By Okon Ekpenyong

The NCAA Women’s Basketball Division I has 31 conferences, and as the regular season concluded, conference tournaments began on March 5. Ten teams had earned automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament after winning their respective conference championships by March 10. Notably, TCU claimed its first-ever Big 12 Conference Tournament title, defeating Baylor 64-59.

Hailey Van Lith, who was named Big 12 Player of the Year and Tournament MVP, played a crucial role, scoring 20 points in the championship game.

This season has been historic for TCU, finishing first in the Big 12 with a 16-2 record and earning the potential for a #2 seed in the upcoming NCAA Women’s Tournament. Lith, a former standout at Louisville, transferred to TCU to continue her basketball journey and pursue her Master’s degree after a challenging season at LSU.

Her determination and resilience shone through in the final moments of the championship game, helping TCU secure victory with key plays in the closing seconds.

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