Women's Hoops Picked Second in Preseason C-USA Poll
10/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 25, 2004
FORT WORTH, TexasThe TCU women's basketball team has been selected to finish second in Conference USA in 2004-05 according to the league's preseason coaches' poll. DePaul was picked to win the conference with 11 first-place votes. Houston was third, while Louisville and Marquette tied for fourth. Charlotte was chosen sixth, followed by Memphis, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Tulane, UAB, Southern Miss and Saint Louis.
The Lady Frogs were the preseason favorites last year and concluded the season second to Houston. TCU also lost to the Cougars in the C-USA Tournament championship game. The Purple and White finished last season with a 25-7 record and was 11-3 in the conference. TCU was one of four C-USA teams to win a first-round NCAA Championship game in 2004 before exiting in round two.
Senior forward Sandora Irvin was also selected to the preseason all-conference team for the third consecutive year. Irvin is on the watch lists for the 2005 State Farm Wade Trophy and Wooden Award. She became the first all-American in school history last season when she earned honorable mention status from The Associated Press and Kodak/WBCA. Irvin averaged 16.8 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game to lead the Lady Frogs last year.
"This could potentially be a very strong year for our league," TCU head coach Jeff Mittie said. "It will be much like it has been the past three or four years where almost anyone can win it. There should be several teams competing for postseason bids at the end of the year.
"TCU being picked second is a reflection of what we've done in the past. We have a lot of question marks on our team, but this team has more upside to it than any other since I've been here. Right now, we're focused on our non-conference schedule."
TCU opens the 2004-05 season Nov. 5 with a home exhibition game against Basketball Travelers International at 7 p.m. CST in Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The Lady Frogs' first regular season home game is slated for Nov. 22 versus Sam Houston State at 7 p.m.
2004-05 PRESEASON C-USA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL POLL (FIRST PLACE VOTES)
1. DePaul (11)
2. TCU (2)
3. Houston (1)
4. Louisville
Marquette
6. Charlotte
7. Memphis
8. USF
9. Cincinnati 10. East Carolina
11. Tulane
12. UAB
13. Southern Miss
14. Saint Louis
2004-05 PRESEASON ALL-C-USA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM
Jazz Covington (Louisville)
Jessica Dickson (USF)
Sandora Irvin (TCU)
Sancho Lyttle (Houston)
Charlene Smith (DePaul)
Khara Smith (DePaul)*
* Player of the Year
