TCU earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Championship with an 85-76 overtime victory over Cincinnati in the championship game on Sunday. Tournament MVP Sandora Irvin paced the Horned Frogs to victory with 26 points and a career-high 19 rebounds. The fifth-seeded Frogs became the lowest-seeded team to win the C-USA Tournament and Sunday's game was the second overtime championship game in league history. TCU will be making its third consecutive NCAA appearance.


No. 5 TCU Claims First-ever C-USA Women’s Basketball Tournament title
The Horned Frogs defeat second-seed Cincinnati, 86-76, in overtime

MEMPHIS – TCU, who was seeded No. 5, became the lowest seed in C-USA history to win the C-USA Tournament title, defeating Cincinnati, 85-76, in overtime on Sunday in the Pyramid. TCU improves to 19-13 overall and earns the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats fell to 23-7 on the season.

“It was an outstanding effort for both teams,” said TCU head coach Jeff Mittie. “We had to play at the top of our game to beat them. Cincinnati is an outstanding team and they can do so many things so well. We pride ourselves in getting pressure on opponents. We were able to do that again today and we are fortunate to be sitting here as winners.”

Sandora Irvin, who was named the tourney MVP, scored a game-high 26 points and a career-high 19 rebounds to lead the Horned Frogs. Candace Baldwin followed with 18, while Tiffany Evans added 12 points and eight rebounds.

For the Bearcats, Valerie King scored a team-high 24 points and Debbie Merrill, with 16 points in the game, scored her career 1,000th point. K.B. Sharp also added 15 points, six rebounds and four steals. All three were named to the C-usa All-Tournament team.

It marked only the second time in league history that the finals was played in overtime. Memphis captured the inaugural title in 1996 in overtime.

2003 C-USA Women’s Basketball Tournament
The Pyramid - Memphis, Tenn.
Game 11
(5) TCU 36 35 14 85
(2) Cincinnati 33 38 5 76


2003 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Candace Baldwin, TCU
Sandora Irvin, TCU
Valerie King, Cincinnati
Debbie Merrill, Cincinnati
K.B. Sharp, Cincinnati

MVP: Sandora Irvin, TCU