No. 17 TCU women’s basketball serves notice with victory at No. 10 N.C. State
TCU women’s basketball has made an early statement.
The No. 17-ranked Horned Frogs picked up their first road victory over a ranked nonconference opponent in 15 years, cruising to a 69-59 win over No. 10 N.C. State on Saturday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
After losing its first-quarter lead, TCU (4-0) went on a 30-9 run starting in the middle of the second quarter to take a commanding 16-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
N.C. State (2-2) cut the lead to seven late in the fourth quarter, but TCU buckled down on defense to close out the Wolfpack
“Man, I’m so proud of this group to come in here against a really good ball club, sold-out arena, as we got all these new players and new pieces,” TCU coach Mark Campbell said in his postgame radio interview. “They just found a way to get it done. I couldn’t be more proud of this team.
“The biggest thing at halftime was we did a poor job boxing out and getting and finishing the possessions. We’re making these guys miss, but we kept giving them second-chance opportunities, and so third quarter, though, we did a tremendous job limiting them to one shot, and I think that was the difference in the third quarter. And then we got into an offensive rhythm and flow.”
Here’s how TCU won the game:
1. Marta Suarez shoots lights out
Forward Marta Suarez, a graduate transfer from Cal, came into Sunday’s game with three 3-pointers made in three games, but by the end of the first half, she equaled that total, shooting 3-for-6.
Suarez was expressive after her last 3 in the first half, which capped off a 10-0 TCU run that allowed the Horned Frogs to retake the lead, and let N.C. State’s bench hear about it before heading into the locker room with a 36-31 halftime advantage.
“Man, I was so ready,” she said. “I love basketball. I love that the season is here. I love that we had a chance to come out and show who we are. We have a phenomenal team. We had a lot of fun playing together. So we were ready for talents like this.”
Suarez played the entire 40 minutes. She led all players with 15 first-half points, scored her career high as a Horned Frog before the fourth quarter had even begun and finished with 26 points, three rebounds and two blocks.
It wasn’t just 3-point shooting either. Suarez scored on drives and postups, and did it efficiently, shooting 10-for-18 from the field. She finished 4-for-8 on 3s.
She said she could’ve kept going despite the heavy workload.
“The team that we have, we have a lot of playmakers and a lot of shooters, so that’s offensive work for everybody, and then we have a great shot blocker, big in the paint,” Suarez said. “That was fun. I could've kept going. When it’s fun like that, the energy just comes, and we have a team and teammates like this that are encouraging you all the time, that makes it easier.”
Suarez’s offense was especially needed on a day star Notre Dame transfer guard Olivia Miles struggled from the field, shooting 4-for-18, though she finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and five assists.
2. TCU shuts down N.C. State’s best scorers
The Horned Frogs stymied the Wolfpack, especially in the half court, forcing them to play one-on-one often, and they were unable to win those matchups consistently.
N.C. State’s top three scorers — Zoe Brooks, Khamil Pierre and Zamareya Jones — came in averaging 35.3 points per game but only scored 14 points against TCU on a combined 6-for-37 shooting.
Campbell complimented Suarez’s individual defense against the Wolfpack.
“Marta is just a lead competitor, warrior, fearless. So proud of her,” he said. “She played 40 minutes on both ends of the court. I mean, for her to score 26 and also play the defense that she did, she’s built for this.”
3. Clara Silva has a first as a Horned Frog
Sophomore center Clara Silva, a Kentucky transfer, earned her first double-double as a Horned Frog with 11 points and 12 rebounds, including a key offensive rebound when N.C. State had cut the lead to seven in the game’s waning moments. She added two blocks.
Silva also stymied a drive by Tilda Trygger that could’ve cut the lead to five with under a minute left.
This story was originally published November 16, 2025 at 2:51 PM.
