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TCU continues WNIT Wednesday at Texas Tech
March 25, 2008
The Opponent: Texas Tech Lady Raiders
Game #34
FORT WORTH--TCU's first-ever WNIT appearance continues Wednesday with a third-round matchup against former Southwest Conference rival Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas. Tip-off at the Lady Raiders' United Spirit Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Lady Frogs advanced to the third round of the WNIT with a home victory over Boise State last Sunday, 85-56. The WNIT field, which began with 48 teams, has been cut to only 16 remaining squads. The winner of Wednesday's game will advance to the tournament quarterfinals the period of March 29-31 against Thursdy's winner between Villanova-Colorado.
Texas Tech moved into round three following an 82-49 victory over Texas State in Lubbock on Saturday. Like TCU, the Raiders received a first-round bye.
TCU's series with Tech is one of the most-played in program history, although the Frogs have yet to win against the Lady Raiders in 37 opportunities. The teams, who have faced each other twice since the breakup of the SWC in 1996, have met only once in Head Coach Jeff Mittie's tenure, a 63-57 Tech win in Fort Worth during his first season on campus. TCU is 1-1 this season against Big 12 squads.
Wednesday will mark several milestones, both in TCU history and the career of Mittie. The contest will be the 900th in program history, while Mittie will appear on the sideline as a collegiate head coach for the 500th game (289th at TCU). The March 26th contest also will be the latest date the Frogs have ever hit the court (previously March 25, 2003 vs. UConn).
As always, Wednesday's game can be heard live on the radio in the Metroplex on 88.7 KTCU-FM with Jeff Williams and John Denton calling the action. All games this season will be broadcast live on KTCU. Live stats and a link to an Internet radio feed will be available via GoFrogs.com.
FROG QUICK NOTES
-The game will mark the latest date TCU has ever played (previously March 25, 2003 vs. UConn). TCU is the lone Mountain West Conference team, women's or men's, still in action this season.
-The game will be both the 900th in program history and the 500th in Jeff Mittie's career.
-TCU owns a 6-7 all-time record in national postseason tournaments (5-7 in NCAA tourney).
-TCU has won 12 of its last 14 games and 17 of 21 following a 5-7 start to the season.
-TCU is 6-1 in its last seven road games following an 0-6 away from Fort Worth this season.
-TCU has held each of its last seven opponents under their season team rebound averages.
-TCU has recorded a program-record 15 home wins for the second straight season.
-TCU is on pace to record the second-lowest figures in school history for opponent scoring average (58.6 ppg) and turnovers per game (16.5 pg).
-TCU leads the MWC in scoring (70.3 ppg) and offensive rebounds (14.6 pg) and ranks second in turnover margin (+5.15) and steals (10.52 spg).
-TCU has reached the 20-win level for the seventh time in the last eight seasons.
-TCU is 18-0 when allowing 59 points or fewer this season.
-The Frog bench has outscored the opponent bench in 28 of 33 games by an average of 8.5 ppg.
-TCU has allowed 42 points or fewer during a school-record four games this season.
-The Frogs have won the turnover battle in 24 of 33 games with five ties.
-Helena Sverrisdottir (9.3 ppg) is on pace to finish the season as TCU's highest-scoring freshman since Sandora Irvin (10.8 ppg) in 2001-02.
-Sverrisdottir is the only freshman to appear in the MWC statistical rankings for assists (14th), rebounding (15th) and scoring (21st).
-Moneka Knight has set single-season career bests for games started, points, rebounds, assists and steals as a senior. She also is on pace for highs in field-goal and free-throw percentage.
-Helen Roden (8.1 ppg) ranks second in the MWC for scoring by players with five starts or fewer (Aubrey Vandiver, Wyoming--10.9 ppg).
-The senior class of Lorie Butler-Rayford, Moneka Knight, Jenna Lohse, Adrianne Ross and Helen Roden ranks as the fourth-winningest group in program history (110-51 since 2003-04).
-The five seniors have combined for 3,986 points, 1,934 rebounds, 1,113 assists and 770 steals during their careers.
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH (17-15; 4-12 BIG 12)
The Raiders own a 66.7-point season scoring average and are +3.8 ppg in average scoring margin. Rebounding has been one of the team's strengths, as it ranks fourth in the Big 12 with a +4.8 average margin for the season. Tech is holding opponents to only 26.7 percent shooting from 3-point range, although its own season field-goal percentage (41.1) ranked 11th in the Big 12.
Junior forward Dominic Seals leads Texas Tech in both scoring average (14.1) and rebounding (8.5). Seals is the Big 12's fourth-leading rebounder, while her 1.5 blocks per game rank eighth in the conference. Sophomore guard Jordan Murphree is the team's second-leading scorer at 9.7 ppg, while junior guard Maria Moore leads the Raiders with 116 assists (3.6 apg).
TCU ALL-TIME IN POSTSEASON PLAY
Each of the program's last seven seasons ended with NCAA Championship berths. TCU was able to advance to the second round during five of its seven NCAA appearances. This season marks the squad's first-ever berth in the Women's NIT. TCU opened both this season and the 1999-2000 campaign in the Preseason WNIT.
ALL IN THE FAMILY Ronald Ross was a four-year letterwinner for Tech and earned All-America honors as a senior to help his team reach the Sweet 16 round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
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