TCU to Host BYU in Battle of MWC Unbeatens
1/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 12, 2009
GAME #16
TCU (10-5; 2-0 MWC) vs. BYU (11-2; 1-0 MWC)
Fort Worth, Texas | Daniel-Meyer Coliseum (7,201) | Tuesday, Jan. 13 • 6:30 p.m.
Television: The Mtn. (DirecTV Ch. 616) | Talent: Erin Bajackson (play-by-play), Andrea Lloyd (color)
Radio: KTCU (88.7 FM), gofrogs.com | Talent: Jeff Williams (play-by-play), Jeff Lewis (color)
Series Record vs. BYU: 5-7 | Last Meeting: March 8, 2008 in Provo, Utah (W, 72-61)
FORT WORTH--Looking to keep pace with the leaders of the Mountain West Conference standings, TCU plays host to fellow league unbeaten BYU Tuesday evening at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The 6:30 p.m. matchup will be televised by The Mountain West Sports Network (The Mtn.), which is available nation-wide on DirecTV channel 616.
The Lady Frogs have their sights set on their third 3-0 conference start in four seasons as a member of the MWC. The squad is fresh off a perfect 2-0 road trip to open league play last week, as it earned wins at both Colorado State and UNLV on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively. The road effort marked the first time since 2004-05, and the fourth time overall during Head Coach Jeff Mittie's tenure, that the Frogs have opened conference play with consecutive victories on the road.
TCU looks to be excited to begin a two-game homestand after its recent road marathon that featured nine of 10 contests outside Fort Worth. The Frogs' only home game since Nov. 25 was a Dec. 30 setback to SMU, and they own a 5-1 record this season at the DMC. Dating back to last season, the squad is 11-1 in its last 12 home games and has won five straight MWC matchups at the DMC.
TCU is 5-7 all-time against BYU and 3-4 since joining the MWC prior to the 2005-06 season. The Frogs have won each of the last three meetings after the Cougars took the first four games as league rivals. TCU's two wins in 2007-08 marked its first-ever season sweep of BYU. The teams share only one common opponent this season, as both opened league play with victories over Colorado State.
Tuesday's game will be TCU's fourth television appearance of the season and third on The Mtn. Erin Bajackson (play-by-play) and Andrea Lloyd (color) will serve as talent for the broadcast. The contest also can be heard live on the radio throughout the Metroplex on 88.7 KTCU-FM with the team of Jeff Williams (play-by-play) and Jeff Lewis (color) calling the action. A link to the live stream of the same radio broadcast can be found on GoFrogs.com, while a link to a live stats feed will also be offered on TCU's official web site.
FROG QUICK NOTES
-TCU is looking for its fourth 3-0 start in conference play in the last five seasons.
-TCU has won five straight conference home openers and seven of nine under Head Coach Jeff Mittie.
-TCU has won five straight conference home games since a Jan. 26, 2008 loss to Utah.
-TCU ranks among the top-10 teams nationally in 3-point FG percentage (No. 3) and fewest turnovers per game (No. 5).
-TCU leads the Mountain West Conference in scoring (74.2 ppg), 3-point FG percentage (40.7%), 3-point FG percentage defense (26.4%), 3-pointers per game (7.27 3pg), assist/turnover ratio (1.09) and fewest turnovers per game (13.4 tpg).
-TCU is the only program in the nation with two wins against teams ranked among the national polls' top 5.
-TCU's current turnover average (13.4 tpg) is on pace to break the school-record low of 16.0 set in 2006-07.
-TCU has totaled 10 turnoversor fewer four times this season, compared to only twice in 2007-08.
-TCU has appeared in the Associated Press Top 25 poll five of 10 weeks this season and three of nine weeks in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, with high positions of Nos. 19 and 22, respectively.
-Despite having taken 61 fewer field-goal attempts from the field this season than its opponents, TCU has made 20 more shots (a 42.5 to 37.8 advantage in percentage). The stat also holds true for 3-pointers, as the Frogs have 16 more buckets despite 84 fewer attempts than the opponent (a 40.7 to 26.4 percent advantage).
-TCU is 2-2 this season against ranked teams and 3-4 against 2007-08 NCAA Tournament qualifiers.
-Helena Sverrisdottir is the only player ranked among the MWC's top 10-players in scoring (No. 5), rebounding (No. 7), assists (No. 2) and steals (No. 9).
-Emily Carter is averaging 18.3 ppg over the last three contests after entering the SMU game with a 7.8 average.
-Newcomers have accounted for 50.7 percent of TCU's offense this season (564 of 1,113 points).
-The returning TCU roster features only 31.8 percent of the scoring totals, 31.1 percent of rebounding and 24.5 of assists recorded by last season's team.
SCOUTING THE BYU COUGARS
Heach Coach Jeff Judkins has BYU on the path to turnaround after his squad went 13-16 in 2007-08 for the first non-winning record in his first seven seasons. The Cougars, which feature two returning starters from last season and six newcomers, have suffered losses to only Portland State and top-ranked UConn in 2008-09. Included among the squad's win total are victories over Pac-10 powers Oregon and USC.
BYU has leaded on solid team defense to its fast start, as it ranks second in the MWC in scoring defense (57.8 ppg), 3-point field-goal percentage (27.3 percent) and steals (9.62 spg). The squad has scored 63.7 ppg, which ranks sixth in the league.
Senior Shawnee Slade leads the Cougar scoring attack with a 12.2 ppg average, while sophomore guard Mindy Nielson (10.7 ppg) also averages double figures. Nielson also paces the squad in assists (3.69 apg) while ranking fourth among all MWC players. BYU's leader on the glass is senior center Cassie King (5.7 rpg), who also leads the conference in field-goal percentage (61.5 percent).
HOME SWEET HOME AT THE DMC
Much of TCU's success over the past few years can be directly related to its ability to defend the home court. The Lady Frogs are 21-3 at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in their three seasons in MWC play, which is tied for the lead among all MWC teams during the period.
-TCU is 40-5 in its last 45 games overall held at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The squad's 15-3 record at the DMC last season tied the 2006-07 squad for most home wins in school history.
-TCU's 15-1 home record in 2006-07 was good for a program-record 93.7 percent winning percentage.
-The Lady Frogs own a 124-28 (.816) home record since Jeff Mittie's arrival prior to the 1999-2000 season.
CARTER NAMED MWC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Emily Carter, Helena Sverrisdottir and TK LaFleur each have been named Mountain West Conference Players of the Week this season by the league office. Lady Frogs were honored three times during the entire 2007-08 season.
Carter earned her first career league award Monday after helping lead TCU to road wins over Colorado State and UNLV. She hit six 3-pointers on her way to a career-high 24 point-, nine-rebound effort against the Rams, followed by a 16-point performance at UNLV.
Sverrisdottir shared the Dec. 8 award, the third of her career, with Air Force guard Raimee Beck after helping lead TCU to the team's second upset victory this season over a No. 3-ranked team at Cal, 82-73. She earned tournament MVP honors at the Collier's International Classic following the win over the Golden Bears.
LaFleur was tabbed on Nov. 17 following TCU's season-opening victory over No. 3 Maryland, when she scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Frog offensive attack. She broke her previous single-game best by 12 points.
Players Mentioned
