Busting Brackets
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Big 12 Basketball: Grades for each team in this 2020 offseason

By Matthew Mastandrea

WACO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 22: Jared Butler #12 of the Baylor Bears and Marcus Garrett #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half at Ferrell Center on February 22, 2020 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
WACO, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 22: Jared Butler #12 of the Baylor Bears and Marcus Garrett #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the second half at Ferrell Center on February 22, 2020 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TX – JANUARY 28: Head coach Jamie Dixon of the TCU Horned Frogs (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX – JANUARY 28: Head coach Jamie Dixon of the TCU Horned Frogs (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

7. TCU: C+ 

The Horned Frogs, like half of the conference, is coming off a disappointing season that saw them finish right at 16-16 and 7-11 in Big 12 play. They were slated to miss the NCAA tournament after being picked by many as a team to watch out for in March.

The most notable loss for TCU comes from the exit of Desmond Bane, who was one of the only bright spots for the Horned Frogs last season. Bane only got better as his college career continued, wrapping up his senior campaign averaging 16.6 points per game while pulling down 6.4 rebounds per game. He also averaged an impressive 3.9 assists to go along with 1.5 steals. Bane is expected to be taken in the upcoming draft.

TCU currently has one commit for the 2021 season in the form of three-star Center, Souleymane Doumbia. Hailing from Junior College, Navarro in Corsicana, Texas, Doumbia is quite the impressive pick-up coming in at 7-0, 220 pounds. It’s safe to say that Head Coach, Jamie Dixon will be looking forward to utilizing the big man upon his arrival in 2021.

The most exciting headline this offseason quite possibly comes from the addition of transfer, Chuck O’Bannon Jr. O’Bannon was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and went to USC, where he only played 14 games during his freshman campaign.

Injuring his pinky during practice his sophomore year, he underwent season-ending surgery and used the season as a redshirt one. The 6-6 forward comes into Dallas with a fresh start and plans on making the most of his opportunity with the Horned Frogs.

Dixon has a few exciting options, including two new freshmen, but will look towards Junior Kevin Samuel to take a significant portion of the offensive production left by the department of Bane. The 6-11 center started every game last season while averaging 10 points a game and pulled down 8.4 rebounds per game.

Weighing in at around 260, Samuel was able to push some bodies around, while blocking 2.7 shots per game. That number led the Big 12. Junior guard, RJ Nembhard (12.1 ppg), is also another pick to take on a heavier workload this season.

TCU definitely has some exciting storylines to keep an eye on this season. We’ve learned better than to doubt Jamie Dixon as he enters his fifth season with the Horned Frogs. While he will try to coach TCU towards the big dance in March, it’s hard to TCU finishing higher than fifth this season in such a deadly conference.

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