On paper, the TCU Horned Frogs women’s basketball team looks like it could accomplish incredible things going into the 2024-25 season under coach Mark Campbell.
The Horned Frogs are coming off a 20-11 season in Campbell’s first year in Fort Worth. It didn’t quite go as planned, as TCU had to forfeit two conference games after it was decimated by injuries.
The Horned Frogs were good enough to play in the inaugural WBIT, where they advanced to the second round.
But the expectations are through the roof right now, thanks to TCU landing one of the top transfers in the portal this offseason, guard Hailey Van Lith. One of the top scorers in the country will play with center Sedona Prince, guard Madison Connor and another top transfer in guard Maddie Sheer to form a quartet that, if healthy, could be one of the most dominant in the Big 12 and in the country.
For the record, TCU has only been to the NCAA tournament nine times, with that last appearance coming in 2010. The Horned Frogs have only advanced to the second round five times, with the last time coming in 2006.
TCU also last won a regular season conference championship in 2010 and a conference tournament championship in 2005. These are the kinds of expectations, and perhaps more, that are dancing around in Fort Worth right now.
Here’s a preview of the TCU Horned Frogs’ upcoming season.
Odds
Vegas Insider did not give TCU odds to win the national championship. The Big 12 coaches voted the Horned Frogs to finish fourth in the preseason poll.
Three Players to Watch
G Hailey Van Lith: She averaged 11.6 points last year at LSU, but Campbell has said he wants to turn Van Lith “loose.” That may mean a return to the numbers we saw at Louisville two years ago — 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 2022-23 as the Cardinals went all the way to the Elite Eight.
C Sedona Prince: When she’s healthy, the 6-7 center is an absolute nightmare. Like many TCU players a year ago, she missed time due to injury. Last season she averaged 19.7 points and 9.7 rebounds in 21 games.
G Madison Conner: With the influx of transfer guards, it’s a good time to remind everyone what Conner can do. She’s one of the best 3-point shooters in the Big 12 and is coming off a season in which she averaged 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. Like Prince, she battled injuries.
Biggest Strength
Offense. Yeah, the Horned Frogs have a lot of it. There are three players on this team that can hit 20 in a given night. That doesn’t include Scheer, the former Kentucky guard who transferred in right after Haley Cavinder transferred out to join her sister back at Miami. She averaged 12.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists last year. This also doesn’t include the depth the Horned Frogs cultivated last year in starters Agnes Emma-Nnopu (10.7 points, 7.2 rebounds) and Una Jovanovic (7.9 ppg, 40% from 3-point). This team is loaded.
Biggest Weakness
Perimeter defense. Granted, some of this is the uncertainty of seeing how all of this comes together. Prince certainly isn’t a weakness inside defensively. Anything within her vicinity she’s going to send back. The question is more about the perimeter and how connected this group will be. Van Lith and Conner, who don’t have defensive reputations, have averaged more than a steal per game in their career. Same goes for Scheer. What may be perceived as a weakness right now may eventually become a strength. That’s something to track as the season develops.
Season Prediction
It’s hard not to buy into the hype. Van Lith brought immediate attention, but she’s a fearless competitor who fits well into a team structure. Scheer figures to be the point guard and Van Lith figures to be the off-guard, which should give Conner room to work. Much of the offense will run through Prince. Last year’s injury woes, which forced two forfeits, allowed TCU to build depth for this season. TCU is that trendy team this season. But it has the talent to back it up. We’re projecting 21-24 wins before TCU gets to the Big 12 Tournament.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
