Killer Frogs

TCU Loses to No. 10 Houston Despite Another Spirited Effort

The Cougars beat the Frogs 79-70 behind a monster performance from Kingston Flemings.
Nick Girimonte|
Jan 28, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) drives to the basket past TCU Horned Frogs guard Jayden Pierre (1) during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jan 28, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) drives to the basket past TCU Horned Frogs guard Jayden Pierre (1) during the second half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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TCU Horned FrogsHouston Cougars

The Frogs are tired of moral victories in big games, but Houston would not be the game that would change this. The No. 10 Cougars went into Schollmaier Arena to beat TCU 79-70.

It started with a slow offensive start for Jamie Dixon's squad. The Frogs had just 30 points to Houston's 43 at the end of the first half.

They shot just 40.7 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range, and a technical foul from Coach Dixon to end the half surely did not help. The Frog frontcourt of David Punch and Xavier Edmonds combined for 18 of 30 points in the first 20 minutes.

However, TCU's defense woke up to start the second half. Getting stops sparked a Frog run that cut the Cougar lead to two on three separate occasions.

The game came down to the Frogs' inability to stop Houston's Kingston Flemings and Emanuel Sharp. This duo had a combined 50 points on 16-32 FG and a perfect 14-14 FT.

After lots of foul calls and free throws, the Cougars finished with a nine-point win to bounce back from their rare Big 12 loss at Texas Tech. Edmonds and Punch finished with a combined 34 points while no other Frog entered double-digit points.

The Frogs have now seen top NBA prospect freshmen guards Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Kingston Flemings all drop 25+ points on them. This year's Big 12 has some of the most elite talent of any conference ever.

Houston's Kelvin Sampson said postgame that Jamie Dixon has been one of the best coaches in the nation for a long time and puts the Frogs in a position to win every game. This is very complimentary for TCU one of the highest thought of coaches in the country.

Both Edmonds and Punch talked about how TCU is so close to pulling out these top 10 wins, and their fight and propel them later in the season. With a Big 12 schedule they will have lots of opportunities going forward.

There was a fan turnout in this one, totaling 6863 in Schollmaier Arena. Punch talked postgame about the fans, specifically the students, meaning a lot in the effort.

Up next, the Frogs play at Colorado on Sunday at 1 pm CT. This will be a big coin flip game that the Frogs really need to have to improve their NCAA Tournament resume.

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Nicholas Girimonte
NICK GIRIMONTE

Nick Girimonte, a senior at Texas Christian University majoring in Communication Studies with a minor in Journalism, is passionate about media, storytelling, and sports. Originally from Windsor, CA, Nick moved to Fort Worth, TX in 2021 to pursue his career goals. He has gained diverse hands-on experience as an on-air talent for Frogs Today, covering TCU sports, and as a writer and podcast host for TCU Horned Frogs on SI. Nick specializes in covering both men’s and women’s basketball. His podcast, “Frog Fever,” covers TCU and Big 12 Men’s Basketball. Additionally, he works with the TCU Football video crew, contributing to game footage and analysis. Nick has also held roles with the Texas Rangers, Barstool Sports, and Austin Industries, where he worked on social media content, event planning, and brand visibility. Nick is excited to contribute to TCU Horned Frogs On SI and looks forward to his next sports communication journey after graduation in May 2025.

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