TCU Women's Basketball Is Building Something Bigger Than Just Wins

This Program Has Officially Turned the Corner

The word ‘historic’ seemingly defines the Mark Campbell era for TCU women’s basketball.

Since his arrival as head coach on March 21, 2023, Campbell has transformed a Big 12 basement team into a two-time power conference champion and national contender.

Another March Moment That Felt Inevitable

The latest legacy moment came late Sunday night - nearly Monday morning - inside Schollmaier Arena as No. 3 seed TCU beat No. 6 seed Washington 62-59 in overtime to reach the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season and second time ever in program history. The Horned Frogs (31-5) also won their NCAA-leading 44th straight home game.

“Our staff has been amazing to build these rosters primarily out of the [transfer] portal,” Campbell said after the second round victory. “To get a team to become a team, to have all the pieces that complement each other and then just navigating a season. And both years we've been playing our best basketball in March. What's unfolded is historic here.”

While the 4,822 attendance number fell short of last year’s record-setting second round NCAA Tournament game (the 9 p.m. start time might be the culprit there), it did not take away from the moment or the fact that those fans helped TCU complete a second-half comeback.

“I've never heard them that loud,” TCU graduate forward Marta Suarez said.

Senior guard Taylor Bigby added: “Yeah, I don't think we win this game today without the crowd. We needed the crowd behind us and we needed to go on a run and when we did they were behind us. And I think that was a lot of the game changer for us.”

TCu women's basketball — Guard Taylor Bigby helped TCU women's basketball advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the second straight season. | Brian McLean - On Assignment Photo/KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

TCU will pack its bags for Sacramento later this week to face No. 10 seed Virginia in that Sweet Sixteen matchup. Virginia defeated No. 2 Iowa 83-75 in double overtime in the second round.

While there’s an argument to be made that the Horned Frogs should be playing five minutes down the road at Dickies Arena on Saturday, March 28 instead of flying across five states, the impact of back-to-back Sweet Sixteens can not be understated. It shows last year’s Elite Eight run was not a fluke even though TCU has a completely different roster.

“These veterans that are here, the way we built this team and built this roster wasn't to get to a Sweet Sixteen,” Campbell said. “It's to keep pushing.”

As the team prepares for Sacramento, here’s a couple of takeaways from this weekend’s first and second round games that serve as a reminder that a historic era, like this one, should never be taken for granted.

Bigby and Silva Delivered When It Mattered Most

While the immediate headline from the Washington game is the Sweet Sixteen trip, the performances from guard Taylor Bigby and center Clara Silva should claim a spot all their own.

Without 31 points combined from those two players, TCU would likely be licking wounds from a second round exit. The Horned Frogs needed a lift after a first half that featured 18% shooting (2-of-11) from the field in the second quarter and nine points combined from the team’s leading scorers all season, graduate guard Olivia Miles and Suarez.

Bigby provided a huge boost with 12 of her 15 points coming in the second half, while Silva gave TCU the final push it needed to force overtime.

Silva scored eight of TCU’s 15 fourth-quarter points, including a bucket to tie the game at 47-47 after trailing since the 7:07 mark of the second quarter, and started the Horned Frogs on a 7-0 scoring run to open overtime.

Her final stat line of 16 points, eight rebounds and two blocks reflected a season of continual growth.

“I'm so proud of her,” Campbell said. “She's just a sophomore. She wants to be great. She's working hard. This is one of those games that's a breakthrough confidence moment for a young player like her.”

Defense and Grit Still Define This Team

Even guard Donovyn Hunter, who struggled offensively and shot 1-of-3 from the field on Sunday, created a powerful defensive tone. The Horned frogs held the Huskies to 35% shooting (22-of-62).

“Taylor and Donovyn are, I can't even put into words, so imperative to our defense,” Miles said. “The way that they chase around these girls for 45 minutes, I kid you not. And then to have the ability for Dono to come down and hit a crazy left-handed layup to put us up five or Tay to hit big shots after just chasing her, her man around for 40 seconds, 30 seconds on the other end is crazy.”

