# TCU Horned Frogs men's basketball

The TCU Horned Frogs men's basketball team represents Texas Christian University, located in Fort Worth, Texas, in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. Since 2016, the Horned Frogs have been led by TCU Lettermen's Hall of Fame member, head coach Jamie Dixon. TCU has competed in the Big 12 Conference since 2012, and previously competed in the Mountain West Conference (2005–2012), Conference USA (2001–2005), Western Athletic Conference (1996–2001) and Southwest Conference (1923–1996). The Horned Frogs play their home games on campus at Ed & Rae Schollmaier Arena, formerly known as Daniel–Meyer Coliseum, which reopened in December 2015 after a $72 million renovation.

## History
### Early years

The Horned Frogs began varsity intercollegiate competition in men's basketball in 1908, when the university was located in Waco, Texas. In their first recorded game, the Frogs faced then-cross-town rival Baylor in a 6–37 loss; the Frogs notched their first recorded program win that same season versus the Waco YMCA. TCU moved its campus from Waco to Fort Worth, Texas, after a fire destroyed the central Texas' school's main building in 1910. TCU competed as an independent and as part of the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association until joining Southwest Conference competition for the 1923–24 season, where the Frogs won their first-ever SWC game in a January 9, 1924, game at Rice University. During the early, independent and TIAA years, TCU was led by at least six different coaches from 1908 through 1923, and played five or fewer games or did not field teams in 7 of those 15 seasons.

### 1920s–1970s Southwest Conference era

The Horned Frogs were led into the Southwest Conference in 1923 by a new basketball and football coach, Fort Worth native Matty Bell. Bell transformed the program, accruing a 71–41 (49–30 SWC) record over his six seasons at TCU and leading the Horned Frogs to second, third and fourth-place finishes during his tenure. Bell was succeeded by Francis Schmidt, who left the Arkansas Razorbacks to coach TCU basketball and football. On the gridiron, Schmidt led the Frogs to their first SWC title and the gridiron in 1932, and on the hardwood, Schmidt led the Frogs to a combined 72–24 (41–19 SWC) record over five seasons and Southwest Conference championships in 1931 and 1934. The 1931 SWC championship was the Frogs' first league title in men's basketball. Schmidt departed Fort Worth after five seasons to become the head football coach at Ohio State.
Coach Schmidt's departure after the 1934 SWC championship season was followed by a 16-year drought for TCU basketball. TCU football coach Dutch Meyer fared far better leading the Frogs' football team, where he claimed two national championships, in 1935 and 1938, and three SWC football titles over his 19-year football-coaching tenure, than he did in his three seasons at the helm of TCU basketball. Meyer's basketball record from 1934 through 1937 totaled on 10–37 (5–31 SWC). Meyer was replaced by former TCU basketball and football player Mike Brumbelow, who had two SWC wins over the following four seasons, with an overall record of 22–64 (2–46 SWC). Brumbelow was quickly replaced by Hub McQuillan, who led the Frogs to middle-of-the-league finishes in the first 5 of his 7 years as head coach of TCU basketball.
Buster Brannon, a former TCU player under Francis Scmidt, led Horned Frogs basketball for nearly two decades, from 1948 through 1967. Brannon amassed a 205–259 (104–144 SWC) record over 19 seasons and led the Frogs to four Southwest Conference championships in 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1959, and the program's first three NCAA tournament appearances in 1952, 1953 and 1959. Brannon's recorded faded in the 1960s, when the Frogs finished near the bottom of the league almost every year until Brannon's retirement from coaching in 1967. The Brannon era saw the opening of Daniel–Meyer Coliseum (now Schollmaier Arena) in 1961. Johnny Swaim, a former player for Brannon, coached the Frogs from 1967 through 1977. Swaim led the Frogs to Southwest Conference titles and the NCAA tournament in 1967, his first season at the helm, and in 1971. The Frogs' 1967 NCAA tournament appearance saw the Frogs' first-ever tournament win and the program's only appearance in what is now known as the Elite Eight. Swaim abruptly retired from coaching after the 1977 season, remaining in Fort Worth as a businessman until his death in 1995. After Swaim's retirement, Tim Somerville led the Frogs for the following two seasons, notching only a 10–43 (3–29 SWC) record.

### Jamie Dixon era

On March 21, 2016, TCU hired Pitt head coach and former Horned Frogs' letterman Jamie Dixon as the Frogs' next head basketball coach. Prior to his return to Fort Worth as the 22nd head coach of TCU basketball, Dixon spent 13 years as the head coach at Pitt, won four national coach of the year awards, and ranked as the 9th winningest, active Division I head coach. Dixon's impact at TCU was immediate, where in his first season he landed Jaylen Fisher, the highest-rated recruit in TCU history, led the Frogs to their best conference record and finish, best overall record, and first postseason tournament since joining the Big 12 in 2012, and knocked off the No. 1 ranked Kansas Jayhawks in the 2017 Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City–marking the program's first-ever win over a #1 ranked team. The Horned Frogs won the 2017 NIT Championship on March 30, to cap off Dixon's first season with a 24–15 record. The Horned Frogs qualified as an at-large bid for the 2018 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, snapping a 20-year drought.
TCU made the NCAA tournament in 2022. They defeated Seton Hall 69–42 in the first round winning an NCAA tournament game for the first time in 35 years.

## Season-by-season results

TCU Horned Frogs Basketball Season by Season Results :
1900–1909
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1908–09J.R. LangleyIndependent2–3––– :
1910–1919
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1909–10Oscar WiseIndependent1–4–––
1910–11––––––
1911–12––––––
1912–13––––––
1913–14UnknownIndependent2–9–––
1914–15Frederick CahoonIndependent11–12–––
1915–16E.Y. FreelandIndependent1–3–––
1916–17UnknownIndependent2–6–––
1917–18UnknownIndependent4–4–––
1918–19UnknownIndependent4–6––– :
1920–1929
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1919–20T.D. HackneyIndependent1–9–––
1920–21W.L. DriverIndependent0–3–––
1921–22W.L. DriverIndependent8–4–––
1922–23John McKnightIndependent3–13–––
1923–24Matty BellSouthwest Conference16–415–42nd–
1924–25Matty BellSouthwest Conference14–511–32nd–
1925–26Matty BellSouthwest Conference13–97–53rd–
1926–27Matty BellSouthwest Conference9–86–44th–
1927–28Matty BellSouthwest Conference9–85–74th–
1928–29Matty BellSouthwest Conference10–75–74th– :
1930–1939
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1929–30Francis SchmidtSouthwest Conference7–104–8T-6th–
1930–31Francis SchmidtSouthwest Conference18–49–31st–
1931–32Francis SchmidtSouthwest Conference18–49–32nd–
1932–33Francis SchmidtSouthwest Conference16–49–32nd–
1933–34Francis SchmidtSouthwest Conference13–210–21st–
1934–35Dutch MeyerSouthwest Conference6–132–107th–
1935–36Dutch MeyerSouthwest Conference3–112–107th–
1936–37Dutch MeyerSouthwest Conference1–131–117th–
1937–38Mike BrumbelowSouthwest Conference8–151–117th–
1938–39Mike BrumbelowSouthwest Conference2–170–127th– :
1940–1949
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1939–40Mike BrumbelowSouthwest Conference7–161–117th–
1940–41Mike BrumbelowSouthwest Conference5–160–127th–
1941–42Hub McQuillanSouthwest Conference13–106–6T-3rd–
1942–43Hub McQuillanSouthwest Conference18–95–74th–
1943–44Hub McQuillanSouthwest Conference9–126–6T-3rd–
1944–45Hub McQuillanSouthwest Conference9–207–5T-3rd–
1945–46Hub McQuillanSouthwest Conference13–116–64th–
1946–47Hub McQuillanSouthwest Conference1–221–117th–
1947–48Hub McQuillanSouthwest Conference3–201–117th–
1948–49Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference4–201–117th– :
1950–1959
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1949–50Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference13–115–76th–
1950–51Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference16–98–4T-1st–
1951–52Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference24–411–11stNCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1952–53Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference16–89–31stNCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1953–54Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference10–145–76th–
1954–55Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference17–78–4T-2nd–
1955–56Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference4–202–107th–
1956–57Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference14–106–6T-3rd–
1957–58Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference17–78–63rd–
1958–59Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference20–612–21stNCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen :
1960–1969
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1959–60Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference7–174–107th–
1960–61Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference5–193–117th–
1961–62Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference5–194–107th–
1962–63Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference4–201–138th–
1963–64Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference4–200–148th–
1964–65Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference6–183–117th–
1965–66Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference8–166–8T-6th–
1966–67Buster BrannonSouthwest Conference11–148–6T-2nd–
1967–68Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference15–119–51stNCAA tournament Elite Eight
1968–69Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference12–125–9T-6th– :
1970–1979
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1969–70Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference10–148–6T-3rd–
