TCU Bounces Buckeyes in First-Round NCAA Tournament Clash TCU’s confidence in its NCAA tournament matchup against Ohio State was put to the test on Thursday, with the Horned Frogs delivering a decisive 66-64 victory to advance to the second round. Forward David Punch’s pregame assertion that TCU would beat Ohio State “nine out of 10 times” added pressure on the team to back up his bold claim. Forward Xavier Edmonds acknowledged the challenge, noting that Punch’s words, though “a little bit misconstrued,” served as a motivator for the squad. The game saw TCU dominate from beyond the arc in the first half, but a sharp decline in shooting after halftime allowed Ohio State to mount a comeback. The Buckeyes clawed back into the contest, taking a 51-50 lead with over seven minutes remaining. With Edmonds in foul trouble, Punch stepped up to carry the load, finishing with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and two assists. His crucial pass to Edmonds for a go-ahead layup with four seconds left sealed the win. Ohio State had one final chance to tie the game, but Bruce Thornton’s half-court heave fell short, leaving the Buckeyes without a shot at the win. The result validated Punch’s pregame confidence, though TCU wasn’t finished sending a message to Ohio State. Edmonds emphasized the contrast between the Big 12 and Big Ten conferences, stating, “We just felt like them as a Big Ten team, they just haven’t felt or seen a defense like ours.” He added that the game was an opportunity to showcase the intensity and physicality of Big 12 basketball, with Edmonds finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds.#tcu #ohio_state #bruce_thornton #xavier_edmonds #david_punch
