Lamar @ Texas Christian preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 30, 2011 ) Lamar 72, Texas Christian 77

TCU continues a seven-game homestand Saturday afternoon when it hosts Lamar. The Horned Frogs, who then have an eight-day break before hosting Xavier as part of the inaugural Big East/Big 12 Battle, are four points from a 9-0 start to the season.

TCU, which lost to Clemson 62-60 in overtime in the MGM Resorts Main Event right before Thanksgiving in Las Vegas, bounced back from an 80-78 loss to USC with a 70-60 victory over Winthrop on Wednesday. Sophomore guard RJ Nembhard led a balanced attack with 15 points and six rebounds while preseason All-Big 12 guard Desmond Bane added 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Bane, who has scored 1,408 career points, needs just 18 more points to crack the school's top-10 in scoring with Gary Turner (1,426) currently holding the No. 10 spot. Lamar, which went 20-13 overall last season and tied for third in the Southland Conference at 12-6, comes in a two-game winning streak after back-to-back home wins over Rice (73-60) and Southern (73-56).

TV: 3 p.m. ET, FSN

ABOUT LAMAR (6-4): Junior swingman T.J. Atwood leads the Cardinals in scoring (16.7 per game), is second in rebounding (6.8) and is the lone returning starter on the team. Sophomore guard Davion Buster is second in scoring (15.2) and is also leads the team in steals (2.3). Junior forward Avery Sullivan is also averaging in double figures (10.5 points) while grabbing a team-best 9.6 rebounds per game and already has scored more points and pulled down more rebounds this season thanhis two previous seasons combined.

ABOUT TCU (7-2): Bane ranks fifth in the Big 12 with an average of 17.2 points per game and has connected on 23-of-55 3-pointers (41.8 percent). Nembhard is second in scoring (12.9) and has scored in double digits in his last three games. Kevin Samuel, a 6-11 sophomore center, also is averaging in double figures (11.7) while also leading the team in rebounds (8.1) and blocks (2.7) and leads the Big 12 with five double-doubles.

TIP-INS

1. TCU leads the series 9-2, including 7-0 in games played in Fort Worth.

2. The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 with an average of 9.0 3-pointers made per game and rank 19th nationally in steals with an average of 9.7 per contest.

3. TCU is 41-6 in November and December games under coach Jamie Dixon.

PREDICTION: TCU 75, Lamar 62