No. 10 TCU Holds Off No. 23 Utah for 10th Straight Win in Thrilling Matchup

In a clash of ranked teams, the No. 10 TCU Horned Frogs delivered a gritty 81-73 win over No. 23 Utah on Friday night in Fort Worth, Texas. Led by Hailey Van Lith’s 24 points and Sedona Prince’s 23-point effort, TCU continued its dominance, earning its 10th consecutive victory and 17th straight win at home.

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A Hot Start and Second-Half Drama
The Horned Frogs (19-1, 7-0 Big 12) came out firing, building a commanding 21-point lead by halftime. Madison Conner contributed 13 points and six assists, helping the team maintain its early momentum. However, TCU faced another second-half scare, as Utah (13-5, 4-3 Pac-12) clawed back into the game.

Gianna Kneepkens was electric for the Utes, scoring 26 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Her relentless effort, combined with solid contributions from Matyson Wilke (14 points) and Reese Ross (11 points), helped Utah cut the lead to just six points with nearly six minutes remaining.

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Clutch Defense Seals the Win
With the game hanging in the balance, TCU relied on its defense and composure in the final minutes. After Madison Conner sank a pair of free throws, the Horned Frogs forced back-to-back defensive stops, turning them into crucial baskets from Prince and Van Lith. This sequence pushed TCU’s lead to 12 points with just over three minutes left, giving the Horned Frogs enough breathing room to finish strong.

Key Stats Tell the Story
One of the keys to TCU’s success was its efficiency at the free-throw line. The team went 18-of-20 from the stripe, a mark that proved critical in holding off Utah’s late rally. Though the Horned Frogs missed two free throws in the final minute, the Utes failed to capitalize, with Kneepkens missing a potential game-saving three-pointer with 19 seconds to go.

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Takeaways
For Utah, the loss capped a tough two-game Texas road trip that also included a 71-60 defeat at Baylor earlier in the week. The Utes have now dropped three of their last four games, a sharp contrast to their earlier seven-game winning streak that featured a marquee victory over No. 3 Notre Dame.

TCU, meanwhile, continues to solidify its reputation as a Big 12 powerhouse. Despite showing vulnerability in the second half for the second straight home game—UCF also rallied late in TCU’s 90-81 win earlier this week—the Horned Frogs’ resilience and ability to execute under pressure remain defining traits.

This victory not only highlights TCU’s offensive firepower but also its determination to close out tough games—a combination that makes the Horned Frogs a formidable contender this season.