TCU Women's Basketball Set for Big 12 Tournament Opener in Kansas City

The 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament tipped off on Wednesday this week in Kansas City, and No. 10 TCU women’s basketball (27-4) is one of the favorites to claim the tournament crown.

TCU will start tournament play Friday, March 6, in the quarterfinals at 1:30 p.m. with a major bullseye on their back. Not only did the top-seeded Horned Frogs claim a second straight Big 12 regular season title on Sunday, but they are the defending tournament champion.

Past success doesn’t guarantee future wins, though, especially in a fast-paced, win-or-go-home setting.

“In single elimination, you just never know,” TCU head coach Mark Campbell said following practice on Tuesday. “So it's fun. All the coaches have their teams that are assigned. I do think there's a good healthy swagger and confidence that you go into the tournament with being the defending champion.”

As a top-four seed, TCU earned a double bye into the quarterfinals alongside West Virginia, Baylor, and Oklahoma State. The Horned Frogs arrived at the tournament on Wednesday, and either No. 8 seed Utah (19-11) or No. 9 seed BYU (20-10) will be the quarterfinal opponent. The game will be televised on ESPNU.

TCU's Strong Regular Season Put a Bullseye on the Horned Frogs

During the regular season, TCU beat BYU 72-48 in Provo as guard Olivia Miles posted her fourth triple-double in five games. Utah handed TCU an 87-77 overtime loss in Salt Lake City.

Utah, No. 5 seed Texas Tech, and No. 6 seed Colorado were the three Big 12 teams that beat TCU this year. The Horned Frogs have high expectations for this tournament and could meet the Red Raiders in the semifinals, but the only way to matchup with the Buffaloes is in the title game. The semifinals will be played Saturday, and the championship is set for Sunday.

“We have teams that we want to be able to play and be able to advance as far as we can into the tournament,” guard Donovyn Hunter, an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recipient, said. “So, I think this is one more thing that we can add to our resume of working hard and building things that we want to work on as a team heading into March Madness.”

Donovyn Hunter has become an elite defender for No. 10 TCU women's basketball, earning All-Big 12 Defensive team honors. | Brian McLean - On Assignment Photo/KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

Regardless of what happens this weekend, the season will continue through the NCAA Tournament. The latest tournament projections from ESPN have TCU hosting tournament games as a No. 3 seed in Fort Worth region 3.

The offense will continue to run through Miles and forward Marta Suarez, a pair of unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selections, who are averaging a combined 37.2 points per game through 31 games. Miles, the Big 12 Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, is also two assists away from claiming TCU’s single-season assist record. The record was set last season by All-American guard Hailey Van Lith in 38 games.

While Miles and Surez get the Horned Frogs rolling offensively, players like Hunter and fellow starting guard Taylor Bigby could dictate just how long this team dances in Kansas City and beyond.

Hunter and Bigby entered the season as the only returners with starting experience from last year’s Elite Eight team. TCU had 10 new faces on a roster of 14, including four new starters, a turnover rate that could negatively affect some programs.

Under Campbell, the Horned Frogs have had quite the opposite experience. Not only did TCU become the first Big 12 team to win back-to-back conference titles within three years of finishing in last place, but it will also host NCAA tournament games for the second straight season and the second time in program history.

“It just shows last year, it wasn't a fluke,” Campbell said. “That wasn't a one-off team that came to TCU to win at a high level; that there's a program being built, that it's sustainable. And I like to say that the players will change, but the standards won't.”

Transfer Portal Additions Bolster TCU Women's Basketball

Campbell brought in Hunter and Bigby through the transfer portal from Oregon State and USC respectively during the 2024 offseason along with Van Lith. TCU had just posted a 21-12 record and reached the second round of the WBIT during Campbell’s first season in 2023-24. Injuries derailed a seemingly NCAA Tournament-bound season, but Campbell still knew the team needed more elite talent to reach the sport’s highest levels.

The transfer portal additions helped the already established core of Madison Conner, Agnes Emma-Nnopu, and Sedona Prince push TCU to new heights. Now, the winning tradition is being carried on by Bigby and Hunter, players whom Campbell recruited out of high school while an assistant at Oregon.

“I've always been a winner and [Mark] knew that I wanted to win, and he knew that I trusted him with just the basketball world,” Bigby said. “And I so hopped into the portal, and for me, I just wanted to be a part of something special, and I think I've definitely got to be a part of that.”

Since arriving at TCU, Bigby has started 38 games, with 13 coming this season, following an injury to guard Maddie Scherr. Bigby has emerged as a dangerous 3-point shooter, making 36.4% for the season, and nailed some of them during this season’s biggest moments.

“Bigby's blossomed,” Campbell said. “You can see her confidence growing. … Since our Colorado game [on Feb. 8] … That loss, in the way we lost, and it was painful and hurt, it forced everybody to go, listen, we got to get better, and we got to do this together. And there's just been great growth since that game. And Taylor's been one of the huge ones that's really blossomed since then.”

Hunter entrenched herself as a starter over the final 13 games of last season.

A starter this entire season, Hunter’s scoring average has gone from 5.9 to 11.6 points per game. She has dished out 70 assists and is another consistent deep ball threat at 34% from 3-point range. Perhaps most important, though, Hunter sets the tone defensively at the top of TCU’s 1-2-2 defense. The Big 12 All-Defensive team member ranks second on the team with 45 steals.

“It's rewarding to see the numbers double what I was doing last year and even my freshman year, just because that was the main goal that I had coming in,” Hunter said. “Not forcing my shot, but just being more aggressive on that end. And I think ultimately, I'm just glad that I can contribute in different ways other than just defense.”

Bigby and Hunter have been key, lasting parts of this program’s transformation from basement occupants to top dog. Expectations were raised entering this season, given last year’s run, but all the new faces brought up questions about whether this team could really reach similar heights.

Those questions are quickly being answered.

What's Next for the Horned Frogs?

Now, the oldest team in college basketball is ready to take on the ultimate test of March Madness, starting with some familiar foes.

“We have to continue to stay hungry and not be content with whatever we have won,” Bigby said. “Because at the end of the day, it's the past and we’ve got to live in the present.”

TCU will start tournament play Friday, March 6, in the quarterfinals at 1:30 p.m.

Stay Connected

As the Horned Frogs begin their Big 12 Tournament run in Kansas City, excitement continues to build around the program's historic season. Fans are closely following the team's postseason journey and sharing their thoughts on the KillerFrogs.com Fan Forum, where the TCU community has been actively discussing match-ups, player performances, and expectations for the tournament.