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The TCU Horned Frogs advance to the second round on Saturday in Greenville, facing the winner of No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena.
The No. 9 seed TCU Horned Frogs edged out No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes 66-64 in a heart-pounding 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament clash on Thursday (March 19) at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
Xavier Edmonds delivered the decisive blow, sinking a game-winning layup with just 4.3 seconds remaining to seal the victory for the Horned Frogs. Ohio State's Bruce Thornton, who struggled throughout, missed a potential tying three-pointer at the buzzer, sending TCU fans into celebration and ending the Buckeyes' tournament run early.
Early dominance gives way to Buckeyes' comeback
TCU burst out of the gates, building a commanding 15-point lead in the first half behind sharp shooting and solid defense. The Horned Frogs took a 39-24 advantage into halftime, fueled by three-point shooting and capitalizing on Ohio State's early turnovers.
Ohio State mounted a fierce rally in the second half. The Buckeyes outscored TCU 40-27 after the break, erasing much of the deficit with strong interior play and better execution. Ohio State grabbed its first lead since the opening minutes when Amare Bynum scored to make it 51-50 with 7:05 left. Moments later, they pushed ahead further during a 7-0 run that trimmed the gap to two points.
The game stayed tense down the stretch. David Punch's layup reclaimed a 58-57 lead for TCU with 3:45 remaining. Then, Micah Robinson hit a three to push ahead 64-61, only for Thornton to answer with his own triple to tie it at 64-all with 26 seconds left.
Edmonds stepped up in the clutch, driving for the winning layup after a timeout. TCU's defense held firm as Ohio State couldn't convert on the final possession.
Standout performances fuel TCU's victory
Micah Robinson paced TCU with 18 points and five rebounds, while David Punch and another key contributor each added 16 points. Punch grabbed 13 rebounds, and the other player pulled down eight. Edmonds' heroics proved pivotal in the closing seconds.
For Ohio State, John Mobley Jr led with 15 points and six assists. Devin Royal chipped in 14 points, and Amare Bynum finished with 12 points plus strong rebounding. Thornton, the Buckeyes' leading scorer, averaging over 20 points per game entering the contest, was held to just 10 points on 3-of-9 shooting.
Final stats
TCU shot 40% from the field (24-of-60), including 39% from three (9-of-23), while Ohio State hit 42% overall (24-of-57) but struggled at 26% from deep (6-of-23). The Horned Frogs dominated the boards 38-32 and limited turnovers to seven apiece.
What's next for TCU in March Madness?
The TCU Horned Frogs advance to the second round on Saturday in Greenville, facing the winner of No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Siena.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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