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TCU women's basketball season in review
April 8, 2008
The TCU women's basketball team recorded its seventh 20-win campaign in the last eight seasons while putting together a 23-12 record in 2007-08. The Lady Frogs overcame a slow start on their way to a second-place finish in the Mountain West Conference--the program's highest since joining the league three seasons ago. At one point following a 5-7 start, the Frogs won as many as 13 of 15 games and finished the season with 18 victories in their last 23 games.
Head Coach Jeff Mittie led TCU to a 13-3 conference mark, which tied for the most league wins in program history. The team qualified for post-season play for the eighth straight season and reached the quarterfinal round of the Women's NIT before bowing out to Colorado in overtime. Included in the Frogs' WNIT run was a third-round victory over Texas Tech that marked the school's first-ever win over the Lady Raiders in 38 chances.
A group of five seniors--Lorie Butler-Rayford, Moneka Knight, Jenna Lohse, Helen Roden and Adrianne Ross--finished its Frog tenure with 111 wins, which tied for the second-most in program history over a five-year period.
LADY FROGS MAKE MWC RUN
THREE FROGS NAMED ALL-MWC
Ross, who was named Second-Team All-MWC, earned her third straight all-conference nod, while Butler-Rayford claimed her second career all-conference honor with a selection to the All-MWC Third Team.
Sverrisdottir, in addition to being anointed honorable-mention All-MWC, became only the second player in program history to garner league Freshman-of-the-Year honors.
GOING STREAKING
*The streak was TCU's longest since a nine-game stretch in 2005-06 and ranks tied for fourth overall among the team's all-time winning streaks. The all-time record of 11 was set in 2000-01.
*TCU's seven straight league victories marked the program's most since that 2000-01 winning streak, which featured 10 of the 11-straight wins recorded in-conference.
FROG `D' CLAMPS DOWN
*TCU allowed 42 points or fewer in a game four times, which marked a new single-season program record. The Frogs previously had allowed 42 points or fewer three times during three campaigns: 2004-05, 2001-02 and 2000-01. There have been 22 games in school history when TCU has allowed 42 points or fewer, with 17 coming in the last nine years under Jeff Mittie.
*TCU set a school record Feb. 20 at Colorado State with its seventh straight game allowing 59 points or fewer. The previous record of six straight contests was posted in 1978-79, when the program was still a member of TAIAW Div. II.
*The squad's final opponent scoring average of 60.1 points per game ranked second only to the 2001-02 team's record of 58.6.
WINNING BIG IN '07-08
TCU's lone single-digit wins this season came against New Mexico (twice-three points, eight points) and Texas Tech (seven points).
FROGS DOWN TWO RANKED FOES
The Frogs posted one of the most impressive wins in program history during a 97-63 win over No. 20/23 Oklahoma State, which entered the contest undefeated on the season at 7-0. The final margin of 34 points easily surpassed the program's previous highest against a ranked squad, 20 points (73-53) vs. No. 12/11 DePaul on Feb. 22, 2004.
TCU also defeated a ranked Wyoming squad (No. 22/22) on Feb. 13 by a 73-59 score that marked the fourth-highest victory margin in school history against a rated team. The Frogs have now downed at least one ranked opponent each of the last six seasons.
ROAD SWEET ROAD
TCU went 7-2 in its last nine games away from home to help rebound from an 0-6 start in such contests. TCU's Feb. 20 road victory at Colorado State marked its fifth straight win away from Fort Worth, matching the program record. The Frogs also won five straight road games during both the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.
ROSS HITS MILESTONES
The Hobbs, N.M., native cracked the career steals standard, formerly held by Rachel Hesse (1989-93), during the Jan. 4 win over UT Arlington. She entered the game only two behind Hesse on TCU's all-time list and passed her with her 285th steal with 7:26 remaining in the second half. Ross boasts a career steals average of 2.5 per game and also owns the TCU single-game record of 10.
Ross broke former teammate Ebony Shaw's career games played mark during TCU's first-round MWC Tourney win over Air Force with her 131st career appearance. Moneka Knight finished her career tied for second place on the same list.
Ross set a new field-goal attempts record during TCU's MWC Tournament semifinal loss to San Diego State on March 14 with her 1,504th career shot.
JOINING THE CLUB
Eight of the 10 members of the Lady Frogs' 1,000-point club have played for Head Coach Jeff Mittie, with the lone exceptions of Janice Dziuk (1986-90) and Leah Garcia (1994-98).
