Without leading scorer Lacy, TCU looks to upset Rutgers

3/20/2006 11:38 PM

Upsetting an intra-state rival is one thing. Beating a power in its home state is another.

Eleventh-seeded Texas Christian aims for a second upset victory in three days Tuesday when it faces third-seeded Rutgers in a second-round game of the Cleveland Regional at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, N.J.

Leading scorer Natasha Lacy took a leave of absence, but TCU ended a 13-game series losing streak with sixth-seeded Texas A&M in a 69-65 win Sunday. Lacy, who averaged 14.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists, received the leave to attend to personal matters on March 18th. The junior guard is expected to rejoin the Horned Frogs if they can advance to their first regional semifinal in program history.

TCU (19-11) had made second-round exits every season from 2001-04 before suffering a first-round loss last year. As the 11 seed, it also upset sixth-seeded Penn State in a 2001 first-round game.

Against Texas A&M, Ashley Davis had 20 points and 12 rebounds for her first double-double this season. Monek Knight scored 11 of her 14 points in the final 8 1/2 minutes to help TCU, which nearly squandered a 16-point first-half lead.

Lorie Butler-Rayford and Knight each made three free throws in the final minute to help TCU win for the seventh time in its last nine games.

Rutgers (26-4) seeks a second straight trip the round of 16 after holding on to win 63-58 over 14th-seeded Dartmouth on Sunday. The Scarlet Knights bolted to a 13-0 lead, but had to withstand a furious second-half rally by the Big Green to advance.

Cappie Pondexter had 21 points and six rebounds, and Matee Ajavon added 19 points, five assists and four steals. Pondexter made two free throws with 12.9 seconds left to provide the final margin after teammate Essence Carson drew an offensive foul on Angie Soriaga.

``I'm really glad we got that one out of the way,'' Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer said. ``Fortunately, we're going to go on and see another style of play'' against TCU.

Rutgers' players endured intense double practice sessions each day following their 56-40 Big East Tournament semifinal loss March 6 to 12th-seeded West Virginia, a defeat that ended a 13-game win streak.

``I didn't see the kinds of things I should have seen,'' Stringer said. ``We were just rusty, but I don't want to use our legs as an excuse.''

The teams have split both meetings in the series, with Rutgers winning 73-65 in New Jersey on Dec. 14, 2003. TCU posted a 78-67 win Dec. 8, 2001.

The Scarlet Knights reached the regional final as a No. 3 seed last year.

The winner of this game will play either No. 2 seed Tennessee or seventh-seeded George Washington on Sunday at Cleveland.