TCU
Syracuse (San Juan Shootout)
Lady Frogs top Syracuse at San Juan Shootout
12/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2006
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - After overcoming a faulty first half shooting performance and utilizing an entire team effort, the TCU women's basketball team (7-4) defeated Syracuse (6-6), 74-53, Wednesday night at Mario Morales Coliseum.
The contest was the first of two round robin games for the Lady Frogs at the 2006 San Juan Shootout; TCU will face No. 17 DePaul Thursday night.
"We played very poor during the first half," TCU head coach Jeff Mittie said. "We competed much harder during the first 10-12 minutes of the second half. However, we have to improve our focus and discipline if we want to win big games. This was not a very good performance tonight."
Junior forward Lorie Butler-Rayford had nine points, 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal and no turnovers to lead the Lady Frogs. The game marked the fifth time this season and the 11th time in her career that Butler-Rayford had a double-figure rebounding game. Senior guard Ashley Davis paced all scorers with 18 points and junior guard Adrianne Ross added 15, respectively. The duo also pulled down six boards apiece.
Midway through the first half, TCU hit only 2-of-13 shots during an eight-minute stretch as the Orange took a 23-16 lead. The Lady Frogs answered, scoring 10 of the next 11 points right before halftime. The two teams traded baskets before the break and TCU led 28-26 at the intermission.
The Lady Frogs shot 35.7 percent (10-28) in the opening period and allowed Syracuse to score just six field goals (6-25, 24.0 percent). However, the Orange hit 11-of-18 free throws in the first period, while TCU made it to the free throw line just five times. After making three treys, Davis paced the Lady Frogs with 12 first-half points.
TCU opened the second half strong, scoring the first 13 points after halftime to expand its lead to 15 points (41-26). Nearly five and a half minutes into the second stanza, SU's Nicole Michael made a layup to end the Orange's drought.
Syracuse teetered with the Lady Frogs and cut the lead to just 10 at 47-37 with 9:16 remaining. However, the Purple and White wouldn't let Syracuse any closer as TCU recorded 10 of the next 12 points to take full control of the game.
TCU hit 43.4 percent (23-53) for the game and connected on 22 free throws (of 29).
Senior forward Hanna Biernacka had eight points and junior guard Helen Roden tallied four assists.
Fantasia Goodwin and Vada Sipaviciute paced Syracuse with 15 points each.
TCU will face DePaul at 5 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, Dec. 21. The game will mark the fourth time this season the Lady Frogs have faced a Top 25 opponent.
