The TCU Horned Frogs suffered a stunning opening-night loss to the New Orleans Privateers, falling 78–74 after trailing by as many as 21 points. Nothing went right for Jamie Dixon’s squad, as the defeat dropped them behind a team ranked near the bottom of Division I. The win vaulted the Privateers from No. 296 to No. 237 in KenPom rankings—a dramatic leap that underscored just how rough the night was for TCU.
Facing the 355th-ranked Saint Francis Red Flash, the Frogs entered on high alert. TCU started slowly, keeping things close for the first ten minutes of the half. While the Red Flash never took control, an uneasy feeling lingered, which was understandable after the Horned Frogs’ recent loss to another low-ranked Division I squad. But once Saint Francis’ Ahmad Harrison trimmed the deficit to six at 24–18 with 11 minutes left, TCU responded with a seven-point burst to stretch the lead to 13.
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Once TCU’s lead ballooned, reserve guard Tanner Toolson took over. The Utah Valley transfer poured in 13 points over the final six minutes, helping the Horned Frogs build a commanding 24-point advantage at halftime. Toolson led all scorers with 15 first-half points, including three triples.
TCU picked up right where it left off after halftime. The Horned Frogs’ newest starter, Xavier Edmonds, scored the first five points of the half before Liutauras Lelevicius and Toolson joined in to extend the lead. With just over 14 minutes remaining, TCU was in full control—up by 36.
The Horned Frogs took their first 40-point lead after a Jace Posey layup pushed TCU to 80 points with under nine minutes remaining. From there, they never looked back, maintaining the margin the rest of the way. Toolson kept pouring it on, while several newcomers, including Ashton Simmons and RJ Jones, notched their first career points. TCU cruised to a 104–63 win, dominating Saint Francis in every facet of the game.
The Frogs dominated the Red Flash on the boards and at the free-throw line, showing much-improved physicality after a lackluster opener against New Orleans. More importantly, TCU didn’t just get to the line; it capitalized, hitting 24 of 28 free throws. The Horned Frogs also controlled the glass with a 48–22 rebounding edge. And after shooting just 3-for-27 from deep in their opener, TCU found its rhythm from beyond the arc, knocking down 12 of 33 triples. Seven different Frogs connected from long range, led by Toolson’s four.
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Speaking of Toolson, the junior guard led the way with 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Fellow reserve Micah Robinson notched his first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Edmonds, Lelevicius, Posey, and David Punch also reached double figures, with Edmonds and Punch narrowly missing double-doubles of their own, grabbing nine and eight rebounds, respectively.
Next up, TCU hosts the Lamar Cardinals on Monday, November 10, at 5:00 p.m. CT.
