TCU Women's Basketball: What Did We Learn This Week?

On the day that TCU will play for a trip to the Final Four, I found it apt to look back at how this season shaped into what it is today.

TCU Women's Basketball celebrating after a win against FDU, 03/21/2025 | Brian McLean, OnAssignment/TCU On SI

If I had told you two years ago, when the TCU Horned Frogs were 1-17 in conference play and had just parted ways with their head coach, that they would be playing the University of Texas for a spot in the Final Four, you would have laughed in my face. Taking it a step further, I would have to explain that this will be the first time the two teams will face off because the Longhorns are a member of the SEC now. What once would have seemed far-fetched two years ago is a reality as the two face off in the Elite Eight.

I say this because, yes, this team had high expectations, but a win away from a Final Four appearance would be even more than anticipated. The season has shattered nearly every previous program record and continues to be on the precipice of breaking even more.

From starting the season with a win at home against a top-ranked NC State team to beating Notre Dame in the Cayman Islands, the excitement was through the roof. Then in December, the expectations were brought back down to Earth after getting handled by South Carolina in Dickie's Arena, yet Mark Campbell's team was never phased.

In conference play, they got off to a fast start, handling teams efficiently before blowing a second-half lead to Oklahoma State that Campbell said was "on him" for his coaching decisions. Yet again, this team refused to let that falter them, beating rival Baylor for the first time in 35 years. They beat them not only once, nor only a second time to win a Big 12 championship, but three times to win outright regular season AND conference championships.

Then we get to March, where the madness truly began. Hosting for the first time in program history as a two-seed, they handily took down. FDU before Hailey Van Lith beat Louisville to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in men's or women's history. A rematch was set with TCU and Notre Dame, and despite being the higher seed and having beaten them once, the Frogs were underdogs, just like they had been viewed as all year. Then, in the same way they got to this point, they did what they do best - beat the Irish for a second time. This set up a match against familiar foes, with the old and new guards, and a trip to Tampa on the line.

Now, here we are. The Frogs are still more than seven-point underdogs, but there seems to be a shift change. If you will, how can this two-seed, this band of misfits do the unthinkable and continue to be titan slayers? The answer is simple: they were never viewed as less, simply the "underfrogs." It wasn't because of their talent level but because no one thought that this team, under this coach, would work. So why not now? Why not continue this Disney-esque story as it has been painted?

Why not us?

No. 2 seed TCU will play No. 1 seed Texas on Monday, March 30, at 6 p.m. CT at Legacy Arena in Birmingham. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Follow TCU On SI on X as our team is in Birmingham, bringing you live updates of the Elite Eight.