TCU follows winning formula to notch win over No. 23 Iowa State

By Travis L. Brown

Special to the Star-Telegram

For this season’s edition of the TCU women’s basketball team, there is a certain method by which it creates a victory.

For senior night on Saturday, TCU followed the recipe to perfection in a 61-58 win over No. 23 Iowa State at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

First, the squad needs a ranked team to roll into Fort Worth, preferably in the low 20s.

With the win, TCU (9-19, 2-15 Big 12) has now beaten at least two ranked opponents three times in the last five years. TCU’s first conference win on Feb. 20 felled then-No. 22 Oklahoma State.

Next, the Horned Frogs need a double-digit point effort from senior Delisa Gross, which seemingly comes out of the blue.

Before the game, Gross averaged 4.1 points per game for the season. Saturday, she put up an efficient 15 points, thanks in part to hitting 3 of 4 from behind the 3-point arc.

“This game I felt like I had a lot more range outside,” Gross said. “That was the game plan coming in. Before the game, [coach Jeff Mittie] said to look for your 3 at the top of the key, and I got two of those 3s.”

Finally, it wouldn’t be a TCU win this season without a little drama.

The excitement began with a momentum-changing 3-pointer by freshman guard Zahna Medley, who led TCU with 18 points, as time expired in the first half. The key shot that barely left her hand in time sparked the Horned Frogs to take control of the first four minutes of the second half, mounting a 16-5 run.

“The first four minutes in the second half was big for us, because if they come out and answer that negates that 3,” Mittie said. “I thought that was a big stretch for us. This team has struggled with that stoppage at halftime.”

Then, as TCU seemed to be weathering the storm of a late 10-2 ISU run, a series of official reviews regarding the time on the clock chopped up the pace of the game, which allowed Mittie to calm his group. But the delay continued to give Iowa State (20-7, 11-6) hope, he said.

“I wasn’t crazy about it because we started that process at the 4:30 mark where there was stoppages,” Mittie said. “I liked where the game was at for us. I wanted the clock to run, I didn’t want it to stop.”

Add those factors together with a 41.8 shooting percentage thanks to a balanced attack, and the Horned Frogs just might have some momentum heading into this week’s Big 12 tournament.

“Our plan is to be a dang good team in the Big 12, but you’ve got to knock some off,” Mittie said. “We can’t sit here and go, ‘Next year.’ We’re not playing that way. We’re looking to end this season as strong as we can.”

Looking for comments?