On April 9th, TCU men's basketball just lost a big piece, as star sophomore forward David Punch entered the transfer portal late Wednesday. The Harker Heights native started all 34 games this season, dropping 14.1 points and grabbing 6.8 rebounds per game, while leading the Horned Frogs in scoring, boards, steals, blocks, and field goal percentage. Punch arrived as a four-star recruit, ranked sixth in Texas with offers from heavy hitters like Virginia and NC State. His role blew up after starting center.
Malik Diallo tore his ACL in the home opener, turning Punch into the main interior force. Fans and the team feel this one hard, especially after Punch's double-double sparked TCU's first NCAA tournament win since 2023, beating Ohio State in the first round. His final game was rough, though, just four points and a second round loss to Duke after a nasty hit to the nose. Now Punch marks the sixth TCU player in the portal, following five guards already out.
Coach Jamie Dixon scouring for frontcourt replacements, while leaning on returners like Xavier Edmonds and Micah Robinson for bigger loads next year. As the frauds reshape the roster, all eyes stay glued to the portal for Dixon's next chess moves to keep TCU competitive.