Texas Tech University Athletics
Women's Hoops Hosts Wisconsin This Sunday
February 15, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 15, 2002
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#16/16 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (14-9/6-7 Big 12)
vs.
#19/25 Wisconsin (17-7/8-6 Big Ten)
February 17, 2002 * Lubbock, Texas * 1 p.m. * espn2
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Sunday's Game
No. 16/16 Texas Tech will host No. 19/25 Wisconsin in the Big 12/Big Ten Challenge Sunday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. on espn2 at the United Spirit Arena. Pam Ward and Vera Jones will be calling the game. It is the fourth meeting between the two schools.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 14-9 on the year and 6-7 in the Big 12 after losing at Oklahoma State, 58-55, last Thursday. The Lady Raiders are led in scoring by sophomore Jia Perkins at 16.1 points a game and senior Amber Tarr at 12.0. Sophomore Natalie Ritchie is averaging 10.2 points. Freshman Cisti Greenwalt is averaging 6.6 rebounds per outing, while sophomore Jolee Ayers is averaging 5.8. Perkins has team highs of 92 assists and 61 steals. Senior Candi White also has a team-high 92 assists. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 43 blocks followed by Ayers with 19. Ayers and senior Tanisha Ellison are both shooting 52.7 percent from the field, while Tarr is shooting 40.2 percent from three-point range. On the year, the Lady Raiders are shooting 43 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from the three-point arc and 62.3 percent from the free throw line. Scouting the Opponent
No. 19/25 Wisconsin enters the game with a 17-7 overall record and 8-6 in the Big Ten after beating Northwestern, 80-47, last Thursday. In that game, senior Jessie Stomski scored a game-high 24 points followed by senior Tamara Moore with 19. Stomski also had seven rebounds and seven assists, while Moore tallied six assists and three steals. On the year, Stomski paces the Badgers in scoring with a 19.3 average followed by Moore at 16.8 and senior Kyle Black at 12.8. Stomski is also the top rebounder, grabbing 8.6 boards per outing. Moore has team highs of 146 assists and 73 steals. Sophomore Emily Ashbaugh is the top shot blocker with 34 blocks. Wisconsin is shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from three-point range and 71.8 percent from the free throw line. Jane Albright is in her eighth season at the helm of the Badgers, establishing a record of 152-81. She is also in her 18th year as a head coach with an overall record of 340-191.
Series Record
It is the fourth meeting between Texas Tech and Wisconsin with Tech holding a 3-0 advantage, all during the Marsha Sharp era. In their last contest, the Lady Raiders defeated the Badgers, 84-70, Dec. 5, 1998 at the Rice Invitational. Tech is 2-0 vs. Wisconsin in Lubbock. Tech won 88-65, March 18, 1995 and 77-69, Dec. 3, 1995.
A Win on Sunday Would...
...give Texas Tech a 15-9 overall record ...give Marsha Sharp her 474th career win ...make Tech 4-0 against the Badgers ...would snap a two-game losing streak ...give Tech a 9-2 nonconference record this season ...give seniors Tanisha Ellison and Amber Tarr their 98th career win
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will finish up its home schedule with games against Texas A&M Feb. 19 at 8:15 p.m. and Nebraska Feb. 23 at 7:15 p.m. The Lady Raiders will wrap up the 2001-02 regular season at Oklahoma Feb. 27 on Fox Sports Net at 7:30 p.m.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech history, head coach Marsha Sharp is 473-150 in her 20th year at the helm of the Lady Raiders. Entering the 2001-02 season, Sharp was the seventh active winningest coach among Division I coaches. She has led the Lady Raiders to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 12 consecutive, and eight 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.
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.
Last Time Out
(AP) - Tari Cummings converted a three-point play with 8.2 seconds left to lead Oklahoma State to a 58-55 upset of No. 16 Texas Tech on Thursday night.
Cummings scored 19 points, including the Cowgirls' final six as Oklahoma State (12-13, 4-8 Big 12) ended an 11-game losing streak to the Lady Raiders. Texas Tech (14-9, 6-7) blew a 10-point second-half lead with scoreless stretches of 5:00 and 3:08.
Oklahoma State was playing for the first time since the school's announcement Tuesday that the contract of 19-year coach Dick Halterman would not be renewed.
They played with emotion. Cummings pumped her fist wildly in the lane after putting the Cowgirls up 56-55 on a rebound of a Thia Willis jumper. Cummings' free throw made it a two-point lead.
The Lady Raiders hurried the ball up court, but Jia Perkins was called for traveling. Cummings then hit one of two free throws with 3.2 seconds to play before Perkins missed on a running 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Oklahoma State had lost four straight and eight of 10.
Perkins, Tech's leading scorer at 16.7 points per game, was held to four points on 2-of-9 shooting. Amber Tarr had 14 points and Jolee Ayers scored 13.
Willis and Trisha Skibbe had 13 points for the Cowgirls.
Tech First Big 12 School to Win at all League Schools
With Texas Tech's win at Iowa State, Jan. 19, Tech became the first school in the league to win at least one game at all Big 12 schools since the formation of the Big 12 Conference.
Tech One of Six
Texas Tech is one of six schools this week to have both the women's and men's basketball teams ranked in the top 25 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll . The Lady Raiders are 16th, while the Red Raiders are 25th. Stanford, Oklahoma, Duke, Florida and Georgia all have both the women's and men's teams ranked in the USA Today top 25 this week.
