The TCU Horned Frogs opened their season on the wrong side of the win column, falling to the New Orleans Privateers in an improbable 78–74 upset. Despite the narrow margin, TCU once trailed by as many as 21 points. The Horned Frogs led only twice all night—2–0 and 4–2—both within the first three minutes, before New Orleans seized a 6–4 advantage and never looked back.
TCU struggled to find a rhythm early, missing eight of its first ten shots while the Privateers built a commanding lead. The Horned
Frogs’ bench provided an early spark, led by Xavier Edmonds, who tallied five points and an assist in his first five minutes of action. Still, Edmonds’ efforts couldn’t slow New Orleans, which poured in 26 points within the opening ten minutes. The Privateers’ first 20-point advantage came with 6:49 remaining in the first half.
A Micah Robinson three-pointer ignited a brief TCU rally, as a following flurry of baskets cut the deficit to 12 before a Coleton Benson triple halted the momentum. New Orleans ultimately took a 44–28 lead into the break.
The second half didn’t start much better for the Horned Frogs. Despite several defensive stops to open the final frame, TCU’s offense remained grounded, managing just six points in the first five minutes. New Orleans wasn’t much sharper, scoring only seven over the same stretch. But over the next seven minutes, the Privateers caught fire, stretching their lead to an insurmountable 21 points. The surge was finally halted when Robinson buried another three to pull TCU within 18.
With the game slipping away, the Horned Frogs’ offense finally found its rhythm. As New Orleans reached 70 points, TCU rattled off the next 12, cutting the deficit to eight with just over four minutes remaining. The rally continued when a Jayden Pierre layup trimmed the margin to four with two minutes left, and two Micah Robinson free throws made it 72–70.
But the Horned Frogs couldn’t complete the comeback. After forcing a crucial turnover, TCU missed back-to-back three-pointers on the same possession that could have given them the lead. New Orleans secured the rebound, hit three free throws, and sealed the win. The victory marked the Privateers’ first over a Power 5 opponent in eight years.
New Orleans’ Coleton Benson led all scorers with 22 points, including four three-pointers. The Privateers shot 49.1 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from beyond the arc.
TCU was paced by David Punch, who scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds while shooting 9-of-13 from the floor. Micah Robinson added 14 points and six boards off the bench, while Xavier Edmonds and Jayden Pierre chipped in 11 apiece. The Horned Frogs shot just 38.8 percent overall and a dismal 11.1 percent (3-for-27) from three-point range.
Next up, TCU returns home to host Saint Francis (Pa.) Red Flash on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT.
