Preview: TCU Horned Frogs vs Colorado Buffaloes

by Bob_Bell on Dec 3, 2008 6:40 PM MST in Buffaloes Basketball Game Threads

3-2
NR (AP)
NR (USA Today)

December 3 , 2008
Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs. TCU Horned Frogs
Where: Coors Event Center (Boulder, CO)
8:00 pm MT
TV: FSN Rocky Mountain
Radio: AM 760
Live Stats: CUBuffs.com
Line: Colorado by 5

4-3
NR (AP)
NR (USA Today)

Colorado Top Players
NAME	PTS	REB	AST	TO	FG%	FT%	3P%
Cory Higgins	16.0	5.6	3.2	3.2	47.9%	68.9%	20.0%
Dwight Thorne II	14.4	4.0	1.8	1.8	65.7%	73.9%	52.9%
Austin Dufault	11.2	4.0	1.2	1.8	46.5%	86.7%	23.1%
Nate Tomlinson	9.6	3.4	3.6	2.6	53.1%	66.7%	42.9%
Casey Crawford	7.4	2.2	1.2	0.4	53.8%	60.0%	50.0%
Jermyl Jackson-Wilson	5.6	5.2	0.8	1.2	64.7%	66.7%	0.0%
Team Averages	72.6	29.8	14.0	13.8	50.6%	70.9%	34.8%
TCU Top Players
NAME	PTS	REB	AST	TO	FG%	FT%	3P%
Kevin Langford	13.9	4.4	0.4	1.9	45.2%	78.0%	50.0%
Edvinas Ruzgas	12.0	3.9	0.7	1.3	50.0%	83.3%	35.9%
Zvonko Buljan	9.4	5.1	1.4	2.3	55.1%	62.5%	28.6%
Ronnie Moss	8.1	1.7	2.3	2.4	45.7%	58.8%	50.0%
Jason Ebie	6.4	3.1	4.4	3.3	40.0%	69.6%	14.3%
Kevin Butler	5.6	4.7	0.9	0.7	48.5%	57.1%	42.9%
Team Averages	65.7	32.4	13.6	15.1	43.4%	70.2%	31.3%

Tonight, the 3 - 2 Colorado Buffaloes welcome the TCU Horned Frogs from the Mountain West Conference. TCU comes into the game tonight on a three game win streak after losing three in a row. The win streak consisted of victories over McNeese State, SMU and, most recently, a 80-38 dismantling of St. Gregory's (who knows where that is or what league they are in?). The Horned Frogs are trying to win its first road game of the year in Boulder tonight. The Buffs will try to win their fourth game of the year after returning home from a loss against Stanford by a score of 76-62. CU shot well against the Cardinal but started extremely slow and never could catch up. Other than that bad start, the Buffs were competitive and their was reason to be optimistic. Colorado is at home for the next four games against TCU, Colorado State, Prairie View A&M and UL-Monroe.

The Horned Frogs are led by F Kevin Langford, F Edvinas Ruzgas and C Zvonko Buljan. Langford earned third-team all-conference honors last year after scoring in double figures in 24 games. This year, he has continued to be the Horned Frogs best player. The last two games against SMU and St. Gregory, he only averaged 23 minutes so he didn't put up big numbers but against College of Charleston, Nebraska and McNeese State, Langford averaged 27, 19 and 22 points respectively. Unfortunately for TCU, the only win in those three games was against McNeese State. Like last year, this is not a strong shooting team and will not score a lot of points. The Frogs aren't huge either with Buljan being the man in the middle at 6'9". TCU is a very average team and the Buffs should be able to contest for a win.

Colorado is paced by sophomore guard Cory Higgins who has been the "all everything" player. Higgins leads the team in points, rebounds, steals and minutes played this year, going for a team high 16 a game. Against Stanford, though, Higgins was held in check, only scoring nine which was his lowest total of the year. Junior guard Dwight Thorne and freshman Nate Tomlinson paced the team with 18 points a piece.

The key for the Buffs in this game and every game will be the ability to rebound and defend. Colorado has surprisingly been a strong shooting team with a field goal percentage over 50% but size in the middle will be the weakness all year long. TCU won't score a lot but they will defend and try to keep the game at a comfortable pace. If the Buffs hit the boards hard, eliminate TCU's second chance points and gets some offensive rebounds, Colorado should be 4 - 2 by night's end.

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