University of Houston Athletics
Stakes High as Houston Hosts TCU in Grudge Match
1/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2003
HOUSTON - The Lady Cougar basketball team (8-4, 0-0 C-USA) will host league and in-state rival TCU (7-6, 0-0 C-USA) Sunday in a Conference USA showdown at Hofheinz Pavilion. Houston's 2002 WNIT Championship Runner-Up banner will be raised and the trophy presented by Athletic Director Dave Maggard as part of pre-game festivities. The C-USA opener will tip off at 2 p.m. and will be shown via tape delay on Houston's Ch. 51 (KNWS) at 6 p.m.
TCU handed Houston two of its eight losses last season (26-8) on its way to a Horned Frog 24-7 overall and 12-2 C-USA finish in 2002. The victories over the Lady Cougars in 2002 earned TCU a regular season C-USA Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Houston finished second (11-3) in the conference and lost to Oregon in the 2002 WNIT Championship game.
Despite last season's losses, Houston leads the all-time series against TCU 23-6. The Horned Frogs are 0-4 on the road this season while the Lady Cougars sport a 5-1 home record. Houston's nine-game home win streak was snapped by No. 14 Mississippi State Nov. 27, 2002.
The Lady Cougars have won seven of their last nine and are coming off a 64-62 loss at Oral Roberts Tuesday. Houston is led by All-American Chandi Jones (5-10, G/F) who tops the league and is second in the nation in scoring this season. Jones, a two-time C-USA Player of the Week already this season and the 2002 C-USA Player of the Year, is averaging 26.7 points and 7.5 rebounds.
The Horned Frogs fell to Santa Clara 72-63 in California earlier this week and have won four of their last six games. TCU, who was ranked 20th in the preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, is led by junior Sandora Irvin (6-4, F) who is averaging 12.2 points and 10.3 rebounds.
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