TCU's depth has taken a devastating hit. Tubbs knows this. A similar situation has taken place at Louisiana State. The Tigers have been decimated by injuries this season and head coach John Brady has been playing with just five scholarship players since Jan. 6. When there is no depth on the bench, the pressure mounts.
Players can only go so long before fatigue becomes a factor.
It will be interesting to see how the remaining Horned Frogs respond. After Thursday's win, Tubbs told the media that Merriex played several more minutes than he had originally planned. I guess that game became a tryout of sorts for Merriex taking the place of Anthony down low. He should create problems for opposing defenses as he has a dangerous mix of ability from in the lane and behind the three-point arc. The timing is what makes this move all the more surprising, but at the same time all the more gratifying.