This article is part of our "Across the Pond" series, featuring UK-based writer David Desa , who is covering TCU athletics from England. Watching games from 4,500 miles away, Desa brings a unique perspective on the Horned Frogs , blending analysis, storytelling, and a different lens on college sports culture.

For TCU fans watching from their couches in England, the opening First-round game came at a relatively accessible hour at 5:15 pm local time.

The 4,500-mile distance between Greenville, South Carolina, and the screen of fans in the U.K. did nothing to dull the March Madness tension.

The Horned Frogs were at this stage after missing out last year, and standing in their way were the No.…