Women’s b-ball team, fans prepare for tourney
6,000 ticket packages expected to be sold in Louisiana, Fort Worth

By Kelly Morris
SPORTS EDITOR

Fans clapped, the band played, the Showgirls danced and the cheerleaders shouted the fight song during their recent trip to Tulsa for the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.

But this wasn’t at the game where the TCU women’s basketball team claimed its first WAC Tournament title. Instead, it was before the game at the hotel where the team stayed.

Before the Frogs played in their first-ever championship game Saturday against Hawaii, fans gathered at Doubletree-Warren Place for a 10:30 a.m. pep rally.

Assistant marketing director Brian Florko said the team needed to know how much fan support they had in Tulsa.

“We tried to spread the word (about) the pep rally within 12 to 24 hours,” Florko said. “Since it was the first opportunity TCU has had to do this and a big occasion for us, we thought how can we support them? We wanted our fans to walk into the arena already excited and wanted the team to walk in knowing many people were behind them.”

Tim Cox/SKIFF STAFF Junior forward Tricia Payne goes to work inside for a rebound Jan. 23 against Tulsa at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The Frogs play Saturday in Ruston, La. against Penn State in the first round of the East Regional.

After the Frogs’ 66-58 victory against Hawaii, senior guard Jill Sutton said the crowd gave them a huge advantage in the win.

“The fans have been great all year long,” Sutton said. “In Tulsa, (it was) like a home court advantage for us.”

As the 11th-seeded Frogs get ready to play sixth-seeded Penn State at 6 p.m. Saturday in their first NCAA Tournament, marketing assistant Terra Nuss said she hopes that same enthusiasm from Tulsa will be present in Louisiana.

“If the fans come, the players will be playing for more than just themselves which pushes them that much farther,” Nuss said. “Of all the sports’ fans, I think the women’s basketball fans are the most supportive fans. They go the extra mile to show their support.”

Another pep rally is scheduled for when the team arrives at the arena before Saturday’s game, Nuss said.

Assistant ticket manager Phyllis Ballinger said 192 NCAA full tournament packages, costing $24 for adults and $12 for students, have been sold through the TCU ticket office for games played Saturday and Monday.

Louisiana Tech ticket manager Flo Miskelley said about 4,000 ticket packages have been sold in Louisiana and Fort Worth. She said she expects an additional 2,000 packages will be purchased.

Tournament packages can be purchased until 4:30 p.m. Saturday. After that, single tickets can be bought for $6 for students and $12 for adults.

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