TCU Horned Frogs men's basketball

The TCU Horned Frogs men's basketball team represents Texas Christian University, located in Fort Worth, Texas, in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. Since 2016,^[3] the Horned Frogs have been led by TCU Lettermen's Hall of Fame member,^[4] head coach Jamie Dixon.^[5] TCU has competed in the Big 12 Conference since 2012, and previously competed in the Mountain West Conference (2005–2012), Conference USA (2001–2005), Western Athletic Conference (1996–2001) and Southwest Conference (1923–1996). The Horned Frogs play their home games on campus at Ed & Rae Schollmaier Arena, formerly known as Daniel–Meyer Coliseum, which reopened in December 2015 after a $72 million renovation.^[6]

TCU Horned Frogs
2024–25 TCU Horned Frogs men's basketball team
University	Texas Christian University
Head coach	Jamie Dixon (9th season)
Conference	Big 12
Location	Fort Worth, Texas
Arena	Schollmaier Arena (capacity: 6,700[1])
Nickname	Horned Frogs
Colors	Purple and white[2]
Uniforms
Home Away
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1968
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1952, 1953, 1959, 1968
NCAA tournament round of 32
1987, 2022, 2023
NCAA tournament appearances
1952, 1953, 1959, 1968, 1971, 1987, 1998, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024
Conference regular season champions
1931, 1934, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1959, 1968, 1971, 1986, 1987, 1998

History

Early years

The Horned Frogs began varsity intercollegiate competition in men's basketball in 1908, when the university was located in Waco, Texas.^[7] In their first recorded game, the Frogs faced then-cross-town rival Baylor in a 6–37 loss; the Frogs notched their first recorded program win that same season versus the Waco YMCA.^[7] TCU moved its campus from Waco to Fort Worth, Texas, after a fire destroyed the central Texas' school's main building in 1910. TCU competed as an independent and as part of the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association until joining Southwest Conference competition for the 1923–24 season, where the Frogs won their first-ever SWC game in a January 9, 1924, game at Rice University.^[7] During the early, independent and TIAA years, TCU was led by at least six different coaches from 1908 through 1923, and played five or fewer games or did not field teams in 7 of those 15 seasons.^[7]

1920s–1970s Southwest Conference era

The Horned Frogs were led into the Southwest Conference in 1923 by a new basketball and football coach, Fort Worth native Matty Bell. Bell transformed the program, accruing a 71–41 (49–30 SWC) record over his six seasons at TCU and leading the Horned Frogs to second, third and fourth-place finishes during his tenure.^[7] Bell was succeeded by Francis Schmidt, who left the Arkansas Razorbacks to coach TCU basketball and football. On the gridiron, Schmidt led the Frogs to their first SWC title and the gridiron in 1932, and on the hardwood, Schmidt led the Frogs to a combined 72–24 (41–19 SWC) record over five seasons and Southwest Conference championships in 1931 and 1934.^[7] The 1931 SWC championship was the Frogs' first league title in men's basketball. Schmidt departed Fort Worth after five seasons to become the head football coach at Ohio State.

Coach Schmidt's departure after the 1934 SWC championship season was followed by a 16-year drought for TCU basketball. TCU football coach Dutch Meyer fared far better leading the Frogs' football team, where he claimed two national championships, in 1935 and 1938, and three SWC football titles over his 19-year football-coaching tenure, than he did in his three seasons at the helm of TCU basketball. Meyer's basketball record from 1934 through 1937 totaled on 10–37 (5–31 SWC).^[7] Meyer was replaced by former TCU basketball and football player Mike Brumbelow, who had two SWC wins over the following four seasons, with an overall record of 22–64 (2–46 SWC). Brumbelow was quickly replaced by Hub McQuillan, who led the Frogs to middle-of-the-league finishes in the first 5 of his 7 years as head coach of TCU basketball.^[7]

