Texas Tech University Athletics
No. 7 Lady Raiders Set To Play Last Exhibition Game
November 15, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 15, 2002
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#7/7 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (0-1)
vs.
Houston Jaguars
Exhibition
November 17, 2002 * Lubbock, Texas * 2 p.m.
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Today's Game
No. 7/7 Texas Tech will play its last exhibition game today against the Houston Jaguars. The Lady Raiders enter the game 0-1 after losing in their first game in the State Farm Classic to No. 15/16 Louisiana Tech, 85-76, Nov. 10.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 0-1 on the year after losing to Louisiana Tech, 85-76, in the 10th-Annual State Farm Tip-Off Classic in Knoxville, Tenn., Nov. 10. In that game, senior Plenette Pierson scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. She also tallied a career-high six blocks. Also scoring in double figures were junior Jia Perkins with 16 points and freshman guard Erin Grant with 13. Grant had team highs of six assists and two steals. Junior Casey Jackson chipped in six rebounds. The Lady Raiders shot 44.9 percent from the field, 20 percent from three-point range and 65 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
The Houston Jaguars consists of former collegiate players who compete against teams at colleges and universities across the United States.
Last Time Out
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal - The Texas Tech women's basketball team played the role of gracious host Tuesday night.
That was until the second half rolled along.
The Lady Raiders scored 65 points after halftime to put an end to a sluggish first half and swat a pesky Spartak Moscow squad, 107-65, in an exhibition at United Spirit Arena.
Tech led just 42-30 at intermission but exploded on a 30-14 run in the first 10 minutes of the second half to put the game away.
Plenette Pierson led the Lady Raider charge with 22 points, including 12 after halftime, and grabbed 14 rebounds. Jia Perkins added 21 points, 6 boards and 6 steals.
It was the perfect stress reliever for a Tech team that was coming off a disappointing season-opening loss to Louisiana Tech (85-76) on Sunday.
But it took the Lady Raiders almost a full half before they found their rhythm against a rough and tough Spartak club that committed 32 fouls.
And it was Perkins that sparked the onslaught.
Tech scored the first bucket of the game and never trailed until Spartak reeled off seven straight points to take a 16-15 lead with 10:53 left in the first half.
The Lady Raiders trailed 18-17 at the 9:59 mark before Perkins posted three straight steals and converted them into six consecutive points. She was fouled after her first takeaway and sank two free throws, then converted the final two pickpockets with breakaway layups.
Tech went on to outscore Spartack 25-12 the rest of the half before blowing the game wide open in the final 20 minutes.
The Lady Raiders ballooned their lead to 40 points with 7:07 left in the game on a Casey Jackson free throw. Their largest lead of the game was 49 points, which came at the 4:54 mark of the second half on a bucket by LaToya Davis.
The only question that remained then was if every Tech player would score. The answer came with 2:22 left when Cayla Petree hit the second of two free throws to give every Lady Raider at least one point.
Spartak seemed a little frustrated by the second-half debacle and took its physical play to a different level when Yuli Khodjayan punched Jolee Ayers in the face while the two were fighting for a loose ball. Khodjayan was assessed a technical foul and was ejected, while Ayers left to ice her jaw.
Tech will next be in action at 2 p.m. Sunday when it hosts the Houston Jaguars in another exhibition.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will resume regular-season play as it hosts three-straight home games against Washington (Nov. 24), Valparaiso (Nov. 27) and Creighton (Dec. 4). Tech will take to the road for a game against Wyoming (Dec. 14) in Casper, Wyo. That game will be a doubleheader with the men's team. The Lady Raiders head to Hawai'i for games on Dec. 20 against Chattanooga and on Dec. 21 against either Hawai'i or Loyola Marymount. Tech finishes the 2002 year with games at Southern Miss Dec. 28 and at Rice Dec. 30.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech history, head coach Marsha Sharp is 479-154 in her 21st year at the helm of the Lady Raiders. Entering the 2002-03 season, Sharp was the seventh active winningest coach among Division I coaches. She has led the Lady Raiders to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 13 consecutive, and nine NCAA Sweet 16 and three Elite Eight appearances and the NCAA National Championship in 1993. Sharp led the Lady Raiders to three-straight Big 12 Conference regular-season titles (1998-2000) and two tournament crowns (1998, 1999). While in the SWC, coach Sharp and the Lady Raiders never finished below third, they won or shared the last five championships, and they captured three Post-Season Classic titles.
Sharp was also the head coach of the 2002 USA Basketball World Championship For Young Women Qualifying Team, which won the gold medal in Brazil.
A 1974 graduate of Wayland Baptist University, Sharp was named the National Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994. She also reaped SWC Coach of the Year honors seven times, five consecutively.
