SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — In a neutral-site clash defined by defensive grit and a decisive second-half surge, the Texas Christian Horned Frogs defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 74 to 63 on Friday at Frontwave Arena.

The Horned Frogs, improving to 5-2, used a balanced scoring attack and superior three-point shooting to secure the victory in front of a crowd of 5,008. The Badgers, who also moved to 5-2, were led by a game-high 30 points from John Blackwell but struggled to find consistent offense outside of their leading scorer.

The first half was a tightly contested affair, with Texas Christian taking a 41-37 lead into the break. The Horned Frogs built their advantage on the strength of an efficient offense, shooting 57.1 percent from beyond the arc in the opening period. David Punch and Liutauras Lelevicius connected on key three-pointers to help Texas Christian establish a slim margin.

Wisconsin kept pace behind the scoring of Blackwell, a 6-foot-4 guard from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, who poured in 19 of his points before halftime. The Badgers, however, were plagued by cold outside shooting, making just 4 of 16 attempts from three-point range in the first half.

The game turned decisively in the second half as the Texas Christian defense tightened. The Horned Frogs held Wisconsin to just 26 points after the break, forcing the Badgers into difficult shots and capitalizing on turnovers. Wisconsin’s offensive woes were encapsulated by a 7-for-28 performance from three-point range for the game.

Texas Christian’s offense, while not always fluid, was more effective. The Horned Frogs scored 101.9 points per 100 possessions, compared to Wisconsin’s 83.4. The key differential came from long distance, where Texas Christian shot 8 of 14, while Wisconsin managed only 7 of 28.

Punch, a 6-foot-7 forward from Harker Heights, Texas, was a central figure for the Horned Frogs, finishing with 17 points and contributing two assists and two blocks. His interior presence and ability to stretch the floor were crucial to the Texas Christian game plan.

He was ably supported by guard Brock Harding, who tallied 16 points and five assists. Harding, from Moline, Illinois, orchestrated the offense for 35 minutes and hit a critical three-pointer in the second half that helped extend the Horned Frogs’ lead when Wisconsin was attempting to mount a comeback.

Xavier Edmonds provided a significant spark off the bench for Texas Christian, scoring 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting and adding a block and a steal in just 17 minutes of action. His energy in the paint during the second half helped the Horned Frogs maintain their advantage.

For Wisconsin, Blackwell’s 30-point effort on 10-of-22 shooting was the lone consistent bright spot. He also went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. Nick Boyd added 15 points and three assists for the Badgers, but the rest of the lineup combined for just 18 points. Nolan Winter, Wisconsin’s 7-foot center, was limited to three points but contributed three assists, two blocks and nine rebounds.

Texas Christian won despite being out-assisted 9 to 6 and committing 12 turnovers. The Horned Frogs made up for it with a strong defensive effort, recording seven blocks and six steals, and by winning the possession battle, committing four fewer turnovers than the Badgers.

The victory gives Texas Christian momentum heading into a challenging stretch of its schedule, which includes a home game against Notre Dame on Dec. 5. Wisconsin will look to regroup before its next contest, a Big Ten Conference matchup against Northwestern on Dec. 3.