TCU Hosts UC Irvine in Non-Conference Finale
12/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU women's basketball team returns to action following a nine-day break to play host to UC Irvine in the non-conference finale at 7 p.m., on Tuesday at the University Recreation Center. Tickets can be purchased on a walk-up basis for just $5 at the ticket window.
FOLLOW LIVE
Fans can listen to Tuesday's contest on the radio broadcast on KTCU 88.7 and FrogVision with Russell Scott and Ashley Robinson on the call, as well as viewing the contest on FrogVision.
For live updates, fans can follow @tcuwbasketball on Twitter or by viewing GameTracker.
THE OPPONENT
UC Irvine enters Tuesday's non-conference finale with a 2-11 overall record, topping Denver in its last action on Dec. 21.
The Anteaters are averaging nearly 56 points per contest through the opening 13 games, while the opposition is scoring over 73 points while shooting 40 percent from the field compared to UCI's 34-percent clip.
UCI is led by sophomore forward Mokun Fajemisin, who paces the squad with 11.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest while shooting 41 percent from the field. Senior forward Methlyn Onogomuho has added 8.2 points and 6.7 boards, while junior guard Raelyn Cheung-Sutton is handing out 4.3 assists per game.
THE SERIES
TCU and UC Irvine will meet for just the third time overall and the first since 1995, as the Anteaters hold a 2-1 advantage in the series that began in 1991.
The Horned Frogs dropped the lone contest played against UCI in Fort Worth in 1994, while claiming the first win in the series during the 1991-92 season in Irvine.
UP NEXT
The Horned Frogs cap their five-game homestand and non-conference slate against UC Irvine on Tuesday before hitting the road for the Big 12 opener against Texas Tech on Jan. 4.
TCU will play host to Iowa State in the Big 12 home opener on Jan. 7 and remain home to take on Oklahoma State on Jan. 10.
LAST TIME OUT
Zahna Medley connected on seven 3-pointers for a 23-point performance while Natalie Ventress added 10 points and a career-best nine assists to lead TCU to a 79-55 victory over Sam Houston State in its last action on Dec. 21, improving to 7-3 this season.
Medley, who returned to the court for the first time since Dec. 11 following an injury, knocked down the second-most 3-pointers of her career on 13 attempts while also collecting four assists and three steals. The Springfield, Ill., native found her touch early, connecting on four of her first five attempts from long range for 14 points in just nine minutes.
Ventress, a senior from Fort Worth, blew past her previous career high in assists in the first half while posting 10 second-half points off a 4-of-9 effort from the field.
TCU recorded an all-around effort, shooting 47 percent (30-of-64) from the field, including 12 3-pointers on 24 attempts, while handing out 23 assists and scoring 25 points off of 26 Sam Houston State turnovers.
Medley provided the Horned Frogs with an early cushion that TCU wouldn't surrender, rattling off eight straight points off of back-to-back 3-pointers and a steal and layup for a 14-9 advantage at the 14:07 mark.
Medley rattled home her fifth trey of the opening half with 1:10 left to play and senior forward Chelsea Prince joined the 3-point party with 34 seconds left to give the Frogs a 40-25 halftime advantage.
TCU enjoyed a double-digit lead the entire second half, aided by another six 3-pointers.
MILESTONE WATCH
A trio of Horned Frogs currently appear in the top 10 of the program's career records and look to continue climbing the chart this season.
Senior guard Natalie Ventress, who competed in her 100th-career contest on Dec. 13, is currently eighth all-time with 1,211 points while moving into a tie in the last contest with Amy (Sutton) Porter for sixth spot with 161 3-pointers. The Fort Worth native is also one field goal shy of ninth and eight free-throws short of eighth spot all-time.
Ventress has averaged double figures in scoring in each of her three seasons in the Purple and White and looks to become just the second Horned Frog in program history to achieve the feat in all four years, joining TCU great Sandora Irvin.
Fellow senior Chelsea Prince, who led the Big 12 a season ago with 2.4 steals per game in league play, needs just five more steals to move into 10th place all-time. The Fort Worth product has averaged 2.9 steals over the last 22 contests.
Junior guard Zahna Medley, who entered the 1,000-points club on Nov. 19, needs 56 points to enter the top 10 while currently ranking fourth in 3-pointers made (182) and 10th in assists (285).
