Why TCU Isn’t a Great Matchup for Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament

Kansas is set to meet TCU for the second time of the 2025-26 season tonight in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament. It will serve as a rematch between the two schools that previously met at the beginning of conference play in January.

While the Jayhawks came out victorious in an overtime thriller in round one, it did not come in an easy fashion. Bill Self's group had to rally all the way back from a 16-point deficit, and some free-throw woes and offensive miscues from the Horned Frogs ultimately allowed KU to extend the contest into an extra period.

That was undoubtedly one of the best wins of the season and an all-time classic in Allen Fieldhouse. However, the way the first 35 minutes of that game unfolded proved that the Jayhawks do not match up very well with TCU.

TCU Is a Sneaky Dangerous Opponent for Kansas

All KU fans held out hope that the team would jump from a No. 4 seed in the Big 12 Tournament to a No. 3 seed to get this game on the schedule rather than Iowa State, and that eventually came to fruition. Although the Horned Frogs don't pose the same threat that a school like the Cyclones do, they are still a very formidable opponent in their own right.

One of TCU's biggest strengths is on the offensive glass. They average 12.4 offensive rebounds per contest, one of the best marks in the Big 12.

TCU may not possess the same size as some other schools that KU has struggled with — its tallest starters are 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-8, respectively — but it is still very physical in the paint. Units like that have been difficult for the starting big-man tandem of Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller to adapt to.

Quietly, Jamie Dixon and Co. have been not only one of the hottest teams in the Big 12, but in the entire country. They ended the season winning nine of their last 10 games, a stretch that featured upsets over Iowa State and Texas Tech.

The Jayhawks needed an utter miracle to pull out a win against TCU the first time around. They received 32 points from a hobbled Darryn Peterson, who knocked down three foul shots in the closing seconds to send the game to OT, and KU also got somewhat of a friendly home whistle by attempting 40 free throws by the end of the night compared to TCU's 24.

If the Jayhawk faithful didn't need more proof after the first meeting when TCU nearly embarrassed them on their home court, the Horned Frogs are capable of giving any school in the country a tough fight, especially on a neutral site. Kansas cannot afford to overlook its opponent tonight and will need a pristine performance from its starting five to pull out the win and advance.