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.
