The Lady Frogs, now fifth in the Mountain West Conference after two straight losses at home, are traveling to San Diego tonight for their last road game of the regular season against the Aztecs.The Frogs (19-9, 9-5), who lost to conference opponents Wyoming and New Mexico at home, will play the Aztecs in a tight game where conference standings are up in the air.
San Diego State (12-13, 5-9) lost its last two games on the road, but is on a four-game winning streak at home in Cox Arena.
TCU last played the Aztecs at home in January and had a dominating 83-57 victory, and have beaten them in the last four matchups.
However, the location is a factor in the game. The Frogs have a losing road record of 5-8, while the Aztecs are 11-3 at home.
Head coach Jeff Mittie said playing with confidence will be crucial to the Frogs’ success.
“We’ve had a couple tough games here, but I think this team knows it’s a good basketball team,” Mittie said. “We’ve won some good games.”
The Mountain West Conference standings have been shaken up almost every week. TCU was tied for first place with the BYU Cougars last Thursday but fell to fifth, while the previously fifth place New Mexico Lobos have now ascended to second in the standings.
Junior guard Moneka Knight said the conference championship could go to practically any team in the conference.
“All of us are pretty similar,” Knight said. “From what I hear, whoever wins will be the only one that makes it to the NCAA tournament.”
Knight said the notoriously physical and fast San Diego State team will force the Frogs to be on top of their defense.
“We’ve got to set screens and read our defense so we can get open,” Knight said, also citing limiting turnovers as an important strategy.
Freshman guard Shayla Moore said slowing down the Aztecs’ offense will be a big defensive strategy for the Frogs, something Moore said they tried to do the last time the two teams met and didn’t succeed.
Mittie said the Frogs’ ultimate goal – making it to the NCAA tournament – is still in sight despite the recent losses.
“If we play enough good basketball we can correct it,” Mittie said. “We can be there at the end of the season.”
After tonight, the Lady Frogs will have one regular-season game left before the conference tournament begins in Las Vegas on March 6.