Bench Player Gives TCU Men's Basketball Needed Spark To Defeat The Rattlers

Down by as many as nine points in the first half, the Horned Frogs needed a spark to defeat Florida A&M 80-56.

TCU guard Brock Harding drives to the basket against Florida A&M | Parker Neal - KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

TCU Men's Basketball (9-3, 0-0 Big 12) hosted the Florida A&M Rattlers (3-7) in the penultimate nonconference game of the season on Sunday. The first half might have given Frog fans a deja vu feeling of the season opener against New Orleans. Thanks to a 56-point second-half scoring spree, the Frogs put those fears to rest and won 80-56.

The Frogs needed a spark, and that came from sophomore guard RJ Jones, who came in off the bench with 1:58 remaining in the first half. He hit a couple of free throws, a 3-pointer, and a turnaround jumper in those two minutes to cut the halftime deficit to 28-24. Jones had only played a total of 14 minutes in four games this season. He ended the day with 14 points.

His best game as a Frog #GoFrogs | @RJJones2023 pic.twitter.com/nMDuyjf1hO

— TCU Men's Basketball (@TCUBasketball) December 22, 2025

TCU had a dismal first half. The Frogs shot 25% from the field (7-for-28). It marked the lowest-scoring half for the Frogs this season. The second half, though, was a complete turnaround. The Frogs scored 56 second-half points, after going on a 13-3 run to start the second frame.

The Rattlers scored 28 points in both the first half and second half, for a total of 56 points - the exact point total TCU scored in the second half. It was the highest-scoring half of this season, and the second-highest-scoring half of the last two seasons. Which game had more? It was the 2024 game against the same Rattlers team when TCU scored 59 points, as pointed out by TCU On SI's basketball guru Nick Girimonte:

TCU MBB’s biggest scoring halves of the last two seasons:

11/4/24: 59 1H points vs. Florida A&M
11/21/25: 56 2H points vs. Florida A&M

Wild

— Nick Girimonte (@GirimonteNicky) December 21, 2025

One-Two Punch: Edmonds and Punch Power a Big Game

TCU's Xavier Edmonds and David Punch once again had a great game that helped the Frogs dominate the boards in the second half.

Starting center Edmonds scored a season-high 21 points. He shot 7-of-9 from the field and made his only 3-point shot attempt. His seven made field goals tied his season high. He also made seven field goals in the game earlier this month against North Texas.

TCU center Xavier Edmonds had a season-high 21 points against Florida A&M. | Parker Neal - KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

David Punch scored 10 points, his seventh-straight game scoring in double figures. He led TCU in rebounding for the eighth-straight game with eight boards. He also had one blocked shot. He has at least one block in all 12 games this season.

TCU's David Punch shoots a basket against Florida A&M. | Parker Neal - KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

What's Up Next for the Horned Frogs

TCU, which has won six of its last seven games, will return to action after Christmas with a game against Jackson State on December 29 at 7 p.m. The game will air on ESPN+. The Frogs open up Big 12 play on Saturday, January 3, when they host Baylor at 1 p.m.

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