No. 15 TCU tries for 17th straight victory (Dec 22, 2017)
Continued momentum in advance of the Big 12 Conference gauntlet will be the focus of No. 15 TCU when it hosts William & Mary on Friday at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Horned Frogs (11-0) have won 16 consecutive games dating back to last season when they won their final five contests on their way to the NIT championship. TCU's winning streak ties the 1997-98 team for the longest in school history and is the longest active run in the nation.
Overall, the Horned Frogs are one of only four undefeated NCAA Division I teams. They have won 18 of their past 20 games.
"Based on how the schedule played out, I am happy with where we are at -- we've taken care of business," TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. "I like our rotation, and I like that we've beaten the teams we have beaten.
"It's a good thing, records are good. That's what we came here to do -- to change, to improve, to make people proud of the program. We plan on winning and having streaks."
TCU heads into its final nonconference game on the heels of a 91-72 victory over winless Texas Southern on Monday. JD Miller led TCU with 20 points. Vladimir Brodziansky had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Horned Frogs, who led by only two at halftime.
It was Brodziansky's first double-double of the season and the fifth of his career.
The Frogs had a season-low eight turnovers and a season-best 51 rebounds in the victory, which came after a 10-day layoff for finals. TCU improved to 26-2 against nonconference opponents under Dixon.
"We have a target on our backs with the way we've begun the season, but we know we still have a lot to prove," TCU guard Alex Robinson said. "We are one of the deepest teams in the country and we work hard and continue to lift each other up through these games.
"The Big 12 is one of the toughest conferences in the country, so we know we will have to bring our best every game. That's why we are not looking past Friday's game -- there is a lot on the line for us against William & Mary."
The Tribe (7-3) have won six of their past seven games and are coming off a 126-69 victory over Milligan, an NAIA school, on Sunday.
William & Mary set a school record for points in a game while shooting 65.2 percent from the field in coach Tony Shaver's 200th win at the school. Sophomore Nathan Knight led the Tribe with 21 points to increase his team-leading scoring average to 19.6 points per game.
Justin Pierce added 20 points and 10 rebounds as six players scored in double figures. William & Mary had 30 assists.
"It was a nice win for our guys," Shaver said. "We did the things we had to do. It's nice to see this team break the school record because they can score the basketball. I'm thrilled to be where we are after 10 games.
"TCU is clearly the best team on our schedule, and we will have to do a better job in that game to be competitive."
The Friday game will be a battle between two of the top offensive teams in the country.
William & Mary ranks first nationally in free-throw percentage at .806, and second in field-goal percentage (.525) and 3-point percentage (.469) to go along with the 14th-best scoring average in the nation at 88.2 points per game. TCU is 16th nationally at 87.6 points per game while also coming in 10th in field-goal percentage (.520) and 11th in 3-point shooting (.421).
