TCU survived a late push and delivered in the biggest moment when it mattered most.
Xavier Edmonds scored the game-winning layup with 4.3 seconds remaining as No. 9 seed TCU held off No. 8 seed Ohio State for a 66-64 win in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
The final sequence unfolded after David Punch created space in the halfcourt and found Edmonds inside. Edmonds converted the go-ahead basket, and Ohio State’s final attempt came up short when Bruce Thornton’s half-court heave hit the backboard at the buzzer.
Punch had already added fuel to the matchup earlier in the week, telling the Columbus Dispatch that TCU would beat Ohio State “nine times out of 10.” On Thursday night, the Horned Frogs backed it up. (Source)
“I felt like it kind of put a little more pressure on us, but at the same time, I know his words were just a little bit misconstrued and a little twisted,” Edmonds said. “That’s not 100 percent how he meant it. Still we seen it, and we felt like we had to stand on it. So we wanted to go out there and make sure we won nine out of 10 times.”
Edmonds finished with 16 points, while Punch recorded a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Micah Robinson led TCU with 18 points, knocking down four three-pointers in a key offensive performance.
The Horned Frogs appeared in control early, building a 15-point lead by halftime. However, the second half told a different story. TCU missed 18 of its first 22 shots after the break, allowing Ohio State to rally and take a 55-50 lead with seven minutes remaining.
John Mobley Jr. led the Buckeyes with 15 points and sparked the comeback effort.
“I just thought, I’m not going home like that,” Mobley said. “I’m not going home without putting my all to it. I had a talk at halftime, I’ve just got to do better. I was a little sluggish in the first half, can’t do that.”
TCU responded late, regaining a 64-61 lead on a Robinson three-pointer with under a minute remaining. Thornton answered with a clutch three of his own to tie the game before the Horned Frogs set up their final possession.
“We got it to Punch, and he created some space,” Edmonds said. “He didn’t have a shot he wanted, so he kicked it out to me, and I had a good seal and I just went up with it. Credit to him for making a better pass.”
Head coach Jamie Dixon emphasized his team’s composure down the stretch after nearly losing control of the game.
“What a character check for us down the stretch and just going and executing on every play,” Dixon said. “It was multiple guys in a variety of ways.”
With the win, TCU advances to face No. 1 seed Duke in the next round after the Blue Devils narrowly avoided an upset earlier in the day.
Ohio State, meanwhile, sees its season end after returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022.
“There is a motivation now of getting back here,” Mobley said. “Ohio State has a great repertoire to come here. We want to keep building that. … When the guys come in, we’re going to have that and be ready to go for the summer.”
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