'The right kids': TCU, Lindenwood tip off optimistic about roster fits

Oct 21, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; TCU coach Jamie Dixon is interviewed during the big 12 Media Days at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images TCU has earned a March Madness berth in four of the last five years as Jamie Dixon has turned the program around. Now, the Horned Frogs are looking to take another step forward as they begin Dixon's 11th season when they host Lindenwood on Monday night in Fort Worth, Texas. The Frogs are coming off a 23-12 season, the seventh time they have reached the 20-win mark under Dixon. TCU was a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, falling in the second round. They hope to make a deeper run as they've never reached the Sweet 16 since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Forward Xavier Edmonds, who averaged 12.7 points and 6.5 rebounds last year, noted the team's lofty goals during Big 12 media days. "We have a great group of guys that the coaches were able to put together. I feel like we actually have a real shot at making a deep run in the tournament," Edmonds said. "We have high expectations for ourselves. We go out there and practice like it, and we prepare like it." Along with Edmonds, TCU returns guards Micah Robinson, Brock Harding and Tanner Toolson. The Frogs feel good about the returners, although they will have to fill the void left by leading scorer David Punch (14.1 ppg), who transferred to Texas in the offseason. "We don't have the biggest budget. Obviously there's NIL now. We just got to get the right kids," Dixon said. "I think that's the best way to do it. The right things are going to happen within your program. That's what we've continued to do." Lindenwood went 18-15 last season, its first winning campaign since being elevated to the Division I level in 2022-23. The Lions played an exhibition game at Southern Illinois on Oct. 20 with Marsai Mason, Malek Archie and Xavier Spencer all finishing with 14 points in a 75-71 loss. Coach Kyle Gerdeman told SB Nation's Mid-Major Madness that his program is finding how to build rosters that "solidify a style of play." "I thought last year we finally got to the style of play that we wanted on offense. We got to the style of play we wanted on defense," he said. "And for the first time, really, we were able to really target guys that we thought were talented and fit our style of play versus just grabbing talented guys and trying to squeeze them in." --Field Level Media