TCU Pulls Off Thrilling Upset Over No. 5 Iowa State

The Horned Frogs earn their first AP Top 5 win at home in over two years.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The unranked TCU Horned Frogs pulled off a thrilling 62-55 comeback victory over the No. 5 ranked Iowa State Cyclones on Tuesday night. It was TCU's first home win over an AP Top 5 team since January 2024 and the Frogs' fourth hosting an AP Top 10 opponent this season - the most in program history.

Why it matters

This win is a major boost for the TCU basketball program, which has been looking to earn a signature home victory over a highly-ranked opponent. The Frogs' ability to rally from multiple deficits and close out the game strong against a top-5 team shows their growth and resilience this season.

The details

TCU trailed by as many as 9 points in the first half but responded with a 10-0 run to enter halftime down just 30-29. The Frogs then built a 49-41 lead in the second half, but Iowa State rallied with a 14-1 run to go up 55-50 with 2:14 left. However, TCU closed the game on a 12-0 run, capped by a go-ahead 3-pointer from Jayden Pierre, to pull off the upset victory.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, February 10, 2026.
  • TCU's last home win over an AP Top 5 team was on January 13, 2024 against No. 2 Houston.

The players

Micah Robinson

A sophomore forward who led TCU with 17 points on 6-9 shooting, along with 6 rebounds and 2 steals.

Tanner Toolson

Also scored 17 points for TCU, while adding a season-high 9 rebounds and 3 steals to spark the Frogs' comeback.

Jayden Pierre

The Providence transfer guard hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute to seal the upset win, despite scoring just 9 points on the night.

Jamie Dixon

The TCU head coach expressed confidence that his team's best play is still ahead of them after the big win.

T.J. Otzelberger

The Iowa State head coach saw his team's late lead slip away in the loss to the unranked Horned Frogs.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Just trusting my work and just feeling confident in my work to shoot it, and it went in”

— Jayden Pierre (Twitter (@GirimonteNicky)

“I feel like that one was for the fanbase.”

— Micah Robinson (Twitter (@GirimonteNicky)

“We haven't been perfect, but our best days are ahead of us.”

— Jamie Dixon, TCU Head Coach (Twitter (@GirimonteNicky)

What’s next

TCU will look to build on this signature win when they travel to face Oklahoma State on Saturday, February 14th at 11am CT.

The takeaway

This thrilling upset victory over a top-5 opponent shows that the TCU Horned Frogs are a team on the rise, capable of knocking off elite competition at home. The Frogs' resilience and ability to close out a close game against a highly-ranked foe bodes well for their postseason aspirations.