TCU rebounds from Michigan loss with blowout win. No. 10 Florida up next
TCU men’s basketball bounced back from its last-second loss to then-No. 6 Michigan on Friday with an impressive 81-45 blowout of Kansas City on Wednesday night at Schollmaier Arena.
The Horned Frogs (3-2) came out on fire, using a 17-0 run in the opening four minutes of the game to put the Roos (1-4) in a massive hole they wouldn’t be able to climb out of.
“Excited about how we defended, especially at the start of the game,” coach Jamie Dixon said. “It was a great start for us defensively and offensively. I thought had some good passing and made open shots.”
Liutauras Lelevicius provided the opening spark, as he knocked down a 3-pointer for the first points of the game and added another 3 a few moments later. The Oregon State transfer scored eight points during the opening blitz.
Kansas City didn’t score its first bucket until the 14:28 mark of the first half and trailed by at least 15 points most of the game.
The Roos briefly made things interesting right before halftime with a 6-0 run to cut it to 35-21, which forced a timeout by Dixon.
The timeout proved effective, as the Horned Frogs responded with an 11-2 run that quickly erased any chances of a comeback. Sophomore forward David Punch sparked the run with his passing ability, finding Vianney Salatchoum for back-to-back shots at the rim, including a nice two-handed dunk.
After four straight points from Jace Posey, Lelevicius added his third 3 of the half to lift TCU to a 46-23 lead. The Horned Frogs led 51-28 at halftime and were able to cruise in the second half.
Jayden Pierre led TCU with 17 points and knocked down five 3-pointers as he bounced back from shooting just 23% against the Wolverines.
Lelevicius also had his best game as a Horned Frog, with a season-high 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting. It was the second straight game shooting over 50% for the versatile wing as he continues to get settled into his role on the team. His four 3s were also a career high.
“That’s what I gotta do, to be honest,” Lelevicius said. “I was brought here to shoot. I’m shooting well in practices, but that wasn’t the case in the first couple of games. But I’m confident in myself, and my teammates are confident in me. They just kept telling me to shoot, and that’s gotta be the case in the next couple of games.”
TCU will now get some much-needed time off before facing defending national champion No. 10 Florida on Nov. 27 in the Rady Children’s Invitational in San Diego.
The matchup with the Gators will be another opportunity to secure a signature victory for TCU’s NCAA Tournament resume after the Horned Frogs came up just short of upsetting Michigan.
“I’m excited. I’m excited for a chance to redeem myself,” Pierre said. “I feel as though Michigan was a game we should’ve won. It’s a chance to play another top-10 team in the country, a chance to play on the big stage and prove to ourselves that we’re becoming the team we say we can be.”
The Gators will present a similar challenge as the Wolverines did, as they’re led by arguably the nation’s best frontcourt. The Gators’ 6-foot-9 Thomas Haugh leads the team with 19 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
Florida also has the 6-11 Alex Condon, who averages 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. The Gators have more than just two talented big men, as they landed former five-star recruit Boogie Fland from Arkansas in the transfer portal, and he’s another double-digit scorer at 11.3 points per game.
“I know they’re big. I know they got all the guys everybody wanted,” Dixon said. “I know they have plenty of depth, which is a good thing to have.”
Kansas City doesn’t have anywhere near the talent of the Gators, but it was still a valuable outing for the Horned Frogs, as they were able to continue to build chemistry and cohesiveness on both ends of the floor.
This story was originally published November 19, 2025 at 9:15 PM.
