Three players outside of TCU’s big three who could determine Horned Frogs’ NCAA chances
Much of the Horned Frogs’ chances in the NCAA Tournament will depend on how well their big three of Hailey Van Lith, Sedona Prince and Madison Conner perform.
But March Madness is always good for producing unexpected heroes and there’s a good chance TCU will need somebody outside of their star trio to step up to reach the Sweet Sixteen or beyond.
The Horned Frogs have a number of candidates that are capable of big performances as the constant battles throughout the Big 12 has allowed the program to build quality depth.
Here’s a look at three of them:
Donovyn Hunter, guard
Breakdown: Hunter is an easy pick after her performance in Kansas City at the Big 12 Tournament. The Oregon State transfer averaged 10.7 points including scoring 11 in the championship win over Baylor. Hunter was inserted into the starting lineup on Feb. 19 and the Horned Frogs haven’t looked back since.
Hunter is a versatile guard that can play either point or shooting guard. That versatility has provided a boost to Van Lith. With less pressure on her to run the offense and break full court presses, Van Lith has been able to lean into being more of a scorer. Hunter also often guards the opponent’s best perimeter player. She’s the youngest player in the rotation but Hunter has March Madness experience after helping Oregon State reach the Elite Eight last season.
Deasia Merrill, forward
Breakdown: TCU has a reliable frontcourt with Prince and power forward Emma Agnes-Nnopu, but Merrill has been a revelation in the late part of the season. Before February, Merrill had just two games where she was on the court for more than 10 minutes.
She’s had four since Feb. 2 including when she scored six points in 18 minutes against Iowa State on the road. Those six points were massive as Prince was held scoreless in that while she dealt with foul trouble. Merrill is crafty around the rim and her size has presented problems for opponents in the past when they try to box her out.
Ideally the Horned Frogs will avoid a situation where Prince struggles like that, but TCU knows it can rely on Merrill in a pinch to give them quality minutes if need be.
Taylor Bigby, guard
Breakdown: Bigby started most of the season before Hunter was moved into the starting lineup. Early in the season the USC transfer showed signs of being the fourth scorer to complement the big three. She had one stretch in November where she scored in double figures in three straight games, including a 10-point performance in the win over North Carolina State.
After scoring in double figures four times in November, Bigby has only scored in double figures three times. One of those was a 19-point performance against Iowa State, but the Horned Frogs will need more from her in the NCAA Tournament. She struggled in Kansas City, going scoreless and seemingly losing confidence in her outside shot.
When she’s playing at her best, she’s another versatile wing that can provide defense and a scoring punch. With potentially two games in her home arena, that could be exactly what Bigby needs to break out of her slump.
This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 12:35 PM.
