TCU
Fresno State
TCU Shuts Down Bulldogs in Second Half
11/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2009
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FORT WORTH—TCU struggled much of the night offensively before pulling away in the second half, 63-52, during a tough defensive victory over Fresno State Wednesday at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The Frogs limited the Bulldogs to only 19 points in the second period to help pull out the win after trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half.
TCU improved to 2-0 for the ninth time in school history and second straight season with the victory.
Junior guard Helena Sverrisdottir led TCU with 15 points and a game-high seven assists. Eleven of the Iceland native's total came as the Frogs pulled away in the second half. Freshman forward Delisa Gross added 14 points, including nine in a three-minute stretch of the first half to help her team overcome its early deficit. Senior guard TK LaFleur totaled 13 points. Like Sverrisdottir, LaFleur had 11 after intermission.
Freshman forward Starr Crawford proved to be a one-person wrecking crew on the glass Wednesday night, as she pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds, the most for a Frog in three seasons (Lorie Butler-Rayford, 19 rebounds vs. New Mexico, Jan. 24, 2007). Twelve of the Arlington, Texas, native's total was recorded in the second half.
Three Bulldogs scored in double figures. Guard Jaleesa Ross totaled 15 points and nine boards while drilling three 3-pointers. Center LaShay Fears scored 11, and forward Joh-Teena Filipe totaled 10 points.
Fresno State jumped out quick from the opening tip, running to a 21-8 lead in the game's opening 10 minutes on the strength of a long-range offense that helped the team lead the nation a year ago in 3-pointers made per game (9.4 3pg). The Bulldogs attempted 13 of their first 16 shots Wednesday from behind the arc.
TCU eventually found its defensive footing and locked down on the squad. Fresno, which made five treys in the first 12 minutes, sank none of its final 17 attempts during the remainder of the contest.
The Frogs played off their defense to work their way back into the game. The squad forced five Bulldog turnovers and made five of eight shots on the offensive end to fuel a 13-0 run that pushed it to a 25-23 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first. Gross, playing in only her second college game, came up big for the Frogs during the run, scoring nine of TCU's points on a pair of layups, a 3-pointer and two free throws.
Fresno was able to regain a three-point edge at intermission, 33-30, and finished the period shooting 51.9 percent from the floor compared to only 33.3 percent for TCU.
The second half was a different story. The Frogs held the Bulldogs to only 1-of-17 shooting from the field to start the period while slowly pulling out to a six-point advantage. A long jumper by Rosie Moult with 9:02 to go marked only Fresno's second field goal in the half, and its first in more than 10 minutes.
Leading by only four, TCU went to its veterans to put the game away. Sverrisdottir and LaFleur combined to score 11 points that boosted the Frogs to a 55-43 lead with just 4:36 to play. Fresno responded by cutting the advantage to eight, but a crucial LaFleur trey—her third of the half—all but killed the Bulldogs' comeback hopes.
TCU hits the road for the first time this season Saturday, when it takes on No. 20 Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. Tip-off from OU's Lloyd Noble Center is scheduled for 2 p.m. Due to the TCU football game at Wyoming being played at the same time, the women's basketball game will be streamed live via the internet and air tape-delayed on KTCU 88.7 FM following the Frog football game.
Players Mentioned
