TCU-CSU Game Notes

TCU at Colorado State
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007
Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
Location: Fort Collins, Colo.
Arena: Moby Arena (8,745)
TV: None
Radio: 88.7 KTCU, gofrogs.com
Live Stats: gofrogs.com

Feb. 5, 2007

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The TCU women's basketball team will put the wraps on its three-game road trip on Wednesday when the Lady Frogs travel to Colorado State to play the Rams at 8 p.m. CT at Moby Arena (8,745).

TCU (16-7, 6-3 Mountain West Conference) enters Wednesday's contest after snapping a three-game road slide with a 75-62 come-from-behind victory at UNLV on Saturday. Colorado State (7-14, 2-7 MWC) is coming off a 61-49 win over Air Force on Sunday. The win over the Falcons gave CSU a season sweep over Air Force.

The Lady Frogs have won three straight against Colorado State and defeated the Rams 86-36 on Jan. 6 in Fort Worth. The all-time series between the programs is knotted at three, while the Rams hold a 2-1 advantage in Fort Collins.

Wednesday's game can be heard on 88.7 KTCU and www.gofrogs.com with Jeff Williams calling the action. Live stats from the game are also available on www.gofrogs.com.

TCU is just past the midway mark of conference play after opening the second half of league play with its win over UNLV. Prior to their win at UNLV, TCU had dropped road games at Utah, Wyoming and BYU.

Wednesday's game will mark the end of the second of two-three game road trips during the conference season. After the Colorado State game, TCU will play three straight home games against Air Force (Feb. 10), Utah (Feb. 18) and Wyoming (Feb. 22) before playing its final road games at New Mexico (Feb. 25) and San Diego State (Feb. 28).

SCOUTING COLORADO STATE
Colorado State is 7-14 overall and 2-7 in the Mountain West Conference. The Rams have had a tumultuous season off the court with a rash of suspensions and players leaving the program.

The Rams are coming off a 61-49 win over Air Force, but had lost seven straight. CSU's seven-game skid actually began with its 86-36 loss at TCU on Jan. 6.

Two players recently left the program and another's return is doubtful. Leading scorer Kelly Jo Mullaney, reserve Raysha Ritter and starter Molly Nohr have all left the program in the last week. Mullaney and Ritter were initially suspended in January for their role in an incident with a chemical bomb, but had been reinstated before parting ways last week. Nohr asked to take a leave of abscence and has not played in the last three games.

Emily Neal and Brittney Stirling were both suspended for their role in the chemical bomb incident, but both were reinstated prior to the game at UNLV on Feb. 1.

TCU won both of last season's meetings and won at home against the Rams earlier this season. The school's split both of last year's meetings with both winning on their home courts. TCU won 73-63 at Colorado State last season.

CSU is averaging 60.5 points per game and are giving up an average of 67.0. Colorado State's leading scorer is guard Sara Hunter, who averages 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds.

The Rams are coached by Jen Warden, who is in her second season in Fort Collins where she has a record of 16-34.

PILLFERING THE SHOW
Adrianne Ross set a new precedent for outstanding defensive performances with her effort against UNLV on Feb. 3. In TCU's 75-62 win, Ross broke a 19-year school record and also set the Mountain West Conference record with 10 steals. Ross' previous career high in steals was seven against Rice on Nov. 25. The previous school record for steals was nine by Teresia Hudson on Jan. 9, 1988 against Arkansas. In addition to her steal total, Ross also had a season-high two blocks and scored a game-high 25 points - one shy of her career high.

OVERCOMING A DEFICIT
After scoring a season-low 21 points in the first half and trailing by as many as eight points with 2:58 to play in the first frame at UNLV, the Lady Frogs used a 29-6 run in the second half to propel them to a 75-62 win. The 21 points scored in the first half was the fewest since scoring just 20 against North Carolina on Nov. 26, 2005.

SLOW STARTERS
The difference between TCU in the first half and second half has been very apparent this season. The Lady Frogs have scored 200 more points in the second half than in the first half. In fact, in all but two games this season, TCU has scored more points in the first half than the second half. Only against UTA and at Wyoming did TCU score more in the first half than second half. The Lady Frogs are outscoring opponents 942-778 in the second frame.

WINNING WITH STYLE
TCU may be 12-0 at home this season, but the most impressive stat may be the fact that the Lady Frogs just aren't winning at home - they are winning with ease. In four conference home games, TCU is winning by an average of 31.25 points and in all 12 games, TCU is winning by 20.0 points. In fact, only one home game has been decided by fewer than 11 points this season and that was a 71-67 win over UTA on Dec. 10.

TCU has outscored opponents 947-707 at home and has won by at least 22 points in each of the last six home games.

KNIGHT TIME
Returning to her native city of Las Vegas, Moneka Knight dazzled her hometown with a season-high 12 points to go along with five assists, three rebounds and a steal against UNLV on Feb. 3. In the contest, Knight also hit 7-of-8 free-throw attempts. Against BYU in the previous game, Knight matched a season high at the time with 10 points and she also had four assists.