TCU
11-7,1-4Big 12
Utah
9-9,1-4Big 12
Frogs Fall to Runnin’ Utes, 82-79
1/17/2026 5:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Punch scores career-high 22 points
SALT LAKE CITY – TCU made 13 of its final 14 shot attempts but could never get the advantage on Utah in an 82-79 loss at the Huntsman Center Saturday.
The Horned Frogs (11-7, 1-4) had made 13-straight field goals but needed one more. After the Runnin' Utes' (9-9, 1-4) Don McHenry made 1-of-2 attempts from the free throw line, TCU trailed 82-79 with eight seconds left and possessed the ball. Tanner Toolson found an open Micah Robinson on the wing, but the 3-point attempt fell short.
TCU spent the entire game battling back after falling behind 14-0 to start the contest. The Frogs missed their first nine shots. After shooting 39.3 percent from the field in the first half, TCU shot 59.4 percent in the second half. However, Utah shot 60.9 percent from the field in the second half, despite not making a field goal in the final 2:47 of the game.
TCU trailed at halftime, 38-30, and tied the game on three occasions in the second half. The final time was after a layup by Xavier Edmonds to tie it at 55-55 with 8:17 to play. TCU dominated the scoring effort inside with 52 points in the paint to the Utes' 36.
It was a two-point game, 69-67, with 3:23 to play. Utah made two field goals the remainder of the game and was 9-of-13 from the free throw line during that stretch.
David Punch scored a career-high 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting and tied Edmonds for the team high in rebounds with six.
Utah won the rebounding battle, 40-31, with 14 rebounds from Keanu Dawes. Terrence Brown scored a game-high 26 points.
The Horned Frogs return home to face Oklahoma State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The game will air on ESPN+.
TEAM NOTES
- TCU moved to 6-18 all-time against Utah.
- TCU moved to 3-3 away from Schollmaier Arena this season.
- TCU's three road losses are all by six or fewer points.
- TCU tied a season low with eight turnovers. It was the fifth time the Frogs had eight turnovers in a game and the seventh time with fewer than 10 this season.
- TCU scored 52 points in the paint. It was the second-most this season after scoring 56 against Jackson State.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- David Punch scored a career-high 22 points. His previous high was 20 points, which he had three times this season.
- Punch was 10-of-16 from the field, which was a career high for field goals made.
- Jayden Pierre led TCU in assists for the third time this season with a season-high six.
- Pierre was 0-for-2 from three, snapping a streak of eight-straight games with at least one made 3-pointer.
- Brock Harding finished with five assists. It was the 13th time this season in 18 games with at least five assists.
- Harding went 2-of-4 from 3-point range. It was the sixth time this season he's made a season-high two 3-pointers.
- Micah Robinson scored 14 points. It was the 11th time this season he scored in double figures, and all have come off the bench.
- Robinson had five assists. It was the second-most assists he's had this season.
- Tanner Toolson made a 3-pointer for the fourth straight game, going 1-of-3.
- Xavier Edmonds did not attempt a three, snapping a six-game streak of games with a made 3-pointer.
