford University, leading the game in scoring with 23 points. Additionally, he grabbed five rebounds and four assists. 

In the Wildcats’ most recent match against Central Michigan University, Love continued his offensive efforts, leading with 24 points, one assist and two rebounds to complete the night. 

Another notable Wildcat to watch is Tobe Awaka, a junior forward from the University of Tennessee. Awaka leads the team in rebounds, averaging eight rebounds per game. So far this season, he has collected a total of 88 rebounds.

During his career at Tennessee, Awaka shot 59.1% from the floor. Impressively, Awaka joined the USA Basketball team for the FIBA Men’s U19 World Cup in the summer of 2023, playing in Debrecen, Hungary. Starting six out of seven games with Team USA, he was one of three players in the tournament to average a double-double consisting of 11.6 points and 10.6 rebounds.

In Arizona’s match against Central Michigan, Awaka grabbed 10 rebounds along with 10 points, leading the team on the glass and third in points. This secured his third double-double as a Wildcat, a performance Arizona fans have grown to expect from Awaka.

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