1970–71Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference15–1211–31stNCAA tournament first round
1971–72Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference15–99–5T-3rd–
1972–73Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference4–212–12T-7th–
1973–74Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference8–172–128th–
1974–75Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference9–164–10T-6th–
1975–76Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference11–166–107thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1976–77Johnny SwaimSouthwest Conference3–230–169thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1977–78Tim SomervilleSouthwest Conference4–222–14T-8thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1978–79Tim SomervilleSouthwest Conference6–211–159thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1) :
1980–1989
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1979–80Jim KillingsworthSouthwest Conference7–192–149thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1980–81Jim KillingsworthSouthwest Conference11–186–108thSWC Postseason Classic (1–1)
1981–82Jim KillingsworthSouthwest Conference16–139–7T-4thSWC Postseason Classic (2–1)
1982–83Jim KillingsworthSouthwest Conference23–119–7T-4thSWC Postseason Classic (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (2–1)
1983–84Jim KillingsworthSouthwest Conference11–174–12T-7thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1984–85Jim KillingsworthSouthwest Conference16–128–8T-6thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1985–86Jim KillingsworthSouthwest Conference22–912–4T-1stSWC Postseason Classic (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (1–1)
1986–87Jim KillingsworthSouthwest Conference24–714–21stSWC Postseason Classic (0–1) NCAA tournament second round
1987–88Moe IbaSouthwest Conference9–193–13T-8thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1988–89Moe IbaSouthwest Conference17–139–73rdSWC Postseason Classic (1–1) :
1990–1999
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1989–90Moe IbaSouthwest Conference16–139–74thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1990–91Moe IbaSouthwest Conference18–109–7T-4thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1991–92Moe IbaSouthwest Conference23–119–53rdSWC Postseason Classic (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (1–1)
1992–93Moe IbaSouthwest Conference6–222–128thSWC Postseason Classic (1–1)
1993–94Moe IbaSouthwest Conference7–203–11T-7thSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1994–95Billy TubbsSouthwest Conference16–118–6T-3rdSWC Postseason Classic (0–1)
1995–96Billy TubbsSouthwest Conference16–146–84thSWC Postseason Classic (1–1)
1996–97Billy TubbsWestern Athletic Conference22–137–92nd (Mountain)WAC tournament (3–1) National Invitation Tournament (1–1)
1997–98Billy TubbsWestern Athletic Conference27–614–01st (Pacific)WAC tournament (1–1) NCAA tournament first round
1998–99Billy TubbsWestern Athletic Conference21–117–74th (Mountain)WAC tournament (0–1) National Invitation Tournament (2–1) :
2000–2009
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
1999–00Billy TubbsWestern Athletic Conference18–148–64thWAC tournament (1–1)
2000–01Billy TubbsWestern Athletic Conference20–119–74thWAC tournament (0–1)
2001–02Billy TubbsConference USA16–156–10T-4th (National)C-USA tournament (0–1)
2002–03Neil DoughertyConference USA9–193–137th (National)–
2003–04Neil DoughertyConference USA12–177–99thC-USA tournament (1–1)
2004–05Neil DoughertyConference USA21–148–88thC-USA tournament (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (2–1)
2005–06Neil DoughertyMountain West Conference6–252–149thMWC tournament (0–1)
2006–07Neil DoughertyMountain West Conference13–174–129thMWC tournament (1–1)
2007–08Neil DoughertyMountain West Conference14–166–107thMWC tournament (0–1)
2008–09Jim ChristianMountain West Conference14–175–117thMWC tournament (0–1) :
2010–2019
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
2009–10Jim ChristianMountain West Conference13–195–117thMWC tournament (0–1)
2010–11Jim ChristianMountain West Conference11–221–159thMWC tournament (1–1)
2011–12Jim ChristianMountain West Conference18–157–75thMWC tournament (0–1) College Basketball Invitational (1–1)
2012–13Trent JohnsonBig 12 Conference11–212–1610thBig 12 tournament (0–1)
2013–14Trent JohnsonBig 12 Conference9–220–1810thBig 12 tournament (0–1)
2014–15Trent JohnsonBig 12 Conference18–154–149thBig 12tournament (1–1)
2015–16Trent JohnsonBig 12 Conference12–212–1610thBig 12 tournament (1–1)
2016–17Jamie DixonBig 12 Conference24–156–12T-7thBig 12 tournament (2–1) National Invitation Tournament Champions (5–0)
2017–18Jamie DixonBig 12 Conference21–129–95thBig 12 tournament (0–1) NCAA tournament (0–1)
2018–19Jamie DixonBig 12 Conference23–147–11T-7thBig 12 tournament (1–1) National Invitation Tournament (3–1) :
2020–present
SeasonCoachConferenceOverall recordConference recordStandingPostseason
2019–20Jamie DixonBig 12 Conference16–167–11T-7thBig 12 tournament (0–1)
2020–21Jamie DixonBig 12 Conference12–145–118thBig 12 tournament (0–1)
2021–22Jamie DixonBig 12 Conference21–138–10T-5thBig 12 tournament (1–1) NCAA tournament (1–1)
2022–23Jamie DixonBig 12 Conference22–139–9T-5thBig 12 tournament (1–1) NCAA tournament (1–1)
2023–24Jamie DixonBig 12 Conference21–139–9T-7thBig 12 tournament (1–1) NCAA tournament (0–1) :
Legend:   = Conference regular season Champion  = Conference tournament Champion  = Conference Division Champion :

