This season, after record-setting attendance and signature wins against top Big 12 opponents at home, the Horned Frogs found themselves seeded No. 9 and made it to the famous March Madness tournament. And at the Big Dance, the Frog family and the rest of the nation witnessed unforgettable displays of hustle and heart.
In the first round, the Frogs handily beat Seton Hall — a school with 14 NCAA tournaments under their belt — 69-42.
Frog fans everywhere pulled out their purple gear in anticipation of what would happen next, hitting the road again to San Diego for the second game, gathering with friends, family and fans in person and on social media. Students even gathered in front of the big screen in the Campus Commons, the outdoor “living room” of TCU.
They don’t call this event March Madness for nothing. TCU fans old and new experienced a range of emotions as the team lost to top-seeded Arizona 85-80 in a heartbreaking overtime nail-biter. But the feisty Frogs fought valiantly for a huge television audience, giving fans a wealth of pride and joy as they made school history.
“From shattering a program season record with five wins over ranked opponents, including back-to-back victories over top-10 Texas Tech and Kansas to close the home season, to an NCAA Tournament win and multiple attendance records, this was truly one of the more memorable seasons in our men's basketball history,” Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati said. “I could not be more proud of all those involved in the program.”
Coach Jamie Dixon, who joined TCU as head men’s basketball coach in 2016, knows personally what his team experienced. As a student, he was on the 1987 Horned Frog team that narrowly missed making the Sweet 16 bracket of tournament play.
Dixon’s return to TCU as head coach was the culmination of a massive long-range rebuilding plan for basketball. In 2015, the impressive 6,800-seat Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena opened as part of the Daniel-Meyer Athletics Complex. Most students will be familiar with the facility before they walk the stage there for commencement, now that the future of TCU basketball looks brighter than ever.
TCU has garnered excitement and a nation of new fans, thanks to the heart and spirit of this team. Being on the national stage raises the university’s visibility in myriad ways, with a positive impact on attracting new students, engaging the Frog family and energizing alumni.
“I know I speak for our entire fan base and community when I say that we could not be more excited about the future and the trajectory we are on,” said Donati.