GoFrogs: Frogs Roll in WNIT Opener

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FORT WORTH, Texas — TCU got its offense going early and built a 33-point lead on its way to a 97-73 win over UT Rio Grande Valley on Thursday night in the opening round of the 2016 Preseason Women’s NIT at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena.

Senior All-America candidate and three-time All-Big 12 Conference selection Zahna Medley had a game high 21 points and sophomoreAJ Alix had 20 points for the Horned Frogs in the victory. The duo lead five TCU players in double figures. Alix also added nine assists in the contest for the Frogs.

TCU (17-14, 8-10 Big 12) advances to the second round of the 2016 Preseason Women’s NIT for the second consecutive season to face St. Mary’s (Calif.) (24-7) or Eastern Michigan (21-11) on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. CT at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena.

After UTRGV’s Shawnte Goff nailed a three with 3:10 left in the opening period to go up 8-6, the Frogs took over with a 15-2 run to end the quarter. Goff’s three was answered with three-point field goals from Toree Thompson and AJ Alix. Veja Hamitlon got a basket in transition before Alix nailed another three. Carol Willie then added a pair of free throws before a steal by Alix and basket at the other end as time ran out in the opening quarter gave the Frogs an 11-point lead at the quarter break.

TCU continues its inspired play in the second period, including a 13-3 run for the Frogs midway through the period, that was capped by Medley’s first three of the night with 7:12 left in the second quarter.

Before the halftime break arrived, Medley had hit four three-point field goals and piled up 14 points in 19 minutes. Medley’ three with 1:58 to go in the second quarter, her third of the game, gave her the 82nd of the season for the senior, setting a new TCU single-season mark and breaking Jill Sutton’s 1997-98 mark of 81 made three-point field goals.

TCU got 15 points off 10 turnovers by UTRGV in the opening half and hit 7-of-14 from behind the three-point arc to build the 17-point halftime edge. The Frogs defense limited UTRGV to just 34.4 percent shooting in the opening half while TCU converted on 17-of-32 shots for a 53.1 percent clip.

A quick 9-0 run early in the third quarter extended the lead to 27 at 61-34 as the Frogs gradually pulled away from UTRGV. TCU would convert on 13-of-19 shots during the third quarter and lead by 32 at the end of the period on their way to the win.

UTRGV (19-14, 9-5 WAC) shot just 38.1 percent and had 19 turnovers as the Frogs coasted to the win.

Head coach Raegan Pebley, appearing in the postseason for the sixth consecutive season, became the first coach in TCU history to win a postseason game in their first two seasons as coach of the Horned Frogs.

The Frogs are making their 14th appearance in the postseason in the last 16 seasons, tied for the third longest streak in the Big 12 Conference alongside Iowa State. Baylor and Oklahoma each have made a postseason tournament in each of the last 16 seasons. It is the third straight appearance in the Postseason Women’s NIT for TCU, who earned the Big 12 Conference’s automatic bid into the event for the third straight season.

NOTES
• This was the second meeting of the team’s this season as TCU previously beat UTRGV 71-67 on Nov. 28, 2015 in Fort Worth.
• TCU advanced to the second round of the Postseason Women’s NIT for the second straight year.
• TCU will play in the round of 32 teams in the Big 12 Conference for the fourth time in program history.
• TCU is now 9-13 all-time in the postseason with a 4-4 mark in the Postseason Women’s NIT.
• TCU has won two of its last three games in Postseason Women’s NIT play following a three game losing streak in the event.
• TCU is one of seven teams from the Big 12 Conference participating in postseason play this year.
• With a win on Saturday, TCU will post two wins in the postseason for the second time in program history, matching the mark set in the 2008 Postseason Women’s NIT.
• UTRGV is the fourth team that TCU has recorded multiple wins against this season, also beating Iowa State, Texas Tech and Kansas twice this season.

UP NEXT 
TCU will host a second round game of the 2016 Postseason Women’s NIT on Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. CT at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. CT with the game 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.

Tickets for the 2016 Postseason Women’s NIT are available through the TCU Ticket Office by calling 817-257-3764 or by visiting GoFrogs.com. Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for youth and TCU students will be admitted for free. Group tickets are available for $5 to groups of 20 or more.

Tickets can also be bought at the following link: http://bit.ly/WNIT1Tix