Tech 2-4 on TV
Texas Tech is now 2-4 on regional or national television this season after beating Texas Feb. 6 on Fox Sports Net. Tech lost at Duke on ESPN and beat Vanderbilt on syndicated television, while losing at Texas on Fox Sports Southwest and at Kansas State and home against Colorado on Fox Sports Net.
Tech vs. Top 25
Texas Tech is 4-6 against teams in the top 25 this year after losing at then No. 10/12 Baylor Feb. 9. The Lady Raiders have wins over Vanderbilt, Baylor, Iowa State and Texas and losses against Duke, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas State, Colorado and Baylor.
10 Lineups in 23 Games
Texas Tech has used 10 different lineups in its 23 games this year. Senior Tanisha Ellison and sophomore Jia Perkins have started 22 games and senior Amber Tarr has started 19. Senior Candi White and sophomore Casey Jackson both have 13 starts, while sophomore Natalie Ritchie and freshman Cisti Greenwalt each have seven starts. Sophomore Jolee Ayers has three.
Looking for 100
Seniors Tanisha Ellison and Amber Tarr are approaching their 100th-career win at Texas Tech. The two currently have 97 wins. As freshmen, they won 30 games, while winning 28 as sophomores, 25 as juniors and 14 so far as seniors. Tech's other senior, Candi White, was a junior college transfer and has won 39 games as a Lady Raider.
Tarr, Ayers High Scorers at OSU
Senior Amber Tarr and sophomore Jolee Ayers were Tech's top scorers at Oklahoma State. Tarr poured in 14 points and added three rebounds, three steals, an assist and a block. Ayers chipped 13 points while grabbing nine rebounds and adding an assist. Both led the team in minutes as Tarr saw 34 minutes of action and Ayers 32.
Season Low Points
Texas Tech's 55 points at Oklahoma State marked the lowest scoring output for the Lady Raiders this season. Tech's previous low was 61 points against Texas Feb. 6.
Greenwalt Scores Career High
Freshman Cisti Greenwalt came off the bench at Baylor and scored a career-high 19 points in 18 minutes of action.
White, Ellison Dish Out
Senior Candi White again tied her season-high nine assists at Baylor. White has dished out nine assists on three occasions this season. Senior Tanisha Ellison recorded a career-high four assists at Baylor, while tying her season high of three steals.
Double Trouble
Sophomore Jolee Ayers collected her third double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds vs. Texas. It was her second-consecutive game to record a double-double.
White Steps Up
Senior Candi White tied her career-high 10 points, while adding three rebounds, three assists and four steals vs. Texas. It marked the third time in her career she has scored 10 points.
Tech Holds UT to Season Low
Texas Tech held Texas to a season-low 49 points Feb. 6. The Longhorns' previous season-low was 55 in their loss to Miami.
Ayers Ties Career High Again
Sophomore Jolee Ayers tied her career-high 22 points again against Colorado. Ayers also recorded her second double-double of the season with 22 points and a career-high 16 rebounds vs. Colorado. Ayers had 22 points at Texas A&M. Ayers was 8-of-9 from the field. She also scored 22 points against Kansas earlier this year.
Tarr Matches Career High Boards
Senior Amber Tarr tied her career-high eight rebounds against Colorado. It also marked a season high for her.
Perkins Swats Away
Sophomore Jia Perkins tallied a career-high three blocks against Colorado.
Perkins Scores 20+ Again and Again
Sophomore Jia Perkins poured in 24 points at Kansas State and 22 at Texas A&M. She has scored 20-plus points on nine occasions this season.
Season High Assists for White and Tarr
Senior Candi White tied her season-high nine assists at Texas A&M. She also had nine against Baylor and at Baylor, while senior Amber Tarr had a season-high six assists at A&M. White's career high is 10, which she had against New Mexico last year. Tarr's career high is seven, which came against Southwest Texas in November 1999. Season High Field Goal % Texas Tech shot a season-high 57.4 percent from the field at Texas A&M. Tech was 31-of-54 from the field on the night.
Sophomore Trio Leads Tech to Victory
Sophomores Jia Perkins, Jolee Ayers and Natalie Ritchie led Texas Tech to victory over Oklahoma State. Perkins poured in 20 points, the fourth time in five games of 20 or more points, and added five rebounds, an assist, a block and four steals, while Ayers had 16 points, three rebounds, and a block. Ritchie chipped in 13 points, tied her career-high six rebounds and had two assists and a steal.
Ritchie Ties Career High Boards
Sophomore Natalie Ritchie tied her career-high six rebounds against Oklahoma State. Ritchie also recorded six rebounds at Duke earlier this season.
Big 12 Player of the Week Honors
Sophomore Jia Perkins and senior Amber Tarr have both garnered Big 12 Player of the Week honors this year. Perkins received the honor Jan. 2 for her play over the Christmas Break, while Tarr was honored Jan. 21 for her performances against Baylor and at Iowa State.
School Record 3s
Texas Tech set a school record for most three-point baskets in a game with 12 at Iowa State. Tech's previous record was 11 against the Cyclones in 1999.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Feb. 11, freshman Cisti Greenwalt ranks 24th in the country in blocked shots per game with a 2.2 average, among all NCAA Division I players.
RPI
As of games through Feb. 13, Texas Tech is ranked 12th in the current WBCA/Summerville RPI (rate percentage index). Tech also ranks second in the country in strength of schedule.
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 190 weeks. That includes this week's polls of 16th in the AP poll and 16th in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
