TCU Falls Flat in Boulder as Colorado Dominates Wire-to-Wire
The TCU Horned Frogs walked into Boulder on Sunday with hopes of finding their rhythm on the road. Instead, they ran headfirst into a buzzsaw. Colorado, a team that had dropped six straight heading into the matchup, looked anything but vulnerable in an 87-61 dismantling of TCU-a game that quickly spiraled out of reach and exposed some troubling cracks in the Frogs’ armor.
Let’s call it what it was: a rough night from start to finish for Jamie Dixon’s squad. After trading early buckets and briefly holding a one-point edge, TCU lost control just four minutes into the first half and never got it back.
Colorado took an 8-7 lead with 16:40 on the clock and slammed the door shut from there. TCU stayed within striking distance for a few more minutes, but the offense completely vanished midway through the half.
A nearly eight-minute scoring drought-from the 9:09 mark to 1:46-left the Frogs in a 13-point hole they never climbed out of.
Xavier Edmonds did what he could to stop the bleeding, knocking down a pair of free throws to briefly cut the deficit to 11. But Colorado had an answer for every flicker of resistance. The Buffs closed the half with a small surge and took a 13-point lead into the break.
Coming out of halftime, Edmonds tried to will his team back into it. He notched his fourth straight double-double early in the second half and looked like the one Horned Frog ready to go toe-to-toe with Colorado’s energy.
But that comeback bid was short-lived. Colorado wasted no time pushing the lead to 15, then 20, and eventually 26 with just under 11 minutes remaining.
The turning point-or perhaps the final blow-came midway through the second half when Edmonds got tangled up with Sebastian Rancik while fighting for a rebound. Edmonds was hit with a flagrant-2 foul for swinging his elbows and was ejected from the game. With their most productive player out, TCU’s already-slim chances evaporated.
From there, Colorado poured it on. The Buffaloes weren’t just winning-they were having fun.
They moved the ball with purpose, found open looks, and buried shot after shot. Five different players scored in double figures, led by Rancik’s 17 off the bench in his first non-starting role of the season.
Freshman standout Isaiah Johnson chipped in 16, Bangot Dak added 14, Josiah Sanders had 12, and Barrington Hargress rounded it out with 10.
Colorado’s offense was humming. The Buffs shot 55.5 percent from the field and nearly 48 percent from deep, racking up 24 assists on 35 made buckets.
That’s the kind of ball movement and shot-making that makes any defense look slow. And on this night, TCU’s defense was more than a step behind.
Offensively, the Frogs just couldn’t get anything going. They shot a cold 33.0 percent from the floor and 21.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Only eight of their 21 made field goals were assisted-a telling stat that speaks to the lack of rhythm and cohesion in the halfcourt. Edmonds was the lone bright spot, finishing with 13 points and 12 rebounds in just 20 minutes.
But with him sidelined for the final stretch, TCU’s offense never found its footing.
David Punch and Jayden Pierre, two key pieces in the Frogs' rotation, struggled to make an impact, combining for just 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting. As a team, TCU managed only 10 points over the final five minutes, even after Dixon turned to his reserves to try and inject some life into the lineup.
For Colorado, this was more than just a win-it was a statement. Snapping a six-game skid in emphatic fashion, the Buffaloes delivered their second-largest margin of victory this season. And they did it by playing fast, sharing the ball, and staying locked in on both ends.
For TCU, it’s back to the drawing board. This marks their second double-digit loss of the season, but the first time they’ve been beaten by 20 or more. The Frogs will need to regroup quickly, especially with conference play heating up and the margin for error shrinking.
One thing’s clear: if TCU wants to stay in the mix, they’ll need more consistent production, better shot selection, and a whole lot more urgency-because nights like this one in Boulder can’t become a trend.