UNLV Next Up for No. 23 Lady Frogs
1/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 22, 2010
Game Notes - UNLV 
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GAME #18
#23/24 TCU (13-4; 3-1 MWC) at UNLV (8-11; 1-4 MWC)
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Saturday, Jan. 23 • 3 p.m. PT • Las Vegas, Nev. • Cox Pavilion (2,500)
Radio: KTCU 88.7 FM; GoFrogs.com • Talent: Jeff Williams (play-by-play)
Internet (GoFrogs.com): Free Live Radio, Live Stats
Series Record vs. UNLV: 11-2 • Last Meeting: March 11, 2009 in Las Vegas (L, 75-84)
TCU Head Coach: Jeff Mittie (Missouri Western, '89) • Record: 228-109 in 11 years at TCU (379-168 overall)
UNLV Head Coach: Kathy Olivier (UNLV, '82) • Record: 22-29 in 2 years at UNLV (254-237 overall)
FORT WORTH--No. 23 TCU returns to action following a weeklong break Saturday when it travels to Las Vegas, Nev., to take on UNLV. Tip-off for the contest, which will be played at the Rebels' Cox Pavilion, has been set for 3 p.m. PT.
The Frogs (13-4; 3-1 MWC) are coming off one of their biggest victories of the season in last Saturday's 80-63 win over first-place San Diego State. The Frogs, which have won eight of nine games since the opening week of December, kept pace at the top of the conference by handing the Aztecs their first MWC loss. TCU is one of three league teams with only one MWC loss along with the SDSU and BYU.
The early success has provided plenty of national respect for TCU, as the squad appeared in this week's recent release of both the Associated Press Top 25 (No. 23) and ESPN/USA Today Poll (No. 22). The last time TCU appeared in both major national polls this late in a season was 2003-04.
UNLV (8-11; 1-4 MWC), which upset the Frogs in the quarterfinal round of last season's MWC Tournament in Las Vegas, enters the game looking to regroup from a Wednesday home loss to Colorado State. The Rebels have dropped five of six since opening the season at 7-6.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the radio throughout the Metroplex on 88.7 KTCU-FM with Jeff Williams (play-by-play) calling the action. A link to an Internet radio feed and live statistics will be available on game day via GoFrogs.com
FROG QUICK NOTES
-A win would give TCU a 4-1 MWC start for the second time (also 2008-09). TCU also opened 5-0 in 2005-06.
-TCU is 9-0 when shooting at least 40.0% from the field.
-Emily Carter is averaging 18.3 ppg in MWC play, which ranks No. 2 among all league players. She leads the league overall in FT shooting (83.1%) and was No. 15 nationally and second in the MWC in 3FG shooting (46.1%) as of Friday.
-TK LaFleur is nearing the 1,000-point milestone, needing only 18 more points to reach the mark.
-Starr Crawford leads the MWC in rebounding both overall (9.5 rpg) and in league-games only (9.8 rpg).
-Helena Sverrisdottir is the only player in school history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists.
-Sverrisdottir is the only player ranked among the MWC's top-15 players in assists (No. 1), steals (No. 4), rebounding (No. 7), scoring (No. 10) and blocked shots (t-No. 13).
-TCU leads the MWC in scoring offense (72.5 ppg), scoring margin (+14.1), rebounds (41.5 rpg), steals (10.8 spg), 3FG defense (26.7%), turnover margin (+5.0 tpg) and offensive rebounds (15.0 rpg).
-TCU entered Friday ranked among the nation's top-50 teams in 13 categories: 3FG defense (17th), turnover margin (23rd), assist:turnover ratio (23rd), 3FG made (29th), scoring margin (32nd), FG defense (36th), steals (38th), assists (38th), win-loss percentage (38th), scoring offense (39th), 3FG shooting (42nd), FT shooting (44th) and fewest turnovers (47th).
-TCU has made at least two 3-pointers in 52 consecutive games, at least one in 142 straight and at least six in all but one game in 2009-10.
INSIDE THE SERIES
TCU owns an 11-2 lead in the all-time series with UNLV that began in 1996-97, TCU's first season in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The Frogs are 7-2 against the Rebels in head coach Jeff Mittie's tenure, with each game coming in MWC play. UNLV snapped a seven-game TCU winning streak by upsetting the Frogs in the quarterfinals of last season's MWC Tournament.