Buster Brannon, a former TCU player under Francis Scmidt, led Horned Frogs basketball for nearly two decades, from 1948 through 1967. Brannon amassed a 205–259 (104–144 SWC) record over 19 seasons and led the Frogs to four Southwest Conference championships in 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1959, and the program's first three NCAA tournament appearances in 1952, 1953 and 1959.^[7] Brannon's recorded faded in the 1960s, when the Frogs finished near the bottom of the league almost every year until Brannon's retirement from coaching in 1967. The Brannon era saw the opening of Daniel–Meyer Coliseum (now Schollmaier Arena) in 1961.^[7] Johnny Swaim, a former player for Brannon, coached the Frogs from 1967 through 1977. Swaim led the Frogs to Southwest Conference titles and the NCAA tournament in 1967, his first season at the helm, and in 1971.^[7] The Frogs' 1967 NCAA tournament appearance saw the Frogs' first-ever tournament win and the program's only appearance in what is now known as the Elite Eight.^[7] Swaim abruptly retired from coaching after the 1977 season, remaining in Fort Worth as a businessman until his death in 1995. After Swaim's retirement, Tim Somerville led the Frogs for the following two seasons, notching only a 10–43 (3–29 SWC) record.^[7]

Jamie Dixon era

On March 21, 2016, TCU hired Pitt head coach and former Horned Frogs' letterman Jamie Dixon as the Frogs' next head basketball coach.^[8] Prior to his return to Fort Worth as the 22nd head coach of TCU basketball, Dixon spent 13 years as the head coach at Pitt, won four national coach of the year awards, and ranked as the 9th winningest, active Division I head coach.^[7] Dixon's impact at TCU was immediate, where in his first season he landed Jaylen Fisher, the highest-rated recruit in TCU history, led the Frogs to their best conference record and finish, best overall record, and first postseason tournament since joining the Big 12 in 2012, and knocked off the No. 1 ranked Kansas Jayhawks in the 2017 Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City–marking the program's first-ever win over a #1 ranked team. The Horned Frogs won the 2017 NIT Championship on March 30, to cap off Dixon's first season with a 24–15 record. The Horned Frogs qualified as an at-large bid for the 2018 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, snapping a 20-year drought.

TCU made the NCAA tournament in 2022. They defeated Seton Hall 69–42 in the first round winning an NCAA tournament game for the first time in 35 years.

