TCU Snaps Skid with Gritty Comeback Win Over Oklahoma State
For 36 minutes, it looked like TCU was headed for its fifth straight loss. The offense was sputtering.
The defense was leaking. The energy in Schollmaier Arena felt more anxious than electric.
But then, in the final four minutes, something clicked-and the Horned Frogs reminded everyone why they’re still a team to watch in the Big 12.
Down 65-58 with just over four minutes to play, TCU dug deep and delivered a 10-0 run that flipped the script and stunned Oklahoma State, 68-65. It wasn’t pretty.
It wasn’t perfect. But it was gutsy-and it might just be the jolt this team needed to get back on track.
“Great win against a very good team,” said head coach Jamie Dixon. “We responded, we got the stops. Down the stretch we made the right plays and the offensive execution was tremendous.”
Punch Delivers-Again
If there’s been a constant for TCU during this up-and-down stretch, it’s sophomore forward David Punch. And once again, he came through in a big way.
Punch finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, notching another double-double and continuing to look like one of the most reliable two-way players in the conference. His first-half performance kept TCU afloat-he poured in 14 before the break, including a personal 6-0 run that tied the game at 37. It was the kind of stretch that showed off his versatility: a mid-range jumper, followed by two emphatic dunks.
But for much of the second half, Punch was quiet-more because of a lack of touches than a lack of effort. That changed in the final minutes.
With TCU needing a spark, the offense started running through him again, and the floor opened up. His presence forced Oklahoma State to collapse defensively, which led to cleaner looks for the rest of the Horned Frogs.
Still, it was Punch who had the final word. With the game tied and under 10 seconds to play, he took the ball, attacked the lane, and floated in the game-winner with 9.3 seconds on the clock.
“I just saw an opening and I took it,” Punch said. “The play was actually for (Liutaurus Lelevicius), but he gave it to me and I saw an opening and I just took it.”
That’s the kind of instinct and confidence that wins games in this league.
Edmonds Steps Up
While Punch carried the load, Xavier Edmonds was right there with him. The big man added 18 points and 10 rebounds of his own, giving TCU a much-needed inside presence. It was Edmonds who sparked the late rally, scoring back-to-back buckets to cut the deficit to three before Lelevicius tied it with a clutch corner three.
The Frogs don’t win this one without Edmonds’ toughness in the paint and timely scoring.
Defense Closes the Door
For most of the night, TCU’s defense looked a step slow. Oklahoma State shot nearly 60% in the first half, slicing through traps and knocking down open threes. The Cowboys’ backcourt-Jaylen Curry, Anthony Roy, Isaiah Coleman, and Kanye Clary-was in full control, pushing the tempo and exploiting mismatches.
But when it mattered most, the Horned Frogs locked in. Oklahoma State didn’t score a single point in the final 4:13. That’s not a typo-zero points.
Guards Brock Harding and Jayden Pierre struggled offensively (a combined 4-of-15 from the field), but they made up for it on the defensive end. Their ball pressure late helped disrupt the rhythm Oklahoma State had relied on all night.
“Our defense has been our best (attribute) this season,” Punch said. “I feel like as we continue to work on it throughout the season it gets better. Coach really emphasized the details, I feel like we really paid attention to detail down the stretch and that won us the game.”
A Familiar Feeling for Oklahoma State
This wasn’t the first time Oklahoma State left Fort Worth with a gut punch. Last season, it was a buzzer-beating three from Vasean Allette that sent the Cowboys home stunned. This time, it was a late-game collapse and a floater from Punch.
“That’s two years in a row we’re going to leave Fort Worth with an unbelievably sick feeling in our stomachs,” said Oklahoma State head coach Steve Lutz.
Early Defensive Woes, Late Game Grit
TCU came out hot, jumping to a 9-0 lead and looking like a team ready to make a statement. But that momentum didn’t last.
Oklahoma State’s guards took over midway through the first half, and TCU’s defense-once ranked top-25 nationally-looked vulnerable again. The Cowboys shot 58.1% in the opening period and hit five threes to take a 41-37 lead into halftime.
The second half was a different story. TCU tightened up, holding Oklahoma State to just 29% shooting and only one made three-pointer over the final 20 minutes. That defensive turnaround was the foundation for the comeback.
What’s Next
The win moves TCU to 12-7 overall and 2-4 in Big 12 play-a much-needed result in a brutal stretch of the schedule. Up next is a road trip to Waco for a showdown with Baylor. If the Horned Frogs can bottle up the grit they showed in the final minutes Tuesday night, they’ll have a shot to turn this season around.
For now, though, it’s about enjoying a hard-earned win-and recognizing the kind of resilience that can define a team’s identity.