TCU
West Virginia
Alix Nets 26 in Loss to No. 25 WVU
1/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 24, 2016
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Sophomore AJ Alix had a career high 26 points as No. 25 West Virginia beat TCU 97-84 on Sunday afternoon at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena.
Alix, who scored all of her 26 points in the second half, added eight assists and five rebounds as she paced four Horned Frogs in double figures. Senior Zahna Medley added 16 points while senior Caitlin Diaz and junior Jada Butts each added 11 points.
The Mountaineers (16-4, 5-2) used a 29-5 run to close out the second quarter after TCU pulled within three at 21-18 to build a huge halftime lead. With a 27-point cushion at halftime thanks to a 50-23 halftime score, the Mountaineers were able to withstand TCU's 61-point second half.
The Mountaineers hit eight of their final nine shots of the first quarter to lead 21-13 before the Frogs scored the first five points of the second quarter. The Mountaineers then responded with their big run. West Virginia shot 56.5 percent in the second quarter, converting on an impressive 13-of-23 shots in the period, as they built the big lead that grew by more than 20 points in under seven minutes.
TCU (11-8, 3-5) showed life in the second half by scoring the first nine points out of the break, including seven from Alix. TCU cut into the lead by seven in the third quarter to end at 70-50 and eventually to 11 at 91-80 in the final two minutes. TCU shot 57.9 percent in the second half, hitting 7-of-15 three-point field goals in the game, as it cut into the West Virginia lead.
The contest with the Mountaineers brought to a close a demanding six-game stretch for the Horned Frogs that pitted the Frogs against four ranked opponents in #17 Oklahoma on Jan. 6, #6 Baylor on Jan. 9, #6 Texas on Jan. 20 and #25 West Virginia today.
TCU has faced six ranked teams by the end of January thanks to two games against ranked foes this week. It is the first time in program history that TCU will have played six ranked teams in a season before the month of January ends.
With a second game against current ranked teams Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor and West Virginia still likely on the 2015-16 schedule, the Frogs are in line to face a record number of ranked foes in 2015-16. TCU faced 10 ranked foes during the 2005-06 season. It faced nine ranked foes in 2012-13 and 2013-14. TCU has previously faced seven or more ranked foes in 1994-95, 2005-06, 2010-11, 2012-13 and 2013-14.
QUOTE OF THE GAME
"The second half was much more like we needed to play from the very beginning of the game," said head coach Raegan Pebley. "In the Big 12, whether you're playing ranked opponents or non-ranked opponents it doesn't matter, you can't waste time. If you waste time, anyone in this league can double you up real fast. We definitely showed a lot more toughness in the second half in how we competed, there wasn't a single thing we changed in our game plan, there was just better effort into executing that game plan. Our guards came out with a stronger mindset and that bled and permeated throughout our team. West Virginia is a great team, and they did a better job I think especially at the beginning of the game of sticking to playing to their strengths and their game plan."
NOTES
• Senior Zahna Medley moved into sole possession of third place on the all-time TCU scoring list during today's game after scoring 16 points. Medley's basket with 4:49 left in the third quarter tied Ross' mark of 1,725 career points. Medley's next basket as part of a three-point play with 6:59 left in the fourth quarter allowed her to surpass the mark.
• TCU scored a season-best 61 points in the second half while shooting 57.9 percent from the field and 7-of-15 from behind the three-point arc in the second half.
• TCU's 11 three-point field goals marked the 11th time in Pebely era that TCU has hit at least 10 three-point field goals.
• West Virginia converted on 13-of-23 shots in the second quarter and closed the period on a 29-5 run after TCU pulled within three at 21-18 with 7:26 remaining in the second quarter.
UP NEXT
TCU takes to the road on Wednesday for the start of a three-game road swing at Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. The stretch begins on Jan. 27 at Iowa State at 7:00 p.m. The game will be televised via Cyclones.tv. All three game are available on the radio via KTCU 88.7 FM in the DFW Metroplex and through GoFrogs.com with Jeff Williams (play-by-play) on the call. The Frogs return home on Feb. 10 to face Baylor at 7:00 p.m. CT.
###
