TCU Hosts Santa Clara on Thursday in Final Conference Contest
1/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2002
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Playing 'Em Close
* After not playing in a game decided by fewer than 10 points in their first eight games, TCU has now been involved in three close contests in their last four outings. The Lady Frogs defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 62-56 on Dec. 18, lost to BYU 74-71 on Dec. 22 and beat Arkansas 60-58 on Dec. 29.
'Tis the Season
* TCU has played well in the month of January over the last two years. The Frogs, who were a perfect 7-0 during January last year, are 1-0 this season. Last year's New Year's Day victory over Brown was the first of 11 straight victories for the Frogs.
Looking to Match History
* A TCU victory would put the Frogs' record at 10-3, matching the best 13-game start in school history. TCU has only started a season 10-3 one time in school history (1997-98). That squad opened with a 10-3 mark before finishing with a 13-15 record. Last year's NCAA Tournament team was 9-4 through 13 games.
Getting Ready For C-USA
* TCU is playing its final nonconference matchup of the year against the Broncos. The Frogs will be competing in Conference USA for the first time ever. C-USA currently has two teams ranked among the top 25 (No. 23 Tulane and No. 25 Cincinnati).
You Want Competition?
* Arkansas was the fifth 2001 NCAA Tournament participant that TCU has played this nonconference season. The Frogs are 3-2 against NCAA tourney foes so far, with wins over Southwest Missouri State, Rutgers and Arkansas and losses to Oklahoma and Oregon.
Tough Losses
* TCU's three losses came against teams with a combined record of 27-9 (.750). The Frogs lost the three games by 10.3 points per contest.
Eighty Is Enough
* TCU has not allowed an opponent to score 80 points in game this season. Just four TCU opponents have reached that mark in the Frogs' last 45 games, dating back to the start of the 2000-01 campaign.
Rejected Time and Time Again
* TCU has recorded a C-USA-best 87 blocked shots in the first 11 games of the season (7.3 per game), including a school-record 15 against Prairie View. Last year, TCU set a school record with 136 blocks on the season (4.1 per contest).
Building Blocks
* Sandora Irvin leads the team with 34 blocked shots and is just eight blocks away from breaking the single-season school record (41 by Tiffany Evans in 2000-01).
Tiffany Tops Charts
* Speaking of Tiffany Evans, the sophomore forward became the school's all-time blocked shot leader on Dec. 22 with her 56th career swat. She broke the record held by former Frogs Janice Thomas and Amy Bumsted (55). It took her just 42 games to become the record holder.
Presiding on The Bench
* TCU's bench has outscored the opposing bench in 10 of 12 games this season. For the year, the Lady Frog bench has nearly doubled the opposing bench's production (360-194).
Don't Call It A Comeback
* TCU has yet to play in a game where the team that trailed at halftime has come back to win. The Frogs are 8-0 when leading at the half, 1-0 when tied at intermission and 0-3 when trailing at the midway point.
Mighty Mittie's Milestones
* Head coach Jeff Mittie notched the 200th victory of his career on 12-29-01 against Arkansas on Dec. 29 and then reached the 50-victory plateau at TCU on Jan. 1 against Montana State.
The Magic Number
* TCU is 7-1 when scoring at least 70 points this season and 2-2 when falling short of the mark. In Coach Mittie's three seasons as head coach, the Frogs are 38-6 (.864) when reaching the 70-point plateau and 12-19 (.387) when failing to do so. In addition, Mittie's TCU teams are 47-6 (.887) when holding opponents under 70 points and 3-19 (.136) when allowing at least 70.
It Was Re-Bound to Happen Sometime
* TCU has been outrebounded just twice this season, by Oklahoma (44-41) and BYU (38-32). TCU is 9-1 when winning the battle of the boards and 0-2 when being outrebounded. On the season, TCU holds a whopping 546-429 advantage on the glass (9.8 per game).
Getting to the Line
* The Frogs have made 246 free throws on the season (246-for-348, .707), while their opponents have attempted just 252 (158-for-252, .627).
Swervin' Irvin
* Sandora Irvin, the first high school All-American to ever play for the Lady Frogs, has been impressive in her first season. She has seven double-doubles on the year and leads the team in rebounding (11.2) and blocked shots (2.8) and is second in scoring (12.3 ppg). She has topped the club in blocks in all but one game and in rebounding in all but two contests.
Safaritova Sparkles
* Kati Safaritova scored a career-high 29 points against Montana State. It was the highest point total by a TCU player since Tricia Payne poured in 32 against SMU on Feb. 9, 2001. Safaritova has led the team in scoring three of the last four games and now is the leading scorer for the season at 12.8 points per game.
