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TCU Takes On SMU in Preseason Men's Hoops 'Secret' Scrimmage
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- TCU Takes On SMU in Preseason Men's Hoops 'Secret' Scrimmage
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
College football might be in full swing, but college basketball is right on the doorstep of making its annual return.
TCU is one program that enters the year with somewhat high expectations and an equally unknown layout.
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The Horned Frogs are fresh off another NCAA Tournament berth under head coach and alumni Jamie Dixon, as he led last year's team to the second round before being ousting by No. 1-overall seed Duke.
Following this postseason run, TCU has a very different makeup despite just a one-year gap.
One of the biggest changes came after starring forward David Punch shipped out Austin to join the Texas Longhorns. He averaged nearly 30 points and seven rebounds as one of the leaders, if not the main piece, for the Horned Frogs.
Outside of departures, TCU welcomed an electric scorer in guard Gavin Sykes from Long Beach, as well as former Big 12 foes Luke Bamgboye from Texas Tech and DJ Thomas from West Virginia.
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Bamgboye specifically drew attention earlier this offseason, as journalist Jon Rothstein noted the forward as having an immediate impact in the practices he got to watch during his visit to Fort Worth.
There are also notable returners Xavier Edmonds and Micah Robinson, who were key pieces in the tournament run for TCU last season.
READ MORE: TCU Program-Building Coach Dennis Franchione Dead At 75
With a plethora of questions swirling, these new-look Horned Frogs had their first showcase outside of practice in a "secret" scrimmage against SMU at its Moody Center in Dallas on Friday, Oct. 2.
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The Mustangs had the slight edge over the Horned Frogs in the preseason rivalry meeting with a 101-98 win, according to college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman.
Based on his report, senior Jaylin Stewart went for 18 points for SMU after transferring from UConn. Meanwhile, Tulane graduate transfer Rowan Brumbaugh had a double-double for the Mustangs with 13 points and 12 assists.
Even in the loss, Sykes exploded for a staggering 35 points in his debut with TCU, which led scoring for the Horned Frogs. He also drained seven of his nine 3-pointers against the Mustangs.
Robinson was apparently not too far behind with 27 points on the night off four made 3-pointers.
READ MORE: TCU Has Plenty To Fix During Bye Week After 2-3 Start
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Being as much of the information and actual game footage is being held behind closed doors, it is hard to judge the full performance from TCU outside of the handful of stats provided by Goodman.
However, the initial display from the Horned Frogs should go a long way in calming the nerves of fans anxious for another memorable season, while still pointing out areas to tune up ahead of real games.
TCU has its lone official scrimmage against Wyoming on Saturday, Oct. 17 in Midland before tipping off with Lindenwood to open the regular season on Monday, Nov. 2 in Fort Worth.
