TCU Basketball's 2025-26 Campaign Started on the Wrong Foot on Monday Night

The Horned Frogs fell in season opener to New Orleans 78-74

David Punch backs a defender down inside the paint to get TCU on the board in the first half. | Brian McLean - On Assignment Photo/KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

On Monday evening, TCU Men's Basketball opened up its 2025-26 campaign with a late evening matchup against the New Orleans Privateers. With a revitalized roster that includes some stellar returning players, the Frogs were poised to form a new identity in Jamie Dixon's tenth season as head coach.

Unfortunately for the Horned Frog faithful, their rising expectations for this year's squad would be tempered as the New Orleans Privateers proved to be more than just a team that finished the 2024-25 season with a 4-27 record.

Despite a late comeback, the Horned Frogs fell to the Privateers by a score of 78-74. TCU outscored New Orleans 46 to 34 in the second half, but the early deficit that the Frogs accumulated proved to be too much to overcome. Unfortunately for TCU, Monday's loss marked the first time that the Privateers have beaten a Big 12 school since 2007.

Shooting Troubles...Again

Micah Robinson prepares to shoot a free throw after being fouled in the second half. | Brian McLean - On Assignment Photo/KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

It's no secret that for the past couple of years, TCU has struggled from the three-point line. Last year, the Frogs shot exactly 30% from beyond the arc, and in the 2023-24 season, TCU shot over 35% from three.

Against New Orleans on Monday night, the Frogs shot 3-27 from the three-point line. Micah Robinson was the only Horned Frog to log more than one three-pointer as he shot 2-5 from three on the night. Returning guard David Punch led the team in scoring with 19 total points while shooting 9-13 from the floor.

TCU's free throw troubles also raised some concerns early in the Monday matchup against the Privateers. While the Frogs ended the game shooting 73% from the free throw line (19-26), it was in the first half that they shot only 44% from the line. Robinson shined at the line, going 6-6 in his free throw opportunities.

Board Battle Lost

Jamie Dixon shows some emotion during a timeout in the first half. | Brian McLean/ TCU On SI

At halftime, the Horned Frogs trailed by 16 points because of poor rebounding, particularly in defensive rebounds. In the first half alone, New Orleans totaled 16 defensive rebounds, with TCU only totaling six.

While the Frogs closed the gap in the rebound game, it was once again too high of a hurdle for Jamie Dixon's squad based on their start to the game. The head coach was visibly frustrated in the postgame at TCU's rebounding efforts, saying that while TCU's three-point numbers stood out, it was the rebounding that ultimately impacted the game's outcome.

"Certainly the rebounding stands out," Dixon said. "Minus 10, we were down that from the start. Just extremely disappointed for our fans, extremely disappointed for our program to play like this. It's the first game of the year; people are really going to look at us as not being very good so now were going to have to go do something about it."

Punch, the sophomore forward/center, once again established himself as a well-rounded player with a team-leading eight rebounds, including five defensive rebounds.

Part of the reason TCU struggled in the rebound game was because of an early injury to center Malick Diallo. Coach Dixon said after the game that while Diallo's injury did throw a wrench in things, the Frogs had the tools and players necessary to fill the gap but just failed to do so against New Orleans.