TCU to Clash With SMS on Saturday
12/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 13, 2001
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Keeping Their Distance
* TCU has yet to play in a game decided by fewer than 10 points this season. An 11-point victory over Rutgers (78-67) is the Frogs' closest contest this year. TCU's average margin of victory this season is 49 points and average loss is 14 points.
Setting the Record Straight
* Due to an error on page 9 of the 2002 Women's NCAA Basketball Records Manual, the TCU Lady Frogs did not set an NCAA record for their defensive effort when the team held Prairie View to seven first-half points on Nov. 30. Tulane owns the record by limiting South Florida to just six points on Jan. 12, 2001. It was, however, the second-fewest ever allowed in a half in Division I.
But These Records Stand
* The 23 total points that Prairie View scored were the fewest ever allowed by a Conference USA team and the 80-point victory margin was the second-largest in C-USA annals. In addition, TCU established school marks for blocked shots (15), fewest points allowed in a half (7), fewest points allowed in a game (23) and largest margin of victory (80).
The Swat Team
* TCU has recorded a C-USA-best 52 blocked shots in the first six games of the season (7.4 per game), including a school-best 15 against Prairie View A&M. Last year, TCU set a school record with 136 blocks on the season (4.1 per contest). Sandora Irvin leads the way with 22.
Getting Defensive
* Just three of seven opponents have scored more than 50 points against TCU this season. In addition, the Frogs have held four teams under 34 percent shooting.
It Was Re-Bound to Happen Sometime
* TCU has been outrebounded just once this season, by third-rated Oklahoma (44 to 41). On the season, TCU holds a whopping 325-245 advantage on the glass (11.4 per game).
From Way Downtown
* After struggling mightily from three-point range in the first four games of the season (20-for-72, .278), TCU has connected on 23 of 49 long-range shots (.469) in the last three games.
Hitting the Century Mark
* TCU has reached the 100-point plateau twice at home this season (vs. Sam Houston State-117, vs. Prairie View-103). Against Prairie View, TCU recorded its 10th 100-point game in school history. In addition, it was the 18th time that a Jeff Mittie team has reached the century mark.
Good Ol' Texas Heat
* Through four home games and three road games, the Frogs are averaging 93.3 points per game at home and 64.7 per game on the road.
Safaritova Shows Her Stuff
* After being held under double digits in scoring three consecutive games for the first time in her career, senior Kati Safaritova broke out with a team-high 23 points against Rutgers. She also added six rebounds and two assists to earn Conference USA Co-Player of the Week honors. She became the first Lady Frog ever to be honored by C-USA.
The Magic Number
* TCU is 5-0 when scoring at least 70 points this season and 0-2 when falling short of the mark. In Coach Mittie's three seasons as head coach, the Frogs are 36-5 (.878) when reaching the 70-point plateau and 10-19 (.345) when failing to do so. In addition, Mittie's TCU teams are 43-6 (.878) when holding opponents under 70 points and 3-18 (.143) when allowing at least 70.
Put Me In Coach
* Candace Baldwin, Tiffany Evans, Ebony Shaw and Sandora Irvin each made their first career start against Sam Houston, while Ashanti Nix had the first of her career at Oregon and Grace Gantt made her debut against Prairie View. Heading into the season, only Kati Safaritova (32 starts in 2000-01) had started at TCU.
"Sand" Rules the Castle
* Sandora Irvin, the first high school All-American to ever play for the Lady Frogs, has been impressive in her first seven collegiate outings. In the opener, she fell just two rebounds shy of the first 20-20 effort in school history, finishing with 22 points and 18 rebounds in just 21 minutes of play. She has four double-doubles on the season and leads the team in scoring (13.7 ppg), rebounding (11.6) and blocked shots (3.1).
Drawing Up the X's and O's
* TCU head coach Jeff Mittie owns a .704 winning percentage (197-83) for his career and has averaged an impressive 21.3 wins per season over nine previous years. Cheryl Burnett sports a 306-126 (.708) record in 14 seasons as the head coach at SMS (21.6 per season). Mittie is 0-3 lifetime against Burnett and Southwest Missouri State, including 0-1 at TCU.
Benchmark Team
* TCU's bench has outscored the opposing bench in six of the seven games this season. For the season, the Lady Frog bench owns an amazing 228-90 advantage in point production.
Making Her Point
* TCU senior Ashanti Nix is leading the team in minutes (28.9), assists (4.0) and steals (2.7). She came off the bench in all 33 games last year and the first two games of this season, but has started the last five games at point guard.
Payne-ful Beginning
* TCU senior guard Tricia Payne, last year's team MVP, suffered a torn ACL in her left knee less than 30 minutes into the first practice of the year and will miss the entire 2001-02 season.
