2000-01 record: 20-11; 9-7 in WAC Final Ranking: NR Postseason: None. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Merriex 11.5 ppg | Rebounds: Merriex 4.8 rpg | Assists: Smith 1.6 apg | FG %: Dumont 51.8% | 3pt %: Merriex 36.6% | FT %: Smith 74.2% 00-01 Stats: TCU | C-USA

		Saturday, Nov. 3 Another new member of Conference USA, the Horned Frogs went 20-11 in the WAC last season. There are all types of question marks for this team. TCU lost 71 points and 26 rebounds out of its lineup. This might be a rebuilding team for coach Billy Tubbs -- who will resign at the end of the season -- although every time I say that they end up doing well. I just don't see anyone out there who can turn this club around. Their best returning player is 6-9, 225-pound forward Bingo Merriex who'll likely be out the first four weeks because of a broken foot. He's their only quality player. This could be a really tough year for TCU.

Outlook
The Horned Frogs left half their roster behind when they left the Western Athletic Conference. Billy Tubbs' top four scorers, top three rebounders and top four assist men in 2000-01 are all history.

Combine that with the fact that TCU is stepping into what should be a stronger league, and Tubbs' remarkable streak of 20 straight winning seasons could be in jeopardy. (Even more impressive is the fact that Tubbs has only had two losing conference records in that span, through 13 years in the Big Eight and seven in the Western Athletic Conference.)

In an effort to keep that from happening, Tubbs scored a couple of key recruits in junior-college strongman Jamal Brown and freshman point guard Corey Santee. The 6-7, 228-pound Brown led the nation in rebounding at 14.1 per game for Seward (Kan.) JC. Santee, plucked from Flint, Mich., averaged 20 points and seven assists.

Those two should team up with junior forward Bingo Merriex (leading returning scorer at 11.5 ppg) and sophomore guard Nucleus Smith (leading returnee in assists and steals) to form, well, the nucleus of the Frogs.

What we like: Bingo Merriex. Nucleus Smith. Rebel Paulk. Last year there was guard Greedy Daniels. Tubbs can fill out his own all-name team.

What we don't like: TCU returns 25 ppg of the 93.6 it averaged a year ago. Tubbs has recruited the juco ranks long enough to know how to fill holes quickly, but that's one huge hole.

The bottom line: Tubbs' consistent ability to win and problematic style of play gives the Frogs a chance in a league that doesn't play a whole lot of up-and-down basketball. But soft scheduling has kept better TCU teams than this out of the NCAAs, and soft attendance has kept it out of the NIT. Other story to watch: How much longer is Tubbs going to coach?

Key Players Returning
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Bingo Merriex	Jr.	F	6-8/225	PTS: 11.5 | REB: 4.8 | AST: 0.6
Nucleus Smith	So.	G	6-2/193	PTS: 6.9 | REB: 1.9 | AST: 1.6

Key Losses
Player	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Ryan Carroll	G	6-4/190	PTS: 17.8 | REB: 5.8 | AST: 2.6
Greedy Daniels	G	6-0/180	PTS: 16.7 | REB: 3.0 | AST: 5.8
Derrick Davenport	C	6-10/210	PTS: 14.1 | REB: 7.5 | AST: 1.0
Myron Anthony	F	6-6/225	PTS: 14.3 | REB: 7.4 | AST: 0.7

TCU Signings
Player	Pos.	Ht.	High School/College
Corey Santee	G	6-2	Flint, Mich./Southwestern Academy
Marcus Sloan	F	6-8	Houston/Eisenhower H.S.
Jamal Brown	F F	6-7	Baltimore, Md./Seward County (Kan.) CC
Brian Carter	C	6-11	Rockwood, Mich./Winchendon (Mass.) Prep School
Alan Blount	F G	6-0	Tulsa, Okla./Connors State (Okla.) JC