Tennessee Tech @ Texas Christian preview

Jamie Dixon's team won the NIT to end the 2016-17 season and opened up the current campaign with a 10-point win, but the veteran coach was far from satisfied. Dixon hopes his TCU squad can put together a more complete effort Monday when the Horned Frogs host Tennessee Tech.

"We could have played better," Dixon said after Saturday's 83-73 victory against Louisiana Monroe. "I thought we would have been a little better offensively and the same defensively, we're not there yet. We've got work to do." TCU, which has won six in a row dating to last season -- including a 5-for-5 run in the NIT, returns all five starters from last season and appears ready to make the Big Dance this time around. Kenrich Williams notched 13 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists against Louisiana Monroe, while Vladimir Brodziansky chipped in 16 points. The Horned Frogs would love a repeat performance on the interior -- they held a 46-22 scoring advantage in the paint -- against a Tennessee Tech team that won its season opener, 94-56, over NAIA foe Midway.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Plus

ABOUT TENNESSEE TECH (1-0): The Golden Eagles return four starters from last season, including leading scorer Aleksa Jugovic (15.2 points). Curtis Phillips Jr., who averaged 8.9 points a season ago, had a team-high 18 in the season opener, while Kajon Mack chipped in 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds. "It gets harder," coach Steve Payne said, noting the upcoming matchup with TCU, as well as games against Dayton and Indiana. "Obviously, it gets harder every game as we move on in our schedule."

ABOUT TCU (1-0): In addition to Williams and Brodziansky, three others scored in double digits for the Horned Frogs in the opener. JD Miller scored 12 points in 18 minutes, while Desmond Bane added 12 points, as did Kouat Noi in a reserve role. Two figures that Dixon would like to see improved are the 3-point shooting (6-of-20 against Louisiana Monroe) and free-throw shooting (17-of-28).

TIP-INS

1. TCU has won 18 of its last 20 games in November.

2. The Horned Frogs return 79 percent of their scoring and 79 percent of their rebounding from last season.

3. The Golden Eagles' tallest starter is Courtney Alexander II, who stands 6-foot-7 but only weighs 205 pounds.

PREDICTION: TCU 79, Tennessee Tech 66