Season-by-season results

TCU Horned Frogs Basketball Season by Season Results[7]
1900–1909 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1908–09 J.R. Langley Independent 2–3 – – –
1910–1919 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1909–10 Oscar Wise Independent 1–4 – – – 1910–11 – – – – – – 1911–12 – – – – – – 1912–13 – – – – – – 1913–14 Unknown Independent 2–9 – – – 1914–15 Frederick Cahoon Independent 11–12 – – – 1915–16 E.Y. Freeland Independent 1–3 – – – 1916–17 Unknown Independent 2–6 – – – 1917–18 Unknown Independent 4–4 – – – 1918–19 Unknown Independent 4–6 – – –
1920–1929 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1919–20 T.D. Hackney Independent 1–9 – – – 1920–21 W.L. Driver Independent 0–3 – – – 1921–22 W.L. Driver Independent 8–4 – – – 1922–23 John McKnight Independent 3–13 – – – 1923–24 Matty Bell Southwest Conference 16–4 15–4 2nd – 1924–25 Matty Bell Southwest Conference 14–5 11–3 2nd – 1925–26 Matty Bell Southwest Conference 13–9 7–5 3rd – 1926–27 Matty Bell Southwest Conference 9–8 6–4 4th – 1927–28 Matty Bell Southwest Conference 9–8 5–7 4th – 1928–29 Matty Bell Southwest Conference 10–7 5–7 4th –
1930–1939 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1929–30 Francis Schmidt Southwest Conference 7–10 4–8 T-6th – 1930–31 Francis Schmidt Southwest Conference 18–4 9–3 1st – 1931–32 Francis Schmidt Southwest Conference 18–4 9–3 2nd – 1932–33 Francis Schmidt Southwest Conference 16–4 9–3 2nd – 1933–34 Francis Schmidt Southwest Conference 13–2 10–2 1st – 1934–35 Dutch Meyer Southwest Conference 6–13 2–10 7th – 1935–36 Dutch Meyer Southwest Conference 3–11 2–10 7th – 1936–37 Dutch Meyer Southwest Conference 1–13 1–11 7th – 1937–38 Mike Brumbelow Southwest Conference 8–15 1–11 7th – 1938–39 Mike Brumbelow Southwest Conference 2–17 0–12 7th –
1940–1949 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1939–40 Mike Brumbelow Southwest Conference 7–16 1–11 7th – 1940–41 Mike Brumbelow Southwest Conference 5–16 0–12 7th – 1941–42 Hub McQuillan Southwest Conference 13–10 6–6 T-3rd – 1942–43 Hub McQuillan Southwest Conference 18–9 5–7 4th – 1943–44 Hub McQuillan Southwest Conference 9–12 6–6 T-3rd – 1944–45 Hub McQuillan Southwest Conference 9–20 7–5 T-3rd – 1945–46 Hub McQuillan Southwest Conference 13–11 6–6 4th – 1946–47 Hub McQuillan Southwest Conference 1–22 1–11 7th – 1947–48 Hub McQuillan Southwest Conference 3–20 1–11 7th – 1948–49 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 4–20 1–11 7th –
1950–1959 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1949–50 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 13–11 5–7 6th – 1950–51 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 16–9 8–4 T-1st – 1951–52 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 24–4 11–1 1st NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen 1952–53 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 16–8 9–3 1st NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen 1953–54 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 10–14 5–7 6th – 1954–55 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 17–7 8–4 T-2nd – 1955–56 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 4–20 2–10 7th – 1956–57 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 14–10 6–6 T-3rd – 1957–58 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 17–7 8–6 3rd – 1958–59 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 20–6 12–2 1st NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1960–1969 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1959–60 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 7–17 4–10 7th – 1960–61 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 5–19 3–11 7th – 1961–62 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 5–19 4–10 7th – 1962–63 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 4–20 1–13 8th – 1963–64 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 4–20 0–14 8th – 1964–65 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 6–18 3–11 7th – 1965–66 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 8–16 6–8 T-6th – 1966–67 Buster Brannon Southwest Conference 11–14 8–6 T-2nd – 1967–68 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 15–11 9–5 1st NCAA tournament Elite Eight 1968–69 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 12–12 5–9 T-6th –
1970–1979 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1969–70 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 10–14 8–6 T-3rd – 1970–71 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 15–12 11–3 1st NCAA tournament first round 1971–72 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 15–9 9–5 T-3rd – 1972–73 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 4–21 2–12 T-7th – 1973–74 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 8–17 2–12 8th – 1974–75 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 9–16 4–10 T-6th – 1975–76 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 11–16 6–10 7th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1976–77 Johnny Swaim Southwest Conference 3–23 0–16 9th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1977–78 Tim