TCU
Wyoming
TCU Escapes with First MWC Win at Wyoming
1/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 21, 2009
LARAMIE, Wyo—TCU overcame a six-point halftime deficit and sophomore guard Helena Sverrisdottir was perfect from the free-throw line down the stretch, as the Lady Frogs held on for an 81-78 win at Wyoming on Wednesday. The victory was TCU's first in four chances at the Cowgirls' Arena-Auditorium since joining the Mountain West Conference.
The win moved TCU to 12-6 on the season, including 4-1 in MWC play. Wyoming dropped to 8-9 and 0-4 in the MWC.
Sverrisdottir was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the game's final 1:23 to help TCU escape with a win. As a team, the Frogs went 24-of-26 for the game, which ranks as the fourth-best showing in program history in terms of percentage.
Sverrisdottir led four TCU players in double figures with 21 points, while she added eight rebounds and four assists. The Harfnafjordur, Iceland, native went 10-of-11 at the charity stripe.
Joining Sverrisdottir in double figures were sophomore Emily Carter, who had 19 points, junior guard TK LaFleur, who had 15 points, and sophomore forward Micah Garoutte, who totaled 14. Garoutte went a perfect 6-of-6 from the field while tying her career-high point total. She added nine boards. Carter went 8-of-9 on free throws.
Forward Hillary Carlson was Wyoming's go-to player on offense Wednesday, as she totaled games highs of 27 points and 10 rebounds. Carlson scored each of the Cowgirls' final 13 points. Also reaching double digits were guards Kristen Scheffler (12 points) and Megan McGuffey (11 points).
The Frogs trailed by six points at the half but quickly regrouped with a 17-2 run after exiting the locker room. LaFleur accounted for seven of the points, while a layup and ensuing foul shot by Sverrisdottir at the 16:15 mark put TCU up by four, 51-47. Another-old fashioned three-point play by Sverrisdottir following a layup by junior guard Shayla Moore gave the Frogs their largest lead at nine points, 56-47.
The advantage was short lived, as Wyoming hit three consecutive treys followed by an Emily Langford layup to tie up the contest. The Cowgirls' 11-2 run took only 1:37.
Carlson took over from there for Wyoming, taking the ball inside on nearly every possession down the stretch following a first half that saw the Cowgirls most of their damage from outside the arc. Wyoming made 11 treys during the game, but went only 3-of-13 after halftime after an 8-for-16 showing in the first half.
TCU got out to a good start to the game with a 6-0 lead and was able to hold the Cowgirls scoreless for the third three minutes. Wyoming quickly stormed back with an 11-2 run on the strength of three consecutive 3-pointers, including two by Scheffler, to grab an 11-8 advantage.
Wyoming led by as many as seven points early, 21-14, near the midpoint of the first half. TCU rallied back and took a one-point advantage with 3:29 remaining in the period following a pair of Carter free throws, but the Cowgirls closed the half on a 13-6 run for a 45-39 edge at intermission.
Boosting Wyoming's cause in the first half was a sizzling effort from behind the arc that saw the squad go 8-16 in the period. The high mark the Frogs had allowed in a first half entering Wednesday was seven against Colorado State.
Carter scored 12 points in the first half to help TCU shoot 54.2 percent from the field in the period.
TCU finishes up its two-game road stretch Sunday, when it takes on No. 23 New Mexico at The Pit in Albequerque, N.M. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m., and the contest will be televised nationally by CBS College Sports.
Players Mentioned
