Frogs Open Junakoo Jam Friday vs. Minnesota
11/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2009
GAME NOTES - JUNKANOO JAM 
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GAME #5
TCU (3-1) vs. MINNESOTA (4-1)
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Friday, Nov. 27 • 11 a.m. ET • Junkanoo Jam • Freeport, Bahamas • St. Georges High School
Radio: KTCU 88.7 FM; GoFrogs.com • Talent: Jeff Williams (play-by-play)
Internet (GoFrogs.com): Free Live Radio
Series Record vs. UM: First Meeting
TCU Head Coach: Jeff Mittie (Missouri Western, '89) • Record: 219-107 in 11 years at TCU (370-166 overall)
UM Head Coach: Pam Borton (Defiance , '87) • Record: 156-74 in 8 years at UM (225-120 overall)
POSSIBLE GAME #6 OPPONENTS
#18/23 KANSAS (3-0) or #9/10 XAVIER (3-0)
Saturday, Nov. 28 • 1 or 3:15 p.m. ET • Junkanoo Jam • Freeport, Bahamas • St. Georges High School
Series Record vs. KU: No Prior Meetings • Series Record vs. XU: No Prior Meetings
KU Head Coach: Bonnie Henrickson (St. Cloud St., '86) • Record: 82-79 in 6 years at KU (240-141 overall)
XU Head Coach: Kevin McGuff (St. Joseph's [Ind.] '92) • Record: 158-66 in 8 years at XU
FREEPORT, Bahamas--TCU takes to the road over the Thanksgiving holiday for the second straight season when it travels to the Bahamas for a pair of games at the Junkanoo Jam, which will be played at St. Georges High School in Freeport. The squad will first face Minnesota at 11 a.m. ET Friday, followed by a matchup against either No. 18/23 Kansas or No. 9/10 Xavier on Friday at 1 or 3:15 p.m. ET.
In its first 33 years of basketball, TCU has never faced Minnesota, Kansas or Xavier.
TCU's opening-round matchup with Minnesota can be heard live on the radio throughout the Metroplex on 88.7 KTCU-FM with Jeff Williams providing the play-by-play action. Williams is in his 12th season as the voice of the Lady Frogs. A link to an Internet radio feed is available at the top of this page.
Fans at home also will be able to watch both of TCU's games this weekend live through the Junkanoo Jam's official webcast. A link to the webcast is available at the top of this page.
FROG QUICK NOTES
-TCU is 8-4 in Thanksgiving holiday tournament play under head coach Jeff Mittie.
-TCU has played outside the contiguous U.S. over Thanksgiving four of the previous five seasons: Mexico (2008-09, 2005-06), Puerto Rico (2006-07) and Hawaii (2004-05).
-Under Jeff Mittie, TCU is 4-1 against members of the Big Ten, 5-12 vs. the Big 12 and 11-3 vs. the Atlantic 10.
-TCU has 14 wins over ranked teams in Jeff Mittie's tenure.
-TCU has played at least three ranked teams in its non-conference slate each of the last five seasons. The Frogs will play three such squads in 2009 according to the latest polls.
-Eight of 10 Frogs who have seen action this season average at least 6.5 points per game.
-TCU has hit at least six 3-pointers in each game.
SCOUTING THE MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS
Minnesota enters the weekend with a 4-1 record after downing North Dakota State at home on Tuesday. The Golden Gophers, who suffered their only loss of the season to Utah (60-59 in Salt Lake City), also own wins over Lamar, Illinois-Chicago and Colorado. The Big Ten coaches picked the team to finish third in the league during the preseason.
Head Coach Pam Borton's team returns four starters from last year's squad that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gophers averaged 81.2 ppg through its opening four contests of this season. Sophomore Kiara Buford leads the team in scoring (17.8 ppg), while center Ashley Ellis-Milan also averages double figures (15.2 ppg).
SCOUTING THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS
Kansas returns four starters from last season's team that reached the championship game of the WNIT before finishing with a 22-14 overall record. The squad, coached by Bonnie Henrickson, rallied from a 2-9 mark in Big 12 Conference play to finish in seventh place with a 6-10 mark.
KU, currently ranked No. 18 by the Associated Press and No. 23 by the coaches, is 3-0 to start this season with wins over Oral Roberts, Iowa and Michigan.
Returning All-Big 12 First Team member Danielle McCray, an All-American candidate at guard, leads the Jayhawks in scoring this season at 19.3 ppg, with additional averages of 9.0 rpg and 3.7 apg. Three other Jayhawks also average double figures in scoring: guard Sade Morris (16.0 ppg), forward Aishah Sutherland (16.0 ppg) and center Krysten Boogaard (12.7 ppg). Sutherland is the team's leading rebounder (10.0 rpg).
SCOUTING THE XAVIER MUSKETEERS
Xavier, currently ranked No. 9 by the Associated Press and No. 10 by the coaches, won the Atlantic 10 championship last season with a 13-1 record (25-7 overall) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. Head Coach Kevin McGuff's team returns three starters in 2009-10.
The Musketeers are off to a 3-0 start to the season after posting victories over USC, Arizona State and Mississippi Valley State.
Four players average double digits in scoring early this season in forward Amber Harris (14.7 ppg), guard Katie Rutan (13.0 ppg), center Ta'Shia Phillips (12.0 ppg) and forward April Phillips (11.7 ppg). Three players have pulled down at least eight rebounds per game in Phillips (8.7 rpg), Harris (8.3 rpg) and Ta'Shia Phillips (8.0 rpg). Guard Special Jennings paces the Musketeers in assists (4.7 apg).
CRAWFORD NAMED MWC POW
Starr Crawford was named Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Week Monday for her efforts on the court last week. Crawford shared the honor with UNLV sophomore forward Jaime Smith.
Crawford put up two solid performances against a pair of 2009 NCAA Tournament qualifiers in Fresno State and No. 20 Oklahoma. She averaged 12.5 points, 15.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game while helping lead the Lady Frogs to a split of the two games. Two career highs highlighted her week, as she pulled down 17 boards against Fresno State and had 19 points on the road at OU.
2009-10 MWC Players of the Week:
Nov. 16--Kim Mestdagh, So., F., Colorado State
Nov. 23--Starr Crawford, Fr., F, TCU; Jamie Smith, So., F, UNLV
TCU BALANCING SCORING EARLY
TCU has seen its scoring come from a variety of areas early this season with eight individuals averaging at least 6.5 ppg, including four players in double figures: Helena Sverrisdottir (13.5 ppg), Starr Crawford (11.8 ppg), TK LaFleur (11.0 ppg), Delisa Gross (10.3), Emily Carter (9.0 ppg), Eboni Mangum (8.8 ppg), Chantelle John (6.7 ppg) and Rachel Rentschler (6.5 ppg).
Last season, the Frogs relied heavily on five players who averaged 6.1 ppg or better, all starters: Sverrisdottir (15.8 ppg), LaFleur (14.7 ppg), Carter (11.4 ppg), Rentschler (7.7 ppg) and Micah Garoutte (6.1 ppg). Mangum averaged 6.4 ppg, but missed the season' final half with a knee injury.
Players Mentioned
