Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Ross Has Another Big Day in Pit

By Ken Sickenger
Journal Staff Writer
Adrianne Ross hopes Tuesday night wasn't the end.
TCU's ultra-talented senior guard took a moment to look around the Pit before running up the ramp after her team's 57-54 women's basketball victory over New Mexico.
The building holds good memories for Ross.
She led Hobbs High School to its first girls basketball state championship there in 2003. Ross scored 26 points in the Eagles' 59-52 title-game win over La Cueva.
Ross was in the stands to watch her brother, Ronald, win boys state championships at the Pit in 1999 and 2001, too.
"It always feels good coming back here," Ross said. "I'm from Hobbs, but I know a lot of people in Albuquerque. The Pit and New Mexico are part of me."
In what might be her final game in Albuquerque, Ross played all 40 minutes, scored a team-high 18 points, had eight assists, six rebounds and two steals.
"She's very, very difficult to defend," UNM coach Don Flanagan said of Ross. "She might be the most difficult player in the (Mountain West Conference) to defend."
The 5-foot-8 senior wasn't perfect, committing eight turnovers and missing a pair of late free throws that aided UNM in a second-half rally. Ross was big when it mattered.
New Mexico trimmed a 19-point TCU lead to 42-36 with 13 minutes left, bringing fans in the Pit to life. Ross quieted them with a leaning jumper just before the shot clock expired, igniting a Frogs run.
"That was cool," Ross said with a smile. "Everyone got quiet, it was like I had some power."
Ross admitted to being somewhat rattled later when she stepped to the line for two foul shots with TCU up 56-54 and 8 seconds left. Her first free throw bounded off the rim.
"There were too many things on my mind, including the fans," she said.
Ross sank the second shot and was able to escape the Pit with a college win for the first time. She hopes, however, it won't be her last as UNM hosts first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games.
"It would be great to come here again and not play the Lobos," she said. "That's one of the things I love about the Pit, these fans stick with their Lobos.
"But I hope that we do come here again and we could have (the fans) on our side. I know they like me deep down. I can tell."