TCU Defeats Wisconsin for Rady Children's Invitational Championship

With a dominant performance against the Badgers, the Frogs are currently playing basketball at a very high level.

Nov 28, 2025; San Diego, CA, USA; Texas Christian University Horned Frogs guard Brock Harding (2) is tournament MVP against the Wisconsin Badgers at Jenny Craig Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images | Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

After defeating the defending national champions on Thursday, the TCU Horned Frogs continued their stretch of dominance with a 74-63 win over the Wisconsin Badgers.

For the first time this season, it was a truly balanced effort on offense for the Frogs. While David Punch and Brock Harding led the way with 16 and 17 points respectively, the TCU offense saw five players reach double-digits. Xavier Edmonds tallied 12 points, while Jayden Pierre and Liutauras Lelevicius both recorded 11 points.

While TCU's shooting at the line took a minor step back, it was the shots from beyond the arc that really put the pressure on the Badgers. The Frogs knocked down 8-of-14 from three with Lelevicius leading the way by sinking three of them.

It's the Small Details that Make a Difference

Nov 28, 2025; San Diego, CA, USA; Texas Christian University Horned Frogs guard Brock Harding (2) passes the ball against Wisconsin Badgers forward Nolan Winter (31) during the second half at Jenny Craig Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images | Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

Unlike their win over the Gators, TCU's matchup against the Badgers wasn't as much of a shootout. Not only did the Frogs need to make some important shots to take control of the game, but they also needed to pay attention to the little things against a scrappy Wisconsin squad.

Towards the end of the first half, Wisconsin went on a 9-0 run to close the first half. The hot streak brought the Badgers within four after TCU had dominated for most of the half. Instead of allowing their opponent to build on their momentum going into halftime, the Frogs came out swinging in the second half with a dominant 18-5 run.

While the momentum definitely swung in favor of the Frogs after halftime, it wasn't exactly a player getting a hot hand that led to the win. TCU regained control of the game by winning in the little categories. The Frogs were better when it came to rebounds, assists, turnovers, and defensive blocks.

While they don't exactly stick out on the stat sheet at the end of the game, being better than your opponent at the basics can take a team far. We could be seeing that with the Frogs currently. My advice? Hop on this train before it leaves the station.

An Emerging Superstar for the Frogs

Nov 28, 2025; San Diego, CA, USA; Texas Christian University Horned Frogs forward David Punch (15) reacts against the Wisconsin Badgers during the second half at Jenny Craig Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images | Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

If you don't know by now, TCU has an emerging superstar in their frontcourt. Punch has been one of the most consistent scorers for the Frogs this season, and continues to prove why he's one of the most talented forwards in the Big 12.

As a freshman last year, Punch averaged 6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. While he showed flashes of being great, he didn't light up the scoreboard too often. In his second year with head coach Jamie Dixon, Punch has become a large reason why the Frogs found success at the Rady Children's Invitational.

The Finishing Punch pic.twitter.com/RsH0WNwXXE

— Nick Girimonte (@GirimonteNicky) November 29, 2025

Against the defending champion Florida Gators on Thursday, the sophomore totaled an impressive 19 points, along with nine rebounds, two assists, three blocks, and two steals. Punch had a similar day against the Badgers with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals.

In the words of TCU On SI writer Nick Girimonte, Punch is an emerging star in the college basketball world. If you haven't already, buy stock in the forward while you can.