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GAME NOTES: UNO | TCU
NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans men's basketball team begins its 56th season of competition Monday night with a trip to Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena for a season-opening matchup against the TCU Horned Frogs.
For the second consecutive year, the Privateers feature at least 10 newcomers on the roster. All-Southland guard
Jakevion Buckley transfers in from Southeastern, three-point specialist
Coleton Benson joins from Texas State, center
Churchill Abass arrives from Wake Forest, and center
Mathok Majok joins from Oral Roberts.
They are joined by junior transfers T.J. Cope (South Plains CC) and
Kedrick Osby (Pearl River CC), along with sophomore
William Patterson, who originally signed with Syracuse and spent last season at Three Rivers Community College. The roster also includes five freshmen:
Enzo Boudouma,
Jamal Chretien II,
Eze Nwakamma,
Panagiotis Pagonis and
Vieux Sanneh.
MJ Thomas returns following a breakout freshman campaign in which he averaged 11.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. In Southland Conference play, those numbers increased to 13.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Thomas led the conference in rebounding average, offensive rebounding average and total rebounds. He was one of eight freshmen nationally to record a 32-point game and one of three to post 18 rebounds in a game last season.
Grant Kemp returns after making 22 appearances off the bench a year ago. The Madisonville native originally joined the program as a walk-on before earning a scholarship last January through his tireless efforts on and off the court.
The Privateers are 31-24 (.563) all time in season openers. Monday's contest marks the program's second straight season opener against a Big 12 opponent, following last year's trip to Kansas State. UNO is 0-2 all-time against TCU, with previous meetings in 1998 and 2014 — both in Fort Worth.
SCOUTING THE HORNED FROGS
TCU returns nine players from last season's squad that finished 16-16 overall and 9-11 in Big 12 play. The Horned Frogs went 14-3 at home. Sophomore forward David Punch leads the returners in points (6.4), rebounds (4.4) and minutes (20.4) per game. Transfers Brock Harding (Iowa) and Jayden Pierre (Providence) are expected to play key roles in the backcourt. Harding played 20 minutes and scored 13 points in Iowa's win over UNO last season.
Head Coach Jamie Dixon enters his 10th season at TCU with a career record of 504-229 (.669). The Southwest Conference Hall of Famer ranks No. 21 among active coaches in victories and is one of just 11 active coaches with 15 or more NCAA tournament appearances. Former Privateer standout Jamie McNeilly, an All-Sun Belt performer during his playing career, enters his fifth season on Dixon's staff.
COVERAGE INFORMATION
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Fans can watch the action live on ESPN+. "Voice of the Privateers" Jude Young returns for his 14th season on the call for 106.1 Heaven FM, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:45 p.m.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
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