A year and a half after announcing the move from the Pac-12, Arizona is finally on the doorstep of playing its first Big 12 Conference basketball game. By far the most anticipated part of the move, the shift to a much more competitive league will lead to plenty of great matchups for the Wildcats over the next three months.

Starting off the Big 12 era for the UA will be TCU, which comes to McKale Center on Monday night. The Horned Frogs (7-4) went 9-9 in the league last season, tying for seventh place and earning a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but this year injuries and offensive struggles have impacted the Horned Frogs.

To better understand this new opponent, which Arizona last faced in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament, we reached out to Austin McGee of SB Nation sister site Frogs O’War. Below are his friendly answers to our hostile questions:

AZ Desert Swarm: TCU was picked to finish 10th in the Big 12 this season, and by KenPom rankings the Horned Frogs are currently 12th-best. Do you think this team has so far met, exceeded or failed to live up to expectations, and why?

Austin McGee: “The Horned Frogs faced an uphill battle after losing most of its roster from last season. TCU only brought back one starter/rotation player—center Ernest Udeh Jr. Thus far, the Horned Frogs have met expectations. It’s discouraging to see TCU struggle in nonconference matchups, but this team was expected to take some time to find its groove. Furthermore, the roster is vastly different from that of years past. Jamie Dixon’s teams have been known to get out in transition and use superior athleticism to gain the upper hand. This season, the Horned Frogs are less athletic, albeit arguably more skilled.”

Losing senior guard Frankie Collins to a season-ending foot injury will no doubt take some getting used to. How does TCU plan to make up for his leadership and skill set?

“TCU possesses a solid group of guards, including Old Dominion transfer Vasean Allette and Green Bay transfer Noah Reynolds. Allette is an explosive scorer and nifty driver, while Reynolds is more of the floor general type who consistently gets to his spot and makes the right play. Losing Frankie Collins is a huge blow to the Horned Frogs’ playmaking and perimeter defender. Collins led the team in assists and steals before going down. Going forward, we’ll likely see a far more aggressive Allette, who could lead TCU in scoring come conference play.”

The Horned Frogs are the worst free throw shooting team in the Big 12, at 64 percent, yet they get to the line almost as much as Arizona. Is the goal to create foul trouble for the opponent, thus making it harder for them to play tight defense, or has this all just been happenstance?

“For whatever reason, TCU has struggled to convert from the line for years despite continuous roster turnover. Shooters have been hard to come by for the Dixon-led Horned Frogs in recent seasons. As for the Frogs’ struggles at the line, it’s more of a happenstance than anything. TCU’s offense is predicated on getting to the rim and relying on second-chance opportunities, subsequently increasing the Frogs’ trips to the line.”

TCU is a top 20 defense that has allowed over 80 points just once this season. What is the secret to this, and who are the top defenders to watch out for?

“The Horned Frogs are extremely active on the defensive end. TCU doesn’t possess a weak link as the Frogs are long and lanky, with several above-average athletes in the rotation. The interior defense is strong due to 6-foot-11 Udeh and 6-foot-7 freshman David Punch, who combine to average 2.6 blocks per game. Although the Horned Frogs will miss Collins’ stout perimeter defense, Trazarien White is an underrated, versatile perimeter defender at 6-foot-6. He isn’t the fleetest of foot to defend smaller guards, but he’s capable of defending up to three positions.”

Jamie Dixon has gotten TCU to four NCAA tournaments since taking over his alma mater in 2016-17, but the first weekend seems to be the ceiling for him both here and at Pittsburgh. Is there any heat on him to push through to the Sweet 16 or is the fanbase just content to be in the tourney?

“There is some heat for Dixon to make it past the round of 32. However, when Dixon first took over, TCU basketball was an afterthought as the football team saw tremendous success under Gary Patterson. Dixon turned the program around and won an NIT Championship in his first season. Years later, more has been expected of the Horned Frogs. TCU had arguably one of the most talented rosters in the Big 12 over the past few seasons, yet continued to underperform, fizzling out in the Round of 32, or most recently, the Round of 64. While Dixon is revered in Fort Worth, time is running out for the long-tenured coach to make a run in March.”

Prediction time. Does TCU spoil Arizona’s Big 12 debut or do the Wildcats hold serve at home? Give us a score pick.

“Although a 6-5 start to the season is abnormal for the Wildcats, I don’t see the Horned Frogs taking advantage of Arizona’s rocky start. The Wildcats are battle-tested and have taken care of business against inferior opponents. The Wildcats win 77-66.”