## Postseason
### NCAA tournament

The Horned Frogs have appeared in 11 NCAA tournaments. Their combined record is 7–11.
The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1978 edition.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1952 | | Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd-place game | Kansas New Mexico State | L 64–68 W 61–44 |
| 1953 | | Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd-place game | Oklahoma A&M Oklahoma City | L 54–71 W 58–56 |
| 1959 | | Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd-place game | Cincinnati DePaul | L 73–77 W 71–65 |
| 1968 | | Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Kansas State Houston | W 77–72 L 68–103 |
| 1971 | | First round | Notre Dame | L 94–102 |
| 1987 | No. 4 | First round Second round | No. 13 Marshall No. 5 Notre Dame | W 76–60 L 57–58 |
| 1998 | No. 5 | First round | No. 12 Florida State | L 87–96 |
| 2018 | No. 6 | First round | No. 11 Syracuse | L 52–57 |
| 2022 | No. 9 | First round Second round | No. 8 Seton Hall No. 1 Arizona | W 69–42 L 80–85 $^{OT}$ |
| 2023 | No. 6 | First round Second round | No. 11 Arizona State No. 3 Gonzaga | W 72–70 L 81–84 |
| 2024 | No. 9 | First round | No. 8 Utah State | L 72–88 |

### NIT

The Horned Frogs have appeared in eight National Invitation Tournaments (NIT). Their combined record is 17–7. They were NIT champions in 2017.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1983 | First round Second round Quarterfinals | Tulsa Arizona State Nebraska | W 64–62 W 78–76 L 57–67 |
| 1986 | First round Second round | Montana Florida | W 76–69 L 75–77 |
| 1992 | First round Second round | Long Beach State Purdue | W 73–61 L 51–67 |
| 1997 | First round Second round | UAB Notre Dame | W 85–62 L 72–82 |
| 1999 | First round Second round Quarterfinals | Kansas State Nebraska Oregon | W 72–71 W 101–89 L 68–77 |
| 2005 | First round Second round Quarterfinals | Miami (OH) Western Michigan Maryland | W 60–58 W 78–68 L 73–85 |
| 2017 | First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship | Fresno State Iowa Richmond UCF Georgia Tech | W 66–59 W 94–92$^{OT}$ W 86–68 W 68–53 W 88–56 |
| 2019 | First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals | Sam Houston State Nebraska Creighton Texas | W 80–76 W 88–72 W 71–58 L 44–58 |

### CBI

The Horned Frogs have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Their record is 1–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2012 | First round Quarterfinals | Milwaukee Oregon State | W 83–73 L 81–101 |

## Retired numbers

TCU has retired five numbers.
TCU Horned Frogs retired jerseys :
| No. | Player | Pos. | Career |
| 24 | Darrell Browder | G | 1979–1983 |
| 28 | Dick O'Neal | PF | 1954–1957 |
| 34 | Kenrich Williams | SG/SF | 2014–2018 |
| 40 | Kurt Thomas | PF | 1990–1995 |
| 54 | James Cash Jr. | C | 1966–1969 |

### Notes

* ↑ Cash was the first black student/athlete at TCU and the first black basketball player in the Southwest Conference.

## NBA/ABA players

* Desmond Bane
* Damion Baugh
* Scott Brooks
* Goo Kennedy
* George McLeod
* Emanuel Miller
* Lee Nailon
* R.J. Nembhard
* Dennis Nutt
* Reggie Smith
* Kurt Thomas
* Gary Turner
* Kenrich Williams