TCU
UNLV
TCU topples UNLV with explosive second half
2/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2007
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Adrianne Ross scored a game-high 25 points to go with a school-record 10 steals and Ashley Davis scored 21 points to lead TCU to its third straight victory over UNLV with a 75-62 win on Saturday at Cox Pavilion.
After starting the game just 3-of-22 from the field and trailing by as many as eight points in the first half, TCU (17-7, 6-3 Mountain West Conference) went on a 29-6 run in the second half to bury the Lady Rebels (10-11, 4-5 MWC).
"I thought we did some good things tonight," head coach Jeff Mittie said. "We played aggressive and we had a good team effort."
The road win for TCU snapped a three-game slide away from Daniel-Meyer Coliseum and was the Lady Frogs' first win on the road since topping Air Force 87-61 on Jan. 11. The win also avenged last season's 61-50 loss in Las Vegas.
The difference between the first half and second half was night and day for the Lady Frogs, who shot a robust 58.6 percent in the second half after shooting just 25.9 percent in the first half. TCU also trailed UNLV by eight, 21-13, with 2:58 to play in the half.
Ross' double-double was the second of her career. Her 10 steals topped the previous school record of nine that was held by Teresia Hudson, who had nine steals against Arkansas on Jan. 9, 1988.
Davis scored 19 of her 21 points in the second half and hit 4-of-9 three-pointers. Also scoring in double figures for TCU was Hanna Biernacka with 11 and Las Vegas native Moneka Knight had 12. The 12 points by Knight was a season high.
TCU tied a season high by forcing 28 turnovers and capitalized on the turnovers by outscoring UNLV 35-11 on takeaways.
Trailing by two at the half, 23-21, TCU was unable to capitalize on its 10-5 run to end the half, as the Lady Rebels scored the first five points of the half to go up 28-21. However, TCU quickly answered by posting a 29-6 run to take a 52-37 lead.
TCU was able to take its first lead since leading 5-2 after capping the run with a three-pointer by Ashley Davis that gave TCU a 33-32 lead. The three-pointer also marked the 42nd straight game she has made a three-pointer.
With TCU leading 54-39, UNLV answered by scoring nine of the next 11 points to pull within eight, 56-48 with just over six minutes to play, but that would be as close as the Lady Rebels would get.
After starting the game just 3-of-22 from the field and enabling UNLV to take an 18-11 lead, TCU was able to use a 10-5 run to close the half and pull within two points, 23-21, after Ross buried a three-pointer at the buzzer from the right wing.
TCU closed the half by hitting four of its final five shots. The 21 points in one half was the lowest of the season by the Lady Frogs. The previous low was 22 against Houston on Nov. 22.
TCU finished the half just 7-of-27 (25.9 percent) from the field, while UNLV hit 11-of-27 shots (40.7 percent). TCU's shooting woes carried over to the charity stripe where it made 4-of-11 in the first half.
Ross led TCU at the break with 10 points, while UNLV was paced by Shamela Hampton's 11 points.
UNLV had three players post double-doubles and were led by Sequoia Holmes' 18 points.
TCU will conclude its three-game road trip on Wednesday when the Lady Frogs play at Colorado State at 8 p.m. CT.
