We're Talking TCU

Saturday evening presents the annual opportunity for the basketball program to atone for the football program's yearly drubbing at the hands of TCU. While the gridironers have been outscored 100-24 in the last two years by the Horned Frogs, the Cyclone basketball program is a perfect 7-0 against TCU since they joined the Big 12, with the closest margin of victory coming by 11 points.

Iowa State has been especially dominant in Ames, winning all three recent contests by an average of 22 points (aided by a 34-point massacre in 2013). Saturday should be no different as TCU has been downright miserable on the road in conference play, losing on average by 21.1 points per game. Only once have the Frogs lost by single digits away from Ft. Worth in Big 12 action (at Kansas of all places) and have four road losses by 20 points or more, including a 73-42 turd casserole at West Virginia.

So yeah, TCU is bad.

The Prior Meeting

Iowa State shook off a sluggish start and secured control of the game by going on a 15-2 run to take a 26-19 lead with under four minutes to play in the first half. The Cyclones would stretch that lead to 9, going into the break with a 37-28 lead.

In the first five minutes of the second half, Iowa State would double that lead and kept the Horned Frogs at arm's length for the remainder of the game, never allowing TCU to get closer than 10 points.

Monte Morris led the way for the Cyclones, scoring 18 points and dishing out 6 assists. Iowa State didn't generate many looks from outside, but they knocked down 8-15 from deep, including a 3-4 effort from Matt Thomas, who finished with 15 points. Georges Niang (11 points) and Deonte Burton (10 points) were the only other Cyclones to turn in double-figure scoring efforts.

It's remarkable that Iowa State was able to control the game as much as they did, given that the Cyclones had a season-high 23 turnovers, including 7 by Niang, 5 by Abdel Nader and 4 by Jameel McKay. Granted, TCU also had 18 turnovers, which certainly helped matters.

Iowa State shot 54% from the field and held TCU to 39% shooting as the Horned Frogs were ice cold from outside (4-17).

So Who Wins?

This is the ass-kicking we've been waiting for, right? TCU has failed to score 50 points or more in each of their last two contests and if Iowa State comes out focused, the Cyclones might hit the 50-point mark by the end of the first half.

Give me Iowa State by twenty.

Iowa State 81 - TCU 61

Game Notes

Tip: 6:30 PM CST

TV: ESPNU

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network

Cyclones.com Game Notes: Available here

TCU SB Nation Site: Frogs 'O War