Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Missouri
Tigers Top Lady Raiders, 82-71
January 09, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Jan 9, 2002
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - The way Missouri's Kerensa Barr sized it up, playing No. 10 Texas Tech wasn't much different that playing anyone else in what she considers a balanced Big 12.
On Wednesday night, Barr made her case.
"I know that any team can be beat, especially at home in our conference because it's so even," Barr said after scoring 19 points as the unranked Tigers (10-3, 1-1 Big 12) upset the cold-shooting Lady Raiders 82-71. "We think we can beat anyone in our conference, especially at home."
Evan Unrau and Natalie Bright added 16 points apiece for the Tigers, while Melanie Fisher had 12 points and eight rebounds.
Texas Tech (9-4, 1-2) trailed 34-32 at halftime but shot just 38 percent - 12-of-23 - in the second half, at one point leading 61-60 with 6:02 left before the Tigers pulled away with a 22-10 run down the stretch.
The Tigers connected on 54 percent of their second-half shots against a Lady Raiders team that struggled inside and never really found its touch for the second-straight game. In an 80-68 home loss Saturday to Oklahoma, Texas Tech missed 17 of its first 18 shots, fell behind 24-3 and never recovered, ultimately trailing by as many as 25 points in the second half.
Against Missouri, Texas Tech missed 15 of its 20 3-point attempts - going just 2-of-13 from behind the arc in the second half - and finished 26-of-60 overall from the field for 43 percent. The Lady Raiders also were outscored by nine points from the free-throw line and outrebounded 44-21.
The outcome had Lady Raiders coach Marsha Sharp shaking her head.
"It's a little frustrating, obviously. It's tough for us to handle what we're going through right now," she said, saying her team played "stagnant" in the second half. "I think the bottom line for us is that it's hard to run offense when you've absolutely got no post play, and we're looking at that right now. To (Missouri's) credit, they really took advantage of that and took it to the paint, where we're weak."
Jia Perkins had 20 points for Texas Tech on 10-of-17 shooting before fouling out with 4:30 left. Amber Tarr added 18 points despite missing seven of her 10 3-point tries.
Fisher was 9-of-9 from the free-throw line but struggled from the floor, missing 11 of her 16 attempts overall and both of her 3-point tries for a Missouri team that missed six of seven shots from behind the arc.
Unrau and Fisher had eight rebounds each for Missouri. Bright also had seven assists.
Natalie Ritchie added 11 points for the Lady Raiders.