Somerville Southwest Conference 4–22 2–14 T-8th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1978–79 Tim Somerville Southwest Conference 6–21 1–15 9th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1980–1989 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1979–80 Jim Killingsworth Southwest Conference 7–19 2–14 9th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1980–81 Jim Killingsworth Southwest Conference 11–18 6–10 8th SWC Postseason Classic (1–1) 1981–82 Jim Killingsworth Southwest Conference 16–13 9–7 T-4th SWC Postseason Classic (2–1) 1982–83 Jim Killingsworth Southwest Conference 23–11 9–7 T-4th SWC Postseason Classic (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (2–1) 1983–84 Jim Killingsworth Southwest Conference 11–17 4–12 T-7th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1984–85 Jim Killingsworth Southwest Conference 16–12 8–8 T-6th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1985–86 Jim Killingsworth Southwest Conference 22–9 12–4 T-1st SWC Postseason Classic (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (1–1) 1986–87 Jim Killingsworth Southwest Conference 24–7 14–2 1st SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) NCAA tournament second round 1987–88 Moe Iba Southwest Conference 9–19 3–13 T-8th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1988–89 Moe Iba Southwest Conference 17–13 9–7 3rd SWC Postseason Classic (1–1)
1990–1999 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1989–90 Moe Iba Southwest Conference 16–13 9–7 4th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1990–91 Moe Iba Southwest Conference 18–10 9–7 T-4th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1991–92 Moe Iba Southwest Conference 23–11 9–5 3rd SWC Postseason Classic (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (1–1) 1992–93 Moe Iba Southwest Conference 6–22 2–12 8th SWC Postseason Classic (1–1) 1993–94 Moe Iba Southwest Conference 7–20 3–11 T-7th SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1994–95 Billy Tubbs Southwest Conference 16–11 8–6 T-3rd SWC Postseason Classic (0–1) 1995–96 Billy Tubbs Southwest Conference 16–14 6–8 4th SWC Postseason Classic (1–1) 1996–97 Billy Tubbs Western Athletic Conference 22–13 7–9 2nd (Mountain) WAC tournament (3–1) National Invitation Tournament (1–1) 1997–98 Billy Tubbs Western Athletic Conference 27–6 14–0 1st (Pacific) WAC tournament (1–1) NCAA tournament first round 1998–99 Billy Tubbs Western Athletic Conference 21–11 7–7 4th (Mountain) WAC tournament (0–1) National Invitation Tournament (2–1)
2000–2009 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 1999–00 Billy Tubbs Western Athletic Conference 18–14 8–6 4th WAC tournament (1–1) 2000–01 Billy Tubbs Western Athletic Conference 20–11 9–7 4th WAC tournament (0–1) 2001–02 Billy Tubbs Conference USA 16–15 6–10 T-4th (National) C-USA tournament (0–1) 2002–03 Neil Dougherty Conference USA 9–19 3–13 7th (National) – 2003–04 Neil Dougherty Conference USA 12–17 7–9 9th C-USA tournament (1–1) 2004–05 Neil Dougherty Conference USA 21–14 8–8 8th C-USA tournament (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (2–1) 2005–06 Neil Dougherty Mountain West Conference 6–25 2–14 9th MWC tournament (0–1) 2006–07 Neil Dougherty Mountain West Conference 13–17 4–12 9th MWC tournament (1–1) 2007–08 Neil Dougherty Mountain West Conference 14–16 6–10 7th MWC tournament (0–1) 2008–09 Jim Christian Mountain West Conference 14–17 5–11 7th MWC tournament (0–1)
2010–2019 Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 2009–10 Jim Christian Mountain West Conference 13–19 5–11 7th MWC tournament (0–1) 2010–11 Jim Christian Mountain West Conference 11–22 1–15 9th MWC tournament (1–1) 2011–12 Jim Christian Mountain West Conference 18–15 7–7 5th MWC tournament (0–1) College Basketball Invitational (1–1) 2012–13 Trent Johnson Big 12 Conference 11–21 2–16 10th Big 12 tournament (0–1) 2013–14 Trent Johnson Big 12 Conference 9–22 0–18 10th Big 12 tournament (0–1) 2014–15 Trent Johnson Big 12 Conference 18–15 4–14 9th Big 12tournament (1–1) 2015–16 Trent Johnson Big 12 Conference 12–21 2–16 10th Big 12 tournament (1–1) 2016–17 Jamie Dixon Big 12 Conference 24–15 6–12 T-7th Big 12 tournament (2–1) National Invitation Tournament Champions (5–0) 2017–18 Jamie Dixon Big 12 Conference 21–12 9–9 5th Big 12 tournament (0–1) NCAA tournament (0–1) 2018–19 Jamie Dixon Big 12 Conference 23–14 7–11 T-7th Big 12 tournament (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (3–1)
2020–present Season Coach Conference Overall record Conference record Standing Postseason 2019–20 Jamie Dixon Big 12 Conference 16–16 7–11 T-7th Big 12 tournament (0–1) 2020–21 Jamie Dixon Big 12 Conference 12–14 5–11 8th Big 12 tournament (0–1) 2021–22 Jamie Dixon Big 12 Conference 21–13 8–10 T-5th Big 12 tournament (1–1) NCAA tournament (1–1) 2022–23 Jamie Dixon Big 12 Conference 22–13 9–9 T-5th Big 12 tournament (1–1) NCAA tournament (1–1) 2023–24 Jamie Dixon Big 12 Conference 21–13 9–9 T-7th Big 12 tournament (1–1) NCAA tournament (0–1)
Legend:   = Conference regular season Champion   = Conference tournament Champion   = Conference Division Champion

