We chatted with Steven Johnson of the Fort Worth Star Telegram to learn a bit about the Red Raiders conference opening oponent, TCU.

Texas Tech and the Horned Frogs tip-off at 11 a.m. in Ft. Worth on New Year's Eve.

What's the overall storyline coming out of non-conference play for the Horned Frogs?

I would say it was about dealing with and embracing expectations. TCU had its highest preseason ranking ever coming off its best tournament run in decades, so there was a lot of excitement. Add in all the returners and there was legitimate optimism that this could be one of the best seasons in school history.

Has pre-season Big 12 Player of the Year Mike Miles lived up to the hype?

I would say so, his scoring and shooting percentages are all up so far. He has missed a few games, but overall he's been exactly what you want from a lead guard. He can hit the 3, is really dangerous getting downhill and with Damion Baugh back, there's less on his shoulders in terms of playmaking. Jamie Dixon has praised his defense this year as well.

How has returning most of the roster helped TCU early this season?

In a weird way it hasn't helped much due to so many injuries. At one point TCU had a different starting lineup in 10 games. Miles, Baugh, Emanuel Miller, and Eddie Lampkin have all missed games for various reasons. TCU is just now getting to used to have its usual starting five of those four plus Chuck O'Bannon. But when all or most of the roster is available you can see the experience on the defensive side of the ball the most.

How have the Horned Frogs won games this season?

Defense has played a big part in their success. TCU goes into most games not wanting to allow an opponent to hit more than five 3-pointers and when they can get close to that number it usually results in a win. The 3-point defense struggled in the first three games and was one of the reasons they were upset by Northwestern State. Since then, the Frogs have been much better.

Offensively it starts with Miles and Baugh creating for others as they attack downhill. They're a really strong backcourt and when Miller is healthy, he's the perfect second scoring option. He's one of those players that won't blow you away with jaw-dropping plays, but he's good in so many different areas. When those three are rolling, TCU has been hard to beat.

Prediction for how the conference opener on New Year's Eve will shake out?

With the way TCU is rolling and finally getting healthy, I think they'll start Big 12 play off with a solid win over Tech. TCU wins 68-63.

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