TCU vs. UNLV ALL-TIME SERIES RESULTS
Date Site W/L Score
Feb. 22, 1997 H W 80-49
Feb. 27, 1997 A W 97-67
Jan. 23, 1999 A W 78-62
Feb. 18, 1999 H W (OT) 64-63
Feb. 2, 2006 A L 61-50
Mar. 4, 2006 H W (OT) 82-77
Jan. 3, 2007 H W 88-63
Feb. 3, 2007 A W 75-62
Jan. 29, 2008 A W 56-38
Mar. 1, 2008 H W 87-57
Jan. 10, 2009 A W 66-61
Feb. 10, 2009 H W 75-46
Mar. 11, 2009 N L 75-84
SCOUTING THE UNLV REBELS
UNLV enters Saturday having dropped five of its last six games, including a 66-65 home decision to Colorado State in overtime in its most recent outing Wednesday. The squad went 7-7 in non-conference play, which included losses to current ranked teams No. 14/15 North Carolina (68-78) and No. 7/6 Nebraska (51-73).
Kathy Olivier, in her second season as the Rebels head coach, leads a squad that averages 62.6 points per game while giving up 68.0 per contest. UNLV currently ranks among the top 5 of the MWC in offensive rebounds (No. 4) and total rebounds (No. 5) but is last in average rebounding margin (-4.7).
Two Rebels average double figures in scoring in guards Erica Helms (13.4 ppg) and Kelli Thompson (12.6 ppg). Helms also paces the lineup in assists (3.5 apg) and steals (1.8 spg). The UNLV frontcourt is anchored by forward Jamie Smith, the 2008-09 MWC Freshman of the Year, who ranks among the league leaders in rebounding (No. 3-9.4 rpg) and blocked shots (No. 8-1.1 bpg). Center Sandrine Nzeukou is No. 2 in FG shooting (54.5%).
LAST TIME WE MET: UNLV 84, TCU 75
LAS VEGAS (March 11, 2009)—TCU ran into a buzzsaw in the form of a hot-shooting UNLV squad while dropping an 84-75 decision in the quarterfinals of the 2009 MWC Championships. UNLV, which shot 52.7 percent from the field and made 10-of-23 shots from 3-point range, raced out to a 20-point halftime lead, and TCU was never able to catch up.
Helena Sverrisodottir recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 boards. She added eight assists, finishing only two helpers shy of a triple-double. TK LaFleur led the Frogs in scoring with 19 points and had five 3-pointers, while Shayla Moore chipped in a career-high 13 points, all of which came in the second half.
UNLV was led by a pair of post players who recorded double doubles, Shamela Hampton (21 points, 11 boards) and Jaime Smith (18 points, 11 boards). Shannon Oberg added 13 points and went 3-of-4 from 3-point range, while Allison Holiday also had three treys (3-of-5). India Chaney chipped in 13 points.
UNLV used a 15-0 run to build an 11-point advantage, 20-9, midway through the first half. TCU was held scoreless for seven-plus minutes during the stretch. Smith propelled the Rebels to the big early lead by starting the spurt with a layup and ending it with her first 3-pointer.
TCU was able to cut the lead to only 12 points with 13:21 remaining in the game, but the Rebels responded with a crucial 7-0 run that dashed the Frogs' hopes
RPI UPDATE
COLLEGERPI.COM (as of Jan. 21)
38. TCU, .606 (Schedule Strength: No. 59)
REALTIMERPI.COM (as of Jan. 21)
31. TCU, .615 (Schedule Strength: No. 54)
CARTER FLOURISHES IN MWC PLAY
Emily Carter has made a habit in her career of stepping up her offensive game once the conference schedule has started.
-Carter averages 10.7 ppg for her career (388 in 36 games) in conference games, compared to only 8.7 ppg (392 in 45 games) in non-league action.
-While her overall FG shooting is only slightly better in conference at 41.3% (126-of-305) compared to 41.1% (116-of-282), her success rate from behind the arc is substantially better at 44.4% (68-of-153) compared to 33.6% (47-of-140) in non-league competition.
Players Mentioned