Postseason

NCAA tournament

The Horned Frogs have appeared in 11 NCAA tournaments. Their combined record is 7–11.

The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1978 edition.

Year	Seed	Round	Opponent	Result
1952		Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd-place game	Kansas New Mexico State	L 64–68 W 61–44
1953		Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd-place game	Oklahoma A&M Oklahoma City	L 54–71 W 58–56
1959		Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd-place game	Cincinnati DePaul	L 73–77 W 71–65
1968		Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight	Kansas State Houston	W 77–72 L 68–103
1971		First round	Notre Dame	L 94–102
1987	No. 4	First round Second round	No. 13 Marshall No. 5 Notre Dame	W 76–60 L 57–58
1998	No. 5	First round	No. 12 Florida State	L 87–96
2018	No. 6	First round	No. 11 Syracuse	L 52–57
2022	No. 9	First round Second round	No. 8 Seton Hall No. 1 Arizona	W 69–42 L 80–85 OT
2023	No. 6	First round Second round	No. 11 Arizona State No. 3 Gonzaga	W 72–70 L 81–84
2024	No. 9	First round	No. 8 Utah State	L 72–88

NIT

The Horned Frogs have appeared in eight National Invitation Tournaments (NIT). Their combined record is 17–7. They were NIT champions in 2017.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
1983	First round Second round Quarterfinals	Tulsa Arizona State Nebraska	W 64–62 W 78–76 L 57–67
1986	First round Second round	Montana Florida	W 76–69 L 75–77
1992	First round Second round	Long Beach State Purdue	W 73–61 L 51–67
1997	First round Second round	UAB Notre Dame	W 85–62 L 72–82
1999	First round Second round Quarterfinals	Kansas State Nebraska Oregon	W 72–71 W 101–89 L 68–77
2005	First round Second round Quarterfinals	Miami (OH) Western Michigan Maryland	W 60–58 W 78–68 L 73–85
2017	First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship	Fresno State Iowa Richmond UCF Georgia Tech	W 66–59 W 94–92OT W 86–68 W 68–53 W 88–56
2019	First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals	Sam Houston State Nebraska Creighton Texas	W 80–76 W 88–72 W 71–58 L 44–58

CBI

The Horned Frogs have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Their record is 1–1.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2012	First round Quarterfinals	Milwaukee Oregon State	W 83–73 L 81–101

Retired numbers

Main article: List of NCAA men's basketball retired numbers

TCU has retired five numbers.

TCU Horned Frogs retired jerseys
No.	Player	Pos.	Career	Ref.
24	Darrell Browder	G	1979–1983	[9]
28	Dick O'Neal	PF	1954–1957	[9]
34	Kenrich Williams	SG/SF	2014–2018	[10]
40	Kurt Thomas	PF	1990–1995	[9]
54	James Cash Jr. [n1 1]	C	1966–1969	[9]

Notes

1. Cash was the first black student/athlete at TCU and the first black basketball player in the Southwest Conference.^[11]

NBA/ABA players

• Desmond Bane
• Scott Brooks
• Goo Kennedy
• George McLeod
• Lee Nailon
• R.J. Nembhard
• Dennis Nutt
• Reggie Smith
• Kurt Thomas
• Gary Turner
• Kenrich Williams

References

1. "Quick Facts 2016–17 TCU Men's Basketball" (PDF). TCU Athletics. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
2. "Texas Christian University Logo Identity Standards". Retrieved June 1, 2017.
3. "Jamie Dixon leaves Pitt to become TCU's next head coach". Sports Illustrated. March 21, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
4. "TCU announces 2007 Lettermen's Hall of Fame class". June 20, 2007. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
5. "Why the opportunity to recruit in Texas drew Jamie Dixon back to TCU". DallasNews.com. 25 March 2016.
6. "Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena". TCU Athletics. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
7. "2016 TCU Basketball Fact Book". TCU Athletics. 26 October 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
8. "Pitt's Jamie Dixon accepts job as TCU's next coach". CBS Sports. March 21, 2016.
9. "2019–20 TCU Horned Frogs media guide, page 153" (PDF). GoFrogs.com. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
10. "TCU to Retire Williams' Jersey". 10 January 2024.
11. TCU Honors James Cash ’69 with Statue, Honorary Doctorate at TCU, November 11, 2022

External links

• Official website