TCU
New Mexico
Lady Frogs Fall on Road to Lobos
1/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 30, 2010
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--No. 20 TCU dropped only its second game in the last 12 outings Saturday during a 60-53 loss to New Mexico. The Lobos used a key run midway through the second half before adding a trio of 3-pointers to put away the Frogs late.
TCU dropped to 15-5 on the season and 5-2 in the Mountain West Conference. The squad fell from sole possession of first place into a tie atop the league standings.
As was the case in a 41-38 Frog victory over the Lobos in Fort Worth a year ago, the contest proved to be a closely played, defensive battle. The game featured eight ties and 10 lead changes until New Mexico stepped up with a 9-0 spurt that put the squad up by seven points, 44-37 with only 7:28 remaining.
Lobo guard Amy Beggin drilled her second 3-pointer of the game to conclude the run, then added two additional treys after TCU had closed to within two points, 44-42. Following Beggin's shots, guard Porche Torrance sank another Lobo 3-ball to give the squad its largest lead to that point at 53-44 with 3:47 left.
TCU was able to cut its deficit to four points in the closing minute, but a key Frog turnover with 28 seconds remaining and the chance to cut the lead to a single possession sealed the squad's hopes.
Junior guard/forward Helena Sverrisdottir posted her team-leading sixth double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead TCU. She did most of her offensive damage in the second half at the charity stripe, going 9-for-9. Also reaching double figures for the Frogs was junior guard Emily Carter, who had 12 points, including three 3-pointers. Freshman forward Starr Crawford totaled nine points and nine boards, while sophomore guard Antoinette Thompson dished out a team-best five assists.
Beggin led New Mexico with a game-high 19 points, while forward Eilen Weissmann scored a career-high 17 points against the Frogs. Forward Jessica Kielpinski led the Lobos with nine boards and a game-high six assists.
Defense ruled the court Saturday, as neither TCU (29.8 percent) nor New Mexico (33.9 percent) was able to break the 35 percent shooting mark for the game. The Frogs finished the contest with season lows in both points and field-goal percentage. The Lobos, which were held to only 20.7 percent from the field in the opening half, regrouped by hitting 46.7 percent after intermission to take control of the game.
The affair remained close throughout the first half with neither team gaining more than a five-point edge. Despite New Mexico's poor performance from the field, free-throw shooting proved to be the equalizer of the half and reason the Lobos took a 21-19 edge into the locker room. UNM was a perfect 7-for-7 at the stripe in the period, while the Frogs were only 1-of-6. TCU regrouped to make 12-of-14 in the second half.
TCU returns home for another test Wednesday, when BYU visits Daniel-Meyer Coliseum for a 6:30 p.m. matchup. The game will be televised on a dape-delay basis by The MountainWest Sports Network (The Mtn.) and will air at 11:30 p.m.