She's Back
Senior Plenette Pierson returned to action for the first time since Nov. 30, 2001 at New Mexico. Against Louisiana Tech, she poured in a game-high 25 points, grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and career-high six blocks.
Pierson Hits 1000 Mark
Senior Plenette Pierson has now scored 1,003 points in her career at Texas Tech. Pierson entered the season with 978 points and scored 25 points in Tech's opening game against Louisiana Tech to surpass the 1,000-career mark.
New Kid on the Block
Freshman Erin Grant is making the impact that everyone had hoped. In her first collegiate game, Grant got her first start, while chipping 13 points, six assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Red-White Intrasquad Scrimmage
The Lady Raiders held an intrasquad scrimmage on Sunday, Nov. 3 at the United Spirit Arena. In the scrimmage, senior Plenette Pierson poured in 31 points, while junior Jia Perkins added 17. Junior Natalie Ritchie and redshirt freshman Jametra Clark each chipped in 16 and freshman LaToya Davis added 15. Also scoring in double figures were sophomore Cisti Greenwalt (14), junior Jolee Ayers (12), junior Miklannet Tennal (11) and junior Casey Jackson (10). Ritchie also tallied a team-high seven assists and freshman Erin Grant dished out six assists. Davis led all players with nine rebounds followed by four others with seven apiece. Perkins and Jackson each contributed three steals. Tech shot 49.6 percent from the field, connecting on 61 of 123 attempts, while going 8-for-15 from three-point range for 53.3 percent.
Tech Preseason Conference Favorites
Texas Tech was picked to win its fourth Big 12 Conference women's basketball title in preseason polls voted on by the league's head coaches and by the media. In the coaches poll, Tech was first with 114 points, including six first-place votes, followed by Kansas State with 113 and Texas with 105. In the media poll, Tech received 192 points and nine first-place votes, while edging Kansas State with 191 points and seven first-place votes. Texas was third with 173 and one first-place vote.
Sharp One of the Elite
Head coach Marsha Sharp's .75753 winning percentage ranks seventh among winningest active coaches. Entering the 2002-03 season, Sharp had a 478-153 career record according to NCAA standards. The NCAA does not include forfeits in the overall record, which is 479-153. Sharp won a game by forfeit during the 1988-89 season against Baylor.
Pierson and Perkins Picked as One of Best at Their Positions
Senior Plenette Pierson and junior Jia Perkins have been nabbed as one of the top five in the country at their respective positions by ESPN.com. Pierson was named one of the top five power fowards along with Oklahoma's Caton Hill, LSU's Aiysha Smith, Mississippi State's LaToya Thomas and Kansas State's Kendra Wecker. Perkins was listed on the top five off-guards list along with Duke's Alana Beard, Penn State's Kelly Mazzante, Connecticut's Diana Taurasi and Minnesota's Lindsay Wilson. Tech was one of five schools (Vanderbilt, Kansas State, LSU and Mississippi State) to have two players listed at the five positions.
Pierson on ESPN.com
Senior Plenette Pierson will be writing a weekly diary for ESPN.com. Pierson will be giving a weekly update about herself and the Lady Raiders throughout the 2002-03 season.
Summer Success
Marsha Sharp was the head coach of the 2002 USA Basketball World Championship For Young Women Qualifying Team that captured the gold medal in Brazil with an unblemished 4-0 record and qualified USA Basketball for the 2003 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Championship For Young Women. Tech's Jia Perkins was a member of the 12-person squad. Perkins was one of five Big 12 players represented on the team. Louisiana Tech's Amber Obaze was also a member of the team.
Ritchie Named Female Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year
In July, junior Natalie Ritchie was named the female Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year. Ritchie's commitment to sportsmanship is led by her devotion and kindness. The Amarillo, Texas native averaged 10.6 points in 32 games last season. While assisting the Lady Raiders to their 2002 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance, Ritchie still found time to exercise her generosity and to show genuine concern for others. Ritchie visits local hospitals, churches and other community agencies. She also finds time to meet with fans, encourage students and to give motivational speeches on a variety of topics, in addition to her full schedule as a student-athlete. Ritchie also volunteers at Race for the Cure, Special Olympics and the Ronald McDonald House.
Nagle Sidelined
Senior Jamie Nagle will be sidelined after having lateral meniscus repair done to her right knee. Nagle is expected to sit out until at least December.
Lady Raiders in the Polls
Since January 20, 1992, the Lady Raiders have been ranked in the Top 25 in the Associated Press and/or the USA Today poll a total of 194 weeks. That includes this year's preseason polls which Tech is ranked seventh in both the AP poll and the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll.
RPI
In the preseason WBCA/Summerville RPI (rate percentage index) strength of schedule, Texas Tech ranks 18th for non-conference games and second in all games for the 2002-03 season.
