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Hot First Half Leads Lady Frogs Past UTSA
Sverrisdottir nears triple-double in 73-60 victory
Nov. 16, 2008
FORT WORTH—TCU showed no effects of a hangover from Friday’s landmark victory over Maryland Sunday, as the squad dispatched UT San Antonio, 73-60, at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The win, TCU’s second straight against a team that advanced to last season’s NCAA Tournament, moved the Lady Frogs to 2-0, marking the first time in three years the squad has won its opening two contests. TCU took control of the game in the first half thanks to a lights-out shooting effort. Eight Frogs combined to go 16-of-28 from the field in the half (57.1 percent), including 7-for-13 from behind the 3-point line. While the squad’s hot touch eventually cooled off in the second half, TCU was able to keep its lead thanks in part to its ability to take care of the basketball. The Frogs had only 10 turnovers for the game and piled up 17 assists. They also held the Roadrunners off the scoreboard for two long stretches early in the second period while providing additional distance on the scoreboard between the two teams. Sophomore guard Helena Sverrisdottir had an all-around solid game for the Frogs, falling just short of recording the second triple-double in school history with 18 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high eight assists. Her assist total broke the previous career best she set during Friday’s season-opening upset of No. 3 Maryland. Included in her point total was a 9-for-12 showing at the free-throw line. Junior guard TK LaFleur followed up her superb Friday performance by scoring 16 points and matching her career high with six boards. LaFleur and junior teammate Eboni Mangum each drilled three first-half 3-pointers to help TCU build a 12-point advantage at intermission. Mangum finished with nine points and three boards. Also reaching double figures for the second straight game was sophomore guard Emily Carter, who went 5-of-7 from the field while tallying 12 points. UTSA saw three players score in double figures, led by Onika Anderson’s 22 points. Anderson was also a force on the glass, totaling 13 rebounds, while teammate Ryba Pawlaczyk recorded 17 points and a game-high 15 boards. Guard Monica Gibbs added 14 points, seven rebounds and a game-high 11 assists. After trading the lead with UTSA during the game’s opening five minutes, TCU started to slowly build up a double-digit lead against the Roadrunners. Owning a four-point advantage at 26-22, LaFleur and Mangum each buried treys around a jumper in the paint from junior forward Chantelle John for an 8-0 run. LaFleur hit another 3 with just over 30 seconds left in the half to send the Frogs into the locker room up 12. The Frogs cranked up the defensive intensity early in the second while building their largest lead of 19 points, 52-33. UTSA managed only three points in the opening six minutes of the period, while Sverrisdottir rattled off six points by herself on a layup and two trips to the charity stripe. UTSA was able to whittle the lead down to as few as 11 points by the game’s closing minute, but at that point the outcome had been decided. TCU continues its season-opening five-game homestand Thursday, Nov. 20, when it plays host to Metroplex rival UT Arlington at 6:30 p.m. at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.
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