TCU
Last season: 24-15, NIT champions.
Nickname: Horned Frogs.
Coach: Jamie Dixon.
Conference: Big 12.
Who’s gone: G Brandon Parrish, F Karviar Shepherd, F Chris Washburn, G Michael Williams.
Who’s back: All five starters: F Vladimir Brodziansky, a preseason all-Big 12 pick after averaging team-high 14.1 points with 5.7 rebounds last season; PG Jaylen Fisher (9.9 points, 4.0 assists); F JD Miller; G Alex Robinson; F Kenrich Williams (11.4 points, 9.7 rebounds), who missed the 2016-17 opener before returning to the court after more than 600 days away from competition because of injuries.
Who’s new: F Ahmed Hamdy, a graduate transfer from VCU, who is eligible to play immediately; Australian forwards Lat Mayen and Kouat Noi; G RJ Nembhard; JUCO transfer G Shawn Olden, a former top freshman at Pepperdine; C Kevin Samuel.
The Skinny: Dixon had an immediate impact at his alma mater after leaving Pittsburgh to return to Fort Worth. The Frogs won more than 20 games for the first time since 2004-05, and the NIT title. With all five starters back and some experienced newcomers, TCU is already getting noticed in the Big 12 — coaches picked them third in the preseason poll. They could make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1998.
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