Men’s Basketball: TCU fends off Kansas State with late-game surge — and more

The TCU Horned Frogs have now won three straight and six of their last seven. TCU defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 77–68 in Manhattan, using a late 9–0 run to seal the victory. The win gives TCU a 2–0 season sweep of Kansas State—matching its record against the other teams it faced twice this year (Baylor and Oklahoma State).

Unlike TCU’s first matchup against Kansas State (when it led for only about six seconds), this one was nearly wire-to-wire. The Wildcats struck first, but TCU answered, and the teams traded blows over the next 10 minutes.

The Frogs began to seize control just before the seven-minute mark. Xavier Edmonds broke a 25–25 tie with a layup, and consistent offense kept TCU in front for the remainder of the half. Tanner Toolson also reached a milestone in the first half, scoring his 1,000th career point after knocking down two free throws with eight seconds remaining. Toolson’s pair of freebies gave the Frogs a 41-38 lead going into the break.

The Frogs opened the second half with purpose, scoring the first four points to stretch the lead to seven. Kansas State answered with a 7–2 run to trim the deficit to two, but TCU countered again. A Toolson three-pointer and a Liutauras Lelevicius layup pushed the advantage back to seven. Still, much like the end of the first half, the Wildcats refused to fade.

TCU stayed in control but didn’t regain a seven-point cushion until the 6:06 mark, leading 66–59. Kansas State once again cut the gap, this time to 67–65, before the Frogs delivered the decisive blow. Edmonds scored six straight points to give TCU an eight-point lead with 3:37 remaining.

Less than a minute later, Brock Harding extended the margin to double digits for the first time, 75–65. Toolson added a free throw to cap a 9–0 run that put the game out of reach. Kansas State managed just three points the rest of the way as TCU closed out the 77–68 victory.

The Frogs secured the nine-point win despite shooting just 42.8 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from three-point range. Their edge came on the defensive end, where they forced 18 Kansas State turnovers and turned them into 28 points.

The Wildcats were efficient offensively, shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc, but were ultimately unraveled by their giveaways.

Jamie Dixon’s Horned Frogs showcased a balanced offensive attack, led by Edmonds’ 15 points. The big man added 13 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Toolson provided 14 points off the bench, Punch finished with 13, and Lelevicius chipped in 12.

P.J. Haggerty paced the Wildcats with 18 points while adding seven rebounds and five assists. Nate Johnson delivered a well-rounded performance of his own, totaling 16 points, five rebounds, and nine assists.

Up next, TCU will travel to Lubbock to take on No. 16 Texas Tech Red Raiders on Tuesday, March 3, at 6:00 p.m. CT.

It is never too early to evaluate offensive line depth for the 2026 NFL Draft. General manager Jason Licht has consistently valued size and length along the offensive front, particularly when projecting developmental tackles who can anchor the edge. Identifying linemen with NFL-caliber measurables remains a foundational step in the scouting process.

We are working through each position group this cycle. With that in mind, here is our report on East Texas A&M offensive lineman Ike Ojukwu.

Information

• School: East Texas A&M
• Conference: Southland
• Position: Offensive Line
• Height Weight: 6-5, 349 pounds
• Class: Senior
• Hometown: Allen, Texas
• Hand: 9 3/8
• Arm: 35 1/4
• Wingspan: 83 1/8

Background

Ike Ojukwu brings a rare size profile to the evaluation process. At 6-5 and 349 pounds with over 35-inch arms and an 83-inch wingspan, he possesses true NFL tackle length. A product of Allen High School in Texas, Ojukwu developed into a senior starter at East Texas A&M and carries the added note of being an honor roll student.

His combination of mass and length stands out immediately. While playing at the FCS level, he logged significant snap volume in both run and pass protection and showed flashes of dominance when able to lock defenders out with his reach.

Notable Stats

• 328 offensive snaps
• 143 run blocking snaps
• 185 pass blocking snaps
• 50.4 overall offensive grade
• 49.4 run blocking grade
• 55.9 pass blocking grade
• 1 sack allowed
• 3 quarterback hits allowed
• 11 hurries allowed
• 15 total pressures allowed
• 95.6 pass blocking efficiency

The 2025 season provided the larger evaluation sample, with 185 pass blocking snaps against Southland competition. His efficiency numbers suggest functional pass protection, though grading consistency reflects technical areas still in development.

Skills

• Massive frame with rare length
• Long-arm advantage in pass protection
• Strong initial anchor
• Wide wingspan for edge control
• Flashes movement in the run game
• Developmental technique
• Level-of-competition adjustment required

Ojukwu’s physical profile is the headline. At nearly 350 pounds with elite arm length, he can engulf defenders when his hands land first. His wingspan allows him to widen the arc for edge rushers, and when he sets properly, he can stall speed rushers with sheer reach.

However, his pad level and footwork require refinement. At his size, leverage becomes critical, and when he plays high, defenders can get underneath him. His 2025 grading profile reflects inconsistency rather than outright liability, but the jump from Southland competition to NFL pass rushers will be significant.

In the run game, his power shows when he maintains balance and drives through contact. He has the raw tools to develop into a mauling presence, though consistency snap-to-snap must improve.

Player Summary

Ike Ojukwu projects as a late Day 3 selection or priority undrafted free agent with developmental tackle traits. His size, arm length, and wingspan will draw attention in pre-draft evaluations, particularly for teams seeking long-term tackle depth.

In Tampa Bay, Ojukwu would profile as a developmental swing tackle candidate competing for a practice squad or reserve role. With coaching refinement and improved leverage consistency, he has the physical ceiling to outplay his draft position, but he remains a projection-based evaluation at this stage.

This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Ike Ojukwu, OL, East Texas A&M

MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield scored two first-period goals to help propel the Montreal Canadiens to a 6-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.

Mike Matheson and Kirby Dach scored goals in the second period for Montreal, which has recorded at least a point in seven consecutive games (5-0-2).

Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans added empty-net goals in the third and Suzuki had two assists. Jakub Dobes made 27 saves as he improved his record to 9-0-2 over his last 11 games.

Caufield now has a team-high 35 goals this season. It took all of 30 seconds for the Canadiens to find the back of the net, marking the fastest game-opening goal scored by Montreal this season. Jakob Chychrun’s point shot was blocked by Caufield, resulting in a breakaway for the forward. His snap shot beat Charlie Lindgren to the glove side.

Alex Ovechkin scored twice for the Capitals, who had their three-game win streak snapped. The Capitals captain has scored 44 goals and recorded 76 points in just 63 career matchups against the Canadiens.

Lindgren stopped 19 shots in his first start since Jan. 29.

Washington failed to capitalize four power-play opportunities.

The Bell Centre remains a tough stop for visiting teams as Montreal improved to 10-3-1 in its last 14 home games.

Up next

Capitals: Host the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday night.

Canadiens: Visit the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl