TCU Outlasts Oklahoma State in Kansas City Thriller to Advance

The Frogs held off a high-scoring Cowboys team in Kansas City to advance.

Both teams fought hard in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament. In the first half, TCU came out a bit sluggish, but quickly got it together. It was a lot of back-and-forth scoring, with both teams shooting the ball well. Both TCU and Oklahoma State shot over 48% from the field.

The Horned Frogs’ biggest mistake in the first half was turnovers, which led to Oklahoma State baskets. As for Oklahoma State, they played extremely physical and went toe-to-toe with TCU, but they racked up quite a few fouls, which allowed TCU to get to the bonus earlier than the Cowboys would have liked.

TCU could have been up at halftime, but had a few bad breaks. Still, it was a high-scoring half that Oklahoma State barely held onto, taking a tight 46–43 lead into the break.

The Three-Peat: Making History Against the Cowboys

To start the second half, it was pretty much all Oklahoma State, led by Anthony Roy. He did about all he could, shooting the ball extremely well and finishing with 25 points, but he could not overcome his team’s foul troubles as the Cowboys extended their lead to 10. Things were not looking the Horned Frogs’ way, but they did not back down. They kept the pedal to the metal, forcing Oklahoma State deeper into foul trouble.

The Horned Frogs kept fighting to cut the lead, and with 5:23 left in the second half, Jayden Pierre hit a dagger three to pull the Frogs ahead, a lead they would not give up.

In the second half, Xavier Edmonds came alive, helping get the Horned Frogs back in the game with his all-around performance. This was one of the best offensive performances from the Horned Frogs, as they shot 51% from the field and 35% from the three-point line.

This game was a full-team effort, but Punch, Edmonds, and Toolson came alive to pull the Frogs past the Cowboys in this one. The Horned Frogs are on fire and know how to close out a game, as they went on to win 95-88. This is the 4th game the Horned Frogs have won this season when trailing by more than ten points.

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— Big 12 Studios (@big12studios) March 12, 2026

Turning Point of the Game

Oklahoma State no doubt controlled most of this game, but props to the Horned Frogs for never giving up. The turning point came in the second half with 5:40 on the clock, when Jayden Pierre drained a deep three-pointer to give TCU a one-point lead over the Cowboys.

The Horned Frogs never looked back, as Tanner Toolson, David Punch, Xavier Edmonds, and Jayden Pierre all seemed to get fueled up to close the game out.

Key Performers for the Horned Frogs

The TCU offense had one of its more productive games of the season so far. It was led by David Punch, who was effective getting into the paint and dominating the Cowboys, finishing with 26 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 blocks. He was on a heater, and the Horned Frogs could not have done it without him.

Tanner Toolson’s energy also continued, as he had one of his more productive games of the season with 19 points and 7 rebounds. His physicality was evident, and he was there when the Frogs needed him most.

Xavier Edmonds had a slow first half but woke up in the second half to earn another double-double with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks. He is arguably a big reason TCU was able to win and close out this game.

And last but not least, we cannot leave Jayden Pierre off this list. He arguably had the highlight of the game with a game-changing three-pointer. He also had a strong presence in the paint, finishing with 13 points.

These Horned Frogs never-give-up mentality and know how to work together to get wins. They are on a heater right now, and everybody should be nervous.

What the Win Means for TCU's NCAA Tournament Hopes

If there was ever any doubt before this game about whether TCU was a tournament team, this solidifies it as they beat the Cowboys for the third time this season. They are having one of the best seasons in TCU history and are ready to make some noise in the dance.

This win only strengthens the Horned Frogs’ tournament bid, if you ask me. At this point, they are just continuing to improve their seed.

Seeking Redemption: The Rematch with Kansas

Tonight's win was historic, marking the second time in the Big 12 era that TCU has beaten a conference foe three times in one year.

But tomorrow brings a different kind of challenge: a rematch with a Kansas team that dealt the Frogs their most painful loss of the season back in January, erasing a 15-point TCU lead in the final five minutes at Allen Fieldhouse. For Jamie Dixon and his team, tomorrow isn't just a quarter-final; it's a shot at redemption.

The Frogs have less than 24 hours before they face off with the No. 14 Jayhawks tomorrow [Thursday] night at 8:30 CT on ESPN2 in the third round of the Big 12 Tournament.