TCU Stifles Virginia to Clinch Second Straight Elite Eight

Quick Take:

What a game this was, with both teams on the edge of their seats. This was such a closely contested matchup that neither team wanted to be sent home from Sacramento. With a trip to the Elite 8 on the line, the Horned Frogs stepped up and took this game over in the second half, giving TCU a 79-69 win.

This game was filled with chippiness, hard play, and good basketball from both sides. It was a typical March Madness game, with heavy emphasis on the "madness" part. And guess what! The Frogs are once again Elite 8-bound for the second straight season. Let's dive into some details that changed this game.

Key Game Statistics

Both teams had solid offensive performances: TCU shot better from the field, while Virginia shot better from behind the arc. Both teams played pretty efficient basketball, with their scorers running through the offense. The Horned Frogs shot 51% from the field and 39% from the three-point line. The Cavaliers tried all they could to match them in scoring, shooting 41% from the field and 50% from the three. Their three-ball kept them closer in this game than they should have been.

Top Performers

MARTA SUAREZ TONIGHT:
33* PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST, 4/7 3PM, 12/25 FG

OLIVIA MILES TONIGHT:
28 PTS, 10 REB, 8 AST, 2 STLS, 11/14 FG

TCU TAKES DOWN VIRGINIA TO ADVANCE TO THE ELITE 8! pic.twitter.com/zTL62ypCTF
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) March 29, 2026

For TCU, it was the Marta Suarez and Olivia Miles show. Virginia had no answer for Marta Suarez, who had a career game with a double-double: 33 points (her career high), 10 rebounds, and 3 assists. She was the ultimate difference maker. You could tell from the start that Suarez didn’t want to be sent home.

Olivia did what Olivia Miles does: pass the ball and take over games. She was stellar in the paint and had an amazing game to push the Frogs across. Miles finished with a double-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals. The projected number three draft pick is going a step further than she did last year.

The wildest stat of them all might be that Olivia Miles & Marta Suarez scored or assisted on EVERY SINGLE POINT.

These two have been dominant all season, but this performance takes the cake for me.

For Virginia, they had a great season and knocked off tons of talent, and Kymora Johnson and Paris Clark did all they could to keep up with the Frogs, but in the end, the Horned Frogs were just too much for the Cavaliers. Kymora Johnson finished the night with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists. Paris Clark, who was just averaging 9.4 points, went off with 20 points. Virginia has nothing to be ashamed of; they just played one of the best teams in the country.

The Defining Moment

I truly think the most defining moment was the flagrant on Virginia's Romi Levy, where she literally threw Olivia Miles to the ground. This happened with 1:09 left in the first half. It really fired up Miles and the Frogs. Even though this did not give them the lead heading into halftime, it gave the Frogs the momentum they would not relinquish. It gave them energy, and it changed the outcome of this game, in my opinion.

What’s Next: A Date with Destiny

TCU RETURNS TO THE ELITE EIGHT FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR 🐸 pic.twitter.com/GP3F24KK8O
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 29, 2026

TCU doesn’t have much time to celebrate. With this win, they move into the Regional Final on Monday, March 30, at 8 p.m. CT.

TCU will get its chance at revenge against the Gamecocks, who beat them just a year ago. It's March, anything can happen.

The Matchup: (1) South Carolina (34-3) vs (3) TCU (32-5).

The Stakes: A trip to the Final Four.

The Record: A win on Monday would give TCU 32 wins on the season, joining Baylor as the only programs in Big 12 history to hit that mark in back-to-back seasons.

Next Up

TCU Advances to Elite 8 for 2nd straight season. Monday, March 30 at p.m. CT.Grab your popcorn and get ready for monday night and maybe take a day off on Tuesday.