The TCU men’s basketball team will return to the road where head coach Trent Johnson wants sophomore guard Kyan Anderson to play better.
“I’d like to see him play better on the road early in games than what he did versus the [Kansas] Jayhwaks,” Johnson said after the loss to Oklahoma State.
Anderson was 0-for-7 from the field with two turnovers in the first half against Kansas in Lawrence, Kans. He finished with 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting.
Johnson said Anderson has done a good job managing the team and holding up physically while playing against stronger competition.
“He’s been challenged like he’s never been challenged before these last six or seven games,” Johnson said.
Anderson and the Frogs (10-18 overall, 1-14 Big 12) have already faced guards Le’Bryan Nash (Oklahoma State) and Myck Kabongo (Texas) who were preseason All-Big 12 selections and a multiple time Freshman of the Week honoree in Ben McLemore (Kansas).
The Texas Tech Red Raiders (9-17, 2-13) don’t have any preseason honorees or Big 12 Player of the Week recipients. Johnson, however, was surprised to see only two conference wins on the Red Raiders’ record.
“They’re talented,” Johnsons said. “They backed us off at home as much as anybody.”
The Frogs trailed by 16 points at the five minute mark, but scored 12 of the next 13 points to close the gap to five with a minute left. The Red Raiders held off the Frogs from the free throw line to win 62-53.
TCU struggled shooting from the field against the Red Raiders (19-of-54) and have only hit above 40 percent once in conference against Texas on Feb. 19 (45.7, 21-of-46).
Johnson said the Frogs’ shooting problems have given Anderson chances to complain. Instead, the guard’s body language has improved over the season, he said.
“It’s hard when you’re a guy like that and you come down you create opportunities for other guys and the ball doesn’t go down for them and nobody can create opportunities for you,” Johnson said. “It’s a lonely feeling out there.”
The Frogs will try to snap a six-game losing streak Saturday while Texas Tech will aim for its first season sweep of an opponent since 2010.
Notes
Where: United Spirit Arean, Lubbock, Texas
When: 3 p.m.
TV; Big 12 Network
Radio: 88.7 KTCU FM, 570 KLIF AM
