TCU Faces Must-Win Road Game at Kansas State to Boost NCAA Tournament Resume

As March is upon us and tournament season gets closer and closer, every game will matter for the Horned Frogs, as they have now won seven of their last 10 games.

The Horned Frogs have three games left in their regular season, facing Kansas State and #16 Texas Tech before returning home for the regular-season finale against Cincinnati. According to Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology, the Frogs sit on the bubble as one of the last four teams in. Each of these games could impact their seeding and whether they make the tournament at all.

Jamie Dixon’s Horned Frogs currently sit at 18–10 overall and 8–7 in the Big 12. TCU has never finished above .500 in the Big 12 standings, but the Frogs could very well accomplish that this season with just three games remaining before heading to the Big 12 Tournament.

However, the Horned Frogs must jump over their first hurdle: taking down the Kansas State Wildcats. It is now TCU's prime opportunity to make its name known.

Slowing Down P.J. Haggerty is Key for the Frogs

Kansas State has struggled this season, but P.J. Haggerty continues to improve and is nearly impossible to shut down completely. The junior guard has been impressive this season, scoring in double figures in every game he has played.

While it will be a difficult task, the Horned Frogs must try to slow their former guard down and keep the damage done by P. J. Haggerty at bay.

Through 28 games this season, P. J. Haggerty has put on a show. He is averaging 23.5 points per game while shooting 49.0% from the field. He’s also connecting on a solid 36.2% of his shots from beyond the arc.

To put it simply, Haggerty is an elite scorer and one of the most dominant players in college basketball. Put the ball in his hands, and he’s going to create problems. The last time he faced the Frogs, he dropped 30 points against his former team in a close loss for the Wildcats. It would be in TCU’s best interest to limit his opportunities as much as possible.

Keys To Beat The Wildcats

The Horned Frogs have been solid under the basket, rebounding well and outrebounding their opponents in each of the last six games. They must continue that effort to create offensive opportunities for themselves and limit second-chance opportunities for Kansas State.

TCU must also get its offense going early to prevent Kansas State from building a large lead. The Frogs need to avoid foul trouble and prevent the offense from becoming stagnant late in the game. If they can manage those areas, they should put themselves in a strong position to win.

About Kansas State

The Wildcats enter the matchup at 11–17 overall and 2–13 in the Big 12 after a 79–70 loss at Colorado on Wednesday. The Wildcats are led by All-American P. J. Haggerty, who averages 23.5 points per game, which is third in the nation. He also has a Division I-best 246 made field goals. Kansas State also averages 9.5 three-pointers per game, the second-most in the Big 12.

TCU is 5-5 away from Schollmaier this season, including 3-5 in road games. Six of TCU's losses were by six points or less. Four of its losses were to four of the current top five-ranked teams.

Series History

Kansas State leads the all-time series at 21–15 overall and 9–6 in Manhattan. However, TCU has won six of the past eight meetings, including four straight, and has taken four of the last five games in Manhattan. The Frogs are seeking their third series sweep of the Wildcats, having won the season series in 2020 and last year. In the last matchup, TCU's Xavier Edmonds scored a career-high 26 points and snagged 10 rebounds as TCU erased an 18-point deficit to secure a close 84–82 victory, finishing the game on a 7–0 run.

What This Game Means For TCU

A win Saturday would give TCU three season sweeps of Big 12 opponents for just the second time in program history and the first since 2018. It would also secure TCU’s ninth Big 12 victory, tying the program record previously reached in 2018 and from 2023–25. Also, a victory would mark the Frogs’ sixth Big 12 win in their last seven games, their strongest stretch of conference play this season. A win also keeps them right on track to make the "Big Dance".

As the postseason picture sharpens, fans can track reactions and join ongoing NCAA Tournament discussion at KillerFrogs.com, the online home for Horned Frogs analysis and fan insight.

Game Details

TCU will hit the road for two straight games, starting with Kansas State on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The time is now for TCU to make its push, and it all starts with defeating the Wildcats.