TCU vs Iowa State men’s basketball: Three players to watch

TCU still hasn’t won a game in conference play, in part because it lacks the talent necessary to compete in the Big 12 on a nightly basis. That doesn’t mean there aren’t studs on the team, and you know they’ll get a breakout win at some point this season.

Here’s who to watch for in Saturday’s matchup between Iowa State and TCU.

Jan 25, 2014; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs guard Kyan Anderson (5) drives the ball around Kansas Jayhawks guard

(23) during the first half of a mens basketball game at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

#5 Kyan Anderson (TCU junior guard, 5-foot-11, 175 lbs.)

Usually, I don’t include star players – you already know that they’re a must-watch – but Anderson has too much of an impact on a squad that doesn’t feature much depth. He’s the best athlete on the floor for the Horned Frogs, averaging 15.1 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game. His shooting has been inconsistent at best since Big 12 play began; he’s been around 50 percent in the games against Baylor, Oklahoma, and the second meeting against Texas Tech. In the first meeting against the Red Raiders, he went just 1-of-12 from the field. He shot 25 percent against Kansas and 36.4 percent in the recent loss to Texas. If his shots aren’t going in, he’ll become more of a distributor. Luckily for TCU, he rarely commits more than four turnovers.

#11 Monte Morris (ISU freshman guard, 6-foot-2, 170 lbs.)

The freshman has started in the last two games for Iowa State, both resulting in huge victories against the pair of Oklahoma schools. Morris’ assist-to-turnover ratio is phenomenal for a freshman backup most of the year (+47) and in Big 12 play he’s only turned the ball over four total times in two different games (Kansas State, Oklahoma). He’s also tied with Melvin Ejim in total steals (24), second-best on the team (DeAndre Kane leads with 32). The Cyclones may have found their fifth consistent starter to play with the power four, and that could make both Matt Thomas and Naz Long dangerous contributors from the perimeter off the bench.

#4 Amric Fields (TCU junior forward, 6-foot-9, 220 lbs.)

Because of how well Fields is playing in Big 12 action, Iowa State could see some matchup problems with his size. The forward has reached double-digit points in five of the last six games, including 16 points against Texas. He’s also collected 41 total rebounds in those six games, and it’s only a matter of time before he breaks through with a double-double.