TCU dropped their first game of the season Friday.
The Frogs lost 64-76 at Michigan to fall to 3-1 on the season.
The Frogs were without Ernest Udeh Jr. in this one.
TCU’s usual starting center was a late scratch in this one because of a lower back injury suffered in the first half against Texas State.
Udeh Jr. was a game-time decision, but decided not to play after going through pregame warmups.
True freshman David Punch got the start and fellow true freshman Malick Diallo played heavy minutes to fill this void.
Both players played well considering the circumstances were in.
Punch had six points, seven rebounds, two steals, and a highlight reel posterizing dunk in 27 minutes.
Punch powers through for 2! 😮💨@DavidPunch17 | @TCUBasketball pic.twitter.com/mR8hJE6sOE
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) November 16, 2024
Diallo had two points, one rebound, and one block in 13 minutes.
Udeh Jr. being out is obviously a big blow for the Frogs, but the play of the freshmen is an encouraging sign for the future.
The main reason TCU lost this game is lack of offensive efficiency.
The Frogs shot 34% from the field, 26% from three-point range, and 68% from the free-throw line.
There were a lot of issues in the half court as well, a trend TCU fans have seen in the past.
Obviously it is more difficult in a tough environment with Ernest Udeh Jr. out, but these numbers need to be improved if the Frogs want to find more success.
This game was very sloppy on both sides with 33 combined turnovers between the two teams.
TCU did force 21 Michigan turnovers, which was a huge positive for the Frogs, but only 22 points off this amount of takeaways should be improved.
The formula worked with pressure and even a full court press at times, which the Frogs can take into future games, but the poor offensive game was just too much to overcome.
This game had positives to takeaway, like the fight from the team throughout the game, the defense, and the Frankie Collins posterizing dunk that took over social media.
🚨 @Frankiecollins0 🚨 pic.twitter.com/GxF9BO2lb4
— TCU Men’s Basketball (@TCUBasketball) November 16, 2024
However, the Frogs should look to improve the offense when they take on Alcorn State next Tuesday.
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