Tuesday, November 6, 2001

Women’s basketball team knocks off Denmark team
By Kelly Morris
Skiff Staff

Before TCU freshman forward Sandora Irvin played in her first college basketball game Saturday she made a call to her uncle, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin, to tell him she may start.

But Michael Irvin said he did not want his niece to get her hopes up too early in the season.

“I told her just to be glad she’s on the team and that she may not get any playing time this year,” Michael Irvin said. “She said ‘oh, I’m going to play.’ I told her to just try her hardest. I got to keep her grounded.”

But Sandora Irvin did start Saturday as the Frogs won their first exhibition game of the season 120-50 against the Abyhoj Basketball Club of Denmark at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum.

And Michael Irvin was there to see it.

David Dunai/Senior photographer Freshman forward Sandora Irvin maneuvers with her back to the basket against two defenders of the Abyhoj Basketball Club of Denmark. Irvin scored 15 points in her debut.

“This is my first time to see her play with the rest of the team and in this kind of atmosphere,” Uncle Irvin said. “God works in great ways. I’m retired right when she gets here. This gives us a sport to stay into and gives us something to do as a family. To come out with my boys and watch my niece, that’s a blessing.”

Sandora Irvin finished the game with 15 points and tied senior forward Kati Safaritova with the most rebounds in the game with seven.

Junior forward Grace Gantt, who was also playing her first game at TCU, led the Frogs in scoring with 20 points. Five other Frogs reached double figures in scoring. Junior guard Candice Baldwin was a perfect 8-of-8 shooting as she netted 16 points.
Freshman forward Ashley Browning, who went 4-of-5 from three-point range and scored 17 points, said she was excited to take the court for her first college basketball game.

“This is what I was thinking about all day long,” Browning said. “(Freshman forward) Niki (Newton) and I just sat in our room pacing. We took out our playbooks, and then we put them down. It just filled our day, but it was a blast.”

Demetric Shaw Sr., father of sophomore guard Ebony Shaw, said he was just as excited watching from the stands where he saw his daughter score 15 points.

“This team is very quick and deep,” Demetric Shaw said. “It’s going to be exciting to see them play this year. On paper, I knew this team was good, and after just one game, I can see where that’s coming from.”

Head coach Jeff Mittie said the team’s depth will be one of its biggest strengths this season.

“We have good scorers at all positions,” Mittie said. “I told the team because of our depth, when you step out on that floor, you better be ready to go. If you’re not, someone else is going to be ready to step out there for you.”

Michael Irvin, who plans to come out to every home game this season, hopes his niece is “ready to go” every game.

“It’s truly a blessing to have (Sandora) here,” Michael Irvin said. “I knew TCU was one of (the schools she was applying to), and I was hoping she would pick this one. I live in Plano, so it’s only an hour drive to get here. I’ll take that drive any day.”

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