A first-half scoring drought proved insurmountable. Colorado's offense surged, stifling TCU's shooting and securing a decisive victory.
The TCU Horned Frogs ran into trouble early Sunday afternoon in Boulder, and the hole proved too deep to climb out of as a prolonged first-half scoring drought swung momentum firmly in Colorado’s favor, sending TCU to an 87-61 loss at the CU Events Center.
The game turned during a seven-minute stretch in the opening half when the Horned Frogs literally couldn’t buy a bucket.
During that span, Colorado rattled off 12 straight points to stretch a once-competitive game into a double-digit cushion.
By the time TCU finally broke through at the free-throw line late in the half, the Buffs had already seized control - and never let it go.
Offensively, it was a frustrating afternoon for TCU.
The Horned Frogs shot a season-low 33.3 percent from the field and struggled to generate clean looks as Colorado’s defense closed passing lanes and contested nearly everything.
On the other end, the Buffs were efficient, finishing at 55.6 percent overall and nearly 48 percent from 3-point range ... both season highs allowed by TCU.
One bright spot for the Horned Frogs was Xavier Edmonds, who continued his strong stretch of play.
The junior posted 13 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, recording his fourth straight double-double. Edmonds was aggressive on the glass and steady at the free-throw line, going 7-for-8, though his night was cut short after picking up a flagrant-2 foul midway through the second half.
Despite the final margin, TCU actually took care of the ball reasonably well, committing just 10 turnovers, marking the ninth time this season the Frogs have stayed in single digits or right at that mark.
Unfortunately, ball security couldn’t offset the shooting struggles, as assists were hard to come by and the offense never found a rhythm.
Brock Harding led TCU with three assists, while Tanner Toolson stayed perfect at the stripe, finishing 3-for-3. The game also marked the return of Ashton Simmons, who appeared for the first time since late December and logged six minutes.
The loss dropped TCU to 13-9 overall and 3-6 in conference play, while also extending Colorado’s recent success in the series. Now, the focus shifts back home.
TCU will look to reset Saturday afternoon when it hosts the Kansas State Wildcats for a 1 p.m. CT tip on TNT.
The game will also feature a special halftime ceremony honoring the program’s 1986 Southwest Conference championship team, an opportunity for the Horned Frogs to reconnect with their winning tradition.