US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge headed to Fort Worth
The Third Annual US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge will feature a triple-header of marquee men’s games on Saturday, Dec. 16 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
TCU returns five players, including two regular starters from last season’s team that went 22-13 overall and 9-9 in the Big 12 Conference. All-Big 12 performer, Emanuel Miller, is the Horned Frogs’ leading returning scorer after averaging 12.3 points and 6.5 rebounds. Miller is one of five 1,000-point scorers for the Frogs, four of which are part of the seven newcomers on the team. Jamie Dixon is in his eighth season as TCU’s head coach and 21st overall. After taking the Horned Frogs to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments for the first time in 70 seasons, Dixon’s team will attempt to make three tournament bids for the first time in school history.
Texas Tech is led by head coach Grant McCasland who is in his first season with the Red Raiders after six seasons at North Texas. McCasland’s first season back at Texas Tech has a roster of five returners and nine newcomers. Pop Isaacs is the lone returning starter from last year’s team where he earned Big 12 All-Freshman Team honors after averaging 11.5 points per game. Texas Tech added experienced players to its roster from the transfer portal with the additions of Devan Cambridge (Arizona State), Joe Toussaint (West Virginia), KyeRon Lindsay (Georgia), Darrion Williams (Nevada), Chance McMillian (Grand Canyon) and Warren Washington (Arizona State).
Vanderbilt - led by reigning SEC Co-Coach of the Year Jerry Stackhouse - are coming off back-to-back NIT appearances, most recently going 22-15 in 2022-23. The 22 wins are the most for Vandy since a 25-win season in 2011-12. The Commodores also tied for fourth in the SEC standings, the program’s best finish since 2011-12. The Commodores return one of the best backcourts in the country in Tyrin Lawrence (13.1 points per game) and Ezra Manjon (10.5 ppg, 3.8 apg). In the six postseason games a season ago (three SEC Tournament, three NIT), Lawrence averaged 19.2 ppg and 5.5 rpg, while Manjon went for 18.0 ppg and 3.3 apg en route to SEC All-Tournament Team accolades.
Coming off an appearance in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, Head Coach Bobby Hurley’s Sun Devil Men’s Basketball program features yet another promising roster. Three returners highlight the 2023-24 team, as guards Frankie Collins and Jamiya Neal team up with forward Alonzo Gaffney to form a dynamic and experienced trio. A highly-touted transfer class featuring forward Kamari Lands (Louisville), Adam Miller (LSU), Bryant Selebangue (Tulsa), and Shawn Phillips (LSU) have replenished the depth of the rotation.
Air Force, led by coach Joe Scott, returns four starters off the 2022-23 team. The Falcons have improved upon its win total each of the past two seasons. Last year, Air Force posted a NET rating of 152, which was an improvement of 112 slots from the previous season. Sophomore forward Rytis Petraitis, a native of nearby Arlington, Texas, is Air Force’s leading returning scorer, averaging 10.4 points per game. Junior guard Ethan Taylor is a two-year starter, having led the Falcons in assists each of the past two seasons. Five of Air Force’s 12 returners hail from the state of Texas.
UTA is entering its second-consecutive season – and third overall – in the Western Athletic Conference, which last year ranked as the 11th-best league in the nation. The Mavs are led by KT Turner – who was announced as the 10th full-time head coach in program history.
Combined with returners Shemar Wilson, Brandyn Talbot, Aaron Cash and Shaysten Cornish, UTA already has 11 players on the 2023-24 roster who have previous D-I playing experience. Those 11 have combined to score 3,201 D-I points; as a team last year, UTA began the season with only 1,215 D-I points across six players.
Here’s the full schedule for Dec. 16:
2023 US LBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge
Saturday, Dec. 16 - Dickies Arena, Fort Worth (All Times Central)
- Game 1 - 4:00 p.m. UT Arlington vs. Air Force Academy
- Game 2 - 6:30 p.m. Texas Tech vs. Vanderbilt
- Game 3 - 9:00 p.m. TCU vs. Arizona State
Tickets are available now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.com.
