TCU women’s Big 12 opener is stern test against unbeaten West Virginia

There will be no gradual entry into conference play for TCU, as No. 12 West Virginia visits Schollmaier Arena Thursday in the opening Big 12 game for both schools.

The Horned Frogs (8-3) come in riding a three-game win streak, but they’ll face one of the nation’s hottest teams in West Virginia and the only Big 12 team to make it through nonconference play with a spotless record. The Mountaineers (12-0) won their last three games by an average of 52 points and have won all but three games by at least 22 points.

TCU’s developing bench and role players will hope to show the depth the Horned Frogs have displayed in the last two wins over Texas Southern and Alcorn State can translate to the deepest conference in the country. Guard Mikayla Christian was named the Big 12 freshman of the week after scoring a game-high 19 points in TCU’s 95-39 win over Alcorn.

That win was also TCU coach Raegan Pebley’s 200th career win. The Horned Frogs will have to pull off a major upset to get her No. 201. West Virginia leads the series 10-1. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

This story was originally published December 28, 2016 at 4:35 PM with the headline "TCU women’s Big 12 opener is stern test against unbeaten West Virginia."