TCU
Oklahoma
OU Pulls Away from TCU in Second Half
11/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2009
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NORMAN, Okla. - Freshman Starr Crawford and junior Helena Sverrisdottir both recorded double-doubles for TCU, but No. 20 Oklahoma was able to pull away from the Frogs in the second half of a 74-70 win Saturday at the Sooners' Lloyd Noble Center.
The loss dropped TCU to 2-1 on the season.
TCU trailed by seven points, 72-65, with 1:13 remaining before rattling off five quick points to cut the lead to a single possession with 13 seconds left. Crawford had a pair of buckets on back-to-back possessions to bookend a pair of missed free throws by OU forward Ali Olajuwon, who filled the role of the Sooners' most consistent offensive threat of the game.
Following Crawford's final basket, which she followed up with a free throw for a 3-point play, Oklahoma guard Danielle Robinson put the game away by making both of her attempts at the charity stripe.
Crawford helped the Frogs fight to game's end and finished with a career-high 19 points and 13 rebounds for her second double-double in three games. The Arlington, Texas, native went 8-of-17 from the field while playing 35 minutes.
Sverrisdottir totaled 14 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and four assists, but she was hounded throughout the game by an OU defense that forced her into committing 10 turnovers. As a team, the Frogs totaled a season-high 24 miscues.
Junior guard TK LaFleur also reached double figures with 13 points.
Olajuwon served as Oklahoma's main offensive weapon, shooting 11-of-15 from the field while scoring a game-high 23 points. Robinson scored 16 points, including 12 in the second half, and dished out a game-high eight assists. Guard Whitney Hand scored 13 points while sinking three shots from 3-point range.
TCU posted a 36-34 halftime lead over the Sooners after a back-and-forth first half that featured five ties and five lead changes. OU hit the floor following the break and immediately changed the complexion of the game with a 10-0 run. An 11-3 TCU run later in the half tied the game back up, but the lead slowly swayed back to the way of the Sooners. Oklahoma held their largest advantage at 67-57 with 4:14 remaining.
The Frogs got out to a fast start to the game, making three of their first five attempts from behind the arc to move ahead by six points in the opening six minutes. OU kept itself in the game by forcing TCU into 10 turnovers in only nine minutes of play before eventually finding its offensive weapon in Olajuwon, who totaled 16 points in the half from her spot on the low block. The Frogs had a tough time matching up with Olajuwon, as OU moved out to a four-point lead, 30-26, with four minutes remaining.
TCU regrouped and finished the half on a 10-4 run to take a 36-34 lead at the half. Crawford had three baskets in the stretch for the Frogs.
The Frogs return to Fort Worth for an 11:30 a.m. Monday matchup with Texas Southern at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
Players Mentioned
