WAC title leads to NCAA bid,11th seed in East Region

By Kelly Morris
Sports Editor

Women’s head basketball coach Jeff Mittie said he knew the Frogs were going to the NCAA Tournament, but he still couldn’t calm his nerves.

After the TCU women’s basketball team won its first Western Athletic Conference Tournament and clinched the automatic NCAA bid March 10, the Frogs knew they were going to the tournament, but they didn’t know who they were going to play.

Michael Wyke - Tulsa World Senior forward Jancie Thomas drives to the hoop during the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla.

“Knowing that we were in, I didn’t think I’d be nervous, but I had a lot of nervous energy,” Mittie said. “I was sitting in my office, and I wasn’t getting anything done, so for an hour and a half, I disappeared out of my office and went for a little drive. I was anxious for this day to get started.”

He and his team later learned they were the 11th seed in the East Region, facing sixth-seeded Penn State in the first round Saturday in Ruston, La. A final four participant a year ago, Penn State enters the NCAA Tournament at 19-9. The Frogs’ record stands at 24-7.

Freshman guard Ebony Shaw said going to the NCAA Tournament in her first year is a thrill.

“I’m really excited,” Shaw said. “To be a freshman and to get to go to the NCAA Tournament is amazing. In high school, I knew I would one day experience something like this, but I didn’t think it would be so soon. We’ve been blessed all year.”

This year’s Frogs completed a turnaround that two years ago appeared quite improbable. After a decade that included the Frogs winning about 30 percent of their games, Mittie has led TCU to a 40-21 record in two seasons with at least one game left to play.

Senior guard Amy Porter said a lot has changed since she first joined the team in 1997.

“It’s incredible because everything in this program has changed from top to bottom,” Porter said. “Four years ago we were at home just watching this on TV, not having a chance to get there. It’s great because the fans who have followed us all year long get to be a part of it.”

Even though TCU has never played Penn State, Mittie said the team’s early opponents in the season will help in preparation.

“When you see your name up there with a team like Penn State, which has been a perennial powerhouse and went to the Final Four last year, that’s a big accomplishment,” Mittie said. “I don’t know a lot about Penn State, but facing Tennessee and other good opponents early (in the season) has prepared us for a day like this. Senior guard Sally Spencer said she hopes the Frogs’ accomplishments will continue.

“It’s exciting to get to work on somebody new,” Spencer said. “This is where we wanted to be in four years. It’s a perfect ending.”

The winner of Saturday’s game will face either the No. 3-seed Louisiana Tech (28-4) or the No. 14-seed Georgia State (24-6) March 19 on the Lady Techsters’ home court in Ruston.

The time of Saturday’s second-round game has yet to be determined.

Kelly Morris
k.l.morris@student.tcu.edu