Not Just a Run - A Repeatable Formula

Suarez never found her footing offensively and played with four fouls from the end of the third quarter through overtime. Still, she had nine points and eight rebounds.

Ultimately Miles, the Big 12 Player of the Year and now TCU’s record holder for points in a season (698 and counting) and assists in a season (238 and counting), finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, nearly getting career triple-double No. 13 after a sluggish first half.

She credited teammates for the change in performance between the two halves.

“I was crashing out multiple times,” Miles said. “I was angry, I was feeling all the emotions because I didn't want to go home. I was like, I don't want to let my team down. And they just, especially Taylor, she was just in my ear, just keep creating, keep scoring, keep being aggressive. And I listen to them and I trust them.”

Miles had recorded a historic triple-double just two days earlier in an 86-40 opening round win against UC San Diego. That one featured 12 points, a TCU single-game record 14 assists and 16 rebounds. The Nancy Lieberman Award finalist became the first player in NCAA history to record at least 14 rebounds and assists in a tournament game.

On top of that, the team reached the 30-win mark for the second straight season. The only other power conference teams to achieve that feat are UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina - the current No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

This past weekend will hold a special in TCU lore for many reasons. If the Horned Frogs want to continue building on that legacy with a return to the Elite Eight, they will need more high-level performances from role players like Bigby, Silva and Hunter.

Historic moments, after all, require a team effort.

The Reality Behind the Rise

As fans, it’s easy to reminisce about the Horned Frogs’ rise to national prominence. Yet, the coaches who built the rosters that reached these milestones rarely get that luxury because their jobs demand nearly 24/7 attention.

“I have not had time in the last three years to truly reflect,” Campbell said. “I think yesterday was my exact three-year anniversary of being hired here at TCU. And to be honest you just, you're just grinding. So, at some point this off-season we all need to catch our breath, if the portal allows it. But now it's 12 months a year.”

Coaching duties extend beyond recruiting to game plans, scouting, fundraising, press conferences and travel to name a few things. This constant stream of tasks means coaches frequently miss family events like birthdays, holidays and athletic events.

So, when Campbell’s wife and two daughters rushed up to celebrate another Sweet Sixteen berth while he did a courtside postgame radio interview, each one received a big hug.

“I miss out on a lot of their life experiences,” Campbell said. “I miss out on a lot of family time. And, so, it's really special when there's moments like this to have them be a part of it and share it with them. And I value that time. It's precious and it goes quick.”

Campbell looks for those rare family moments as much as possible throughout the season. During the postgame press conference following a win over Iowa State on Feb. 22, Campbell noted his daughter’s birthday dinner was that evening. That event got his full attention before shifting gears right back to basketball and scouting the next opponent.

The constant cycle of a basketball season can be hard on a coach but with the right support system, family life and basketball can live in the same world.

“My wife does an amazing job weaving them into this,” Campbell said. “This thing's a lifestyle. It's seven days a week, and you kind of have to make it all one, one big family in order to make it work.”

There’s no telling just how far Campbell can take TCU this season or in the future, and, perhaps one day he can truly reflect on what has happened in Fort Worth.

Until then he’s enjoying a historic ride one moment at a time, both on and off the court.

What Comes Next in Sacramento

No. 3 seed TCU will head to Sacramento this week for a Sweet Sixteen matchup against No. 10 seed Virginia, which stunned No. 2 Iowa in double overtime to advance, a team that's already proven it can take down elite competition.

The game is set for Saturday, March 28, at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. If TCU advances, they will play again on Monday, March 30, with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.

This Isn't History Yet - It's Still Being Written

This past weekend will be remembered as another milestone in TCU's rise, but inside the program, the mindset hasn't changed. The Horned Frogs didn't build this to simply reach the Sweet Sixteen. They built it to keep going.

With a roster that continues to grow into its roles and a standard that now expects to be playing into March, TCU isn't chasing history anymore.

They are still writing it.