TCU's 1,000-Point Club: Sandora Irvin (1,892), Adrianne Ross (1,725), Janice Dziuk (1,448), Jill Sutton (1,300), Ashley Davis (1,291), Tricia Payne (1,178), Amy Porter (1,166), Ebony Shaw (1,156), Leah Garcia (1,151) and Lorie Butler-Rayford (1,033).
Butler-Rayford also finished her career with 817 rebounds, which ranks No. 2 all-time among Lady Frogs to former teammate Irvin.
SCORING EXPLOSION
SENIORS CLOSE OUT BRILLIANT FIVE-YEAR RUN
FRESHMEN STAND TALL IN FIRST SEASONS
In addition to Sverrisdottir, who made 33 starts while finishing as the program's highest-scoring freshman since Sandora Irvin in 2002-03, Micah Garoutte also became a regular starter during the season's second half. Garoutte helped boost TCU to a 15-4 record during the final 19 games that saw her make 17 starts. Emily Carter, who sat out the 2006-07 season as a redshirt, started a total of two contests and went on to average 5.4 points per game off the TCU bench.
SENIOR INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Lorie Butler-Rayford (11.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)--Butler-Rayford also made TCU history by finishing second on the program's career rebounding list after pacing the Frogs in boards for the second straight season. She was the team's only other double-figure scorer and set career single-season bests for both points and rebounds. Butler-Rayford, who collected five double-doubles on the season, finished her career as the 10th member of Lady Frog 1,000-point club.
Moneka Knight (6.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.0 apg)--Knight experienced her best season at TCU as a senior, setting career highs in games started, points, rebounds, assists, steals and field-goal percentage. She concluded her career in a tie for second on the school's career games played chart with 130 appearances and made a career-high 30 starts as a senior. Knight led the Lady Frogs in assists a team-high 13 times.
Helen Roden (8.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg)--Roden led a TCU bench that ranked as one of the team's major strengths during the season. Her scoring average was the second-highest for any conference player with five or fewer starts during the year, and she scored in double figures a reserve-best 11 times. Roden also led the team in assists seven times as a senior.
Jenna Lohse (3.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.4 spg)--Lohse made nine starts during her final season and scored in double figures three times, including her last game against Colorado in the WNIT. Her eight offensive rebounds at UNLV on Jan. 29 ranked as the second-most among all Mountain West Conference players during the season.
JUNIOR INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
SOPHOMORE INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Danielle Nunn (6.2 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.0 apg)--Nunn played in each game and provided the Lady Frogs with a solid scoring option off the bench. She ranked fifth on the team in scoring average and reached the free-throw line 100 times, which marked the second-highest total on the team. Nunn posted double-figure scoring totals in eight games, including a season-best 13 points against Fresno State on Nov. 28.
FRESHMAN INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Micah Garoutte (3.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.5 bpg)--Garoutte entered the starting lineup midway through the campaign and went on to start 17 of the final 19 games, helping TCU run off a 15-4 record to end the season. The 6-2 forward totaled three double-figure scoring efforts, including a 12-point outburst during TCU's MWC Tournament semifinal loss to San Diego State that also saw her collect a career-high five blocked shots.
Helena Sverrisdottir (9.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.5 apg)--Sverrisdottir experienced one of the top freshman seasons in program history, as she started in 33 of 35 games while finishing as TCU's top scoring freshman since Sandora Irvin in 2001-02. Sverrisdottir put her all-around skills to work and ended the season as the lone freshman to appear in the MWC rankings for scoring (21st), rebounds (12th) and assists (14th). The 6-1 guard became only the second Lady Frog ever to earn league Freshman of the Year honors.
LOOKING AHEAD
While the Frogs will look replace five key seniors in 2008-09, plenty of talent remains in the program. Micaela Younger will lead a young group into next season as the team's only senior. Helena Sverrisdottir and Micah Garoutte, starters as freshmen this season, return to the fold, while juniors Danielle Nunn and Shayla Moore and sophomore Emily Carter will vie for starting positions after previously contributing off the bench.
Three redshirts transfers--Chantelle John, TK LaFluer and Eboni Mangum--also will be eligible to hit the court for the first time as Lady Frogs, in addition to a large early signing class featuring five players.
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