Texas Tech University Athletics
No. 17 Women's Basketball Battles Nebraska At Home
February 22, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2002
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February 23, 2002
* Lubbock, Texas
* 7:15 p.m.
* TV - UPN22 Locally
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Saturday's Game
No. 17/17 Texas Tech will host Nebraska on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 7:15 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. The game will be televised on the Texas Tech Television Network and can be seen locally in Lubbock on UPN22. It is the ninth meeting between the two schools.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 16-9 on the year and 7-7 in the Big 12 after beating Texas A&M, 95-64, last Tuesday. The Lady Raiders are led in scoring by sophomore Jia Perkins at 16.0 points a game and senior Amber Tarr at 12.3. Sophomore Natalie Ritchie is averaging 10.3 points. Freshman Cisti Greenwalt is averaging 6.5 rebounds per outing, while sophomore Jolee Ayers is averaging 6.2. Perkins has a team-high 66 steals and senior Candi White leads the team in assists with 104. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 47 blocks followed by senior Tanisha Ellison with 22. Ellison is shooting 55.2 percent from the field and Ayers is shooting 52.5 percent, while Tarr is shooting 40.4 percent from three-point range. On the year, the Lady Raiders are shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 36 percent from the three-point arc and 63.3 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Nebraska enters the game with a 14-13 overall record and 4-9 in the Big 12 after losing to Oklahoma State, 72-66, last Wednesday. In that game, freshman Katie Robinette scored 18 points followed by junior Stephanie Jones with 16 and sophomore Shannon Howell with 14. Jones also had a game-high 13 rebounds, while Robinette had three blocks and two steals. Freshman Jina Johansen tallied three assists. On the year, junior Keasha Cannon paces the Huskers in scoring with a 13.3 average followed by Robinette at 10.0. Cannon is also the top rebounder with an 8.5 average. Cannon also has team highs of 97 assists and 53 steals. Robinette is the top shot blocker with 30 blocks. Nebraska is shooting 41.3 percent from the field, 30.3 percent from three-point range and 70.4 percent from the free throw line. Paul Sanderford is in his fifth year at the helm of the Huskers, establishing a record of 88-66. He is also in his 20th year as a head coach with an overall record of 453-186.
Series Record
It is the ninth meeting between Texas Tech and Nebraska with Tech holding a 6-2 advantage. The Lady Raiders won last year's contest, 66-50, Jan. 17 in Lincoln. Tech has won the last five games. The last time the Huskers were victorious was Feb. 9, 1997 in a 62-57 triumph in Lincoln, Neb.
Last Time vs. Nebraska
January 17, 2001 - Amber Tarr scored 18 points, and No. 9 Texas Tech took advantage of 33 turnovers in a 66-50 victory over Nebraska. Plenette Pierson scored 16 and Katrisa O'Neal added 10 points for the Lady Raiders, who have won five straight and nine of 10. The Huskers had 18 turnovers by halftime.
Greichaly Cepero, Margaret Richards and Steph Jones scored nine points each to lead Nebraska. Jones also had nine rebounds, and Cepero finished with eight before fouling out with 6:33 left.
Tech didn't shoot particularly well, going 22-for-64 from the field, but the turnovers were too much for Nebraska to overcome. The Raiders scored 29 points off turnovers.
Tarr made a 3-pointer and Tanisha Ellison hit a pair of jumpers as Tech opened the second half with a 9-2 run to go up 44-26.
Nebraska used an 8-0 run, getting four points from Mitchell, to cut the lead to 56-40, but that was as close as it got.
The Huskers stayed in it early in the first half despite eight turnovers in the first 10 minutes. Nebraska's zone forced Tech to the outside, where the Raiders were just 7-for-20 to start the game.
After Nebraska's Monique Whitfield tied it at 17-all with a jump shot in the lane, the Huskers turned the ball over on eight of their next nine possessions, allowing Tech to go on a 14-0 run.
Pierson had seven points during the run, which started on a three-point play off a missed free throw.
Steph Jones' short jumper with 3:25 left before halftime ended a 5-minute, 39-second scoreless drought for Nebraska.
A Win on Saturday Would...
...give Texas Tech a 17-9 overall record and an 8-7 mark in the Big 12
...give Marsha Sharp her 476th career win
...make Tech 7-2 over the Huskers
...give Tech its sixth-straight win over Nebraska
...give seniors Tanisha Ellison and Amber Tarr their 100th career win
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech concludes the 2001-02 regular season at Oklahoma Feb. 27 on Fox Sports Net at 7:30 p.m. Tech will then head to Kansas City, Mo., for the Big 12 Conference Tournament March 5-9.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech history, head coach Marsha Sharp is 475-150 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) - Tanisha Ellison had 19 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 17 Texas Tech beat Texas A&M 95-64 Tuesday night. Ellison was one of six players in double figures for the Lady Raiders (16-9, 7-7 Big 12 Conference), who matched a season high in points and ended a two-game conference losing streak. It was the 475th career victory for Texas Tech coach Marsha Sharp. Jolee Ayers also had a double-double for the Lady Raiders, scoring 14 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Toccara Williams led Texas A&M (13-13, 5-9) with 22 points and eight rebounds. After trailing by as many as 11 early, the Aggies pulled to 24-20 midway through the first half thanks in part to solid post play from Kim Moore and Tammika Simms. But reserve guard Natalie Ritchie scored eight straight points as Texas Tech went on a 22-8 run to close the first half and put the game out of reach. The Lady Raiders extended the lead to 29 with about 13 minutes left in the second half, and the Aggies never got closer.
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.
Lady Raiders 3-4 on TV
Texas Tech is now 3-4 on regional or national television this season after beating Wisconsin on espn2 Feb. 17. Tech lost at Duke on ESPN and beat Vanderbilt on syndicated television, while beating Texas on Fox Sports Net, 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 5-6 against teams in the top 25 this year after beating No. 19/25 Wisconsin Feb. 17. The Lady Raiders have wins over Vanderbilt, Baylor, Iowa State, Texas and Wisconsin and losses against Duke, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas State, Colorado and Baylor.
4-0 When 50 Percent or Better
The Lady Raiders are 4-0 this season when shooting 50 percent or better. Tech shot at least 50 percent against Kansas (50%), Baylor (50.7%), at Texas A&M (57.4%) and Wisconsin (54.2%) to win all four games.
10 Lineups in 25 Games
Texas Tech has used 10 different lineups in its 25 games this year. Senior Tanisha Ellison and sophomore Jia Perkins have started 24 games and senior Amber Tarr has started 21. Senior Candi White has 15 starts, while sophomore Casey Jackson has 13. Sophomore Natalie Ritchie and freshman Cisti Greenwalt each have seven. Sophomore Jolee Ayers has five.
Tarr Gets Academic Honor
Senior Amber Tarr was named second team Verizon Academic All-District VI on Feb. 21. Tarr was one of five people selected to the second team, while six people earned first team honors.
Looking for 100
Seniors Tanisha Ellison and Amber Tarr are approaching their 100th-career win at Texas Tech. The two currently have 99 wins. As freshmen, they won 30 games, while winning 28 as sophomores, 25 as juniors and 16 so far as seniors. Tech's other senior, Candi White, was a junior college transfer and has won 41 games as a Lady Raider.
T Gets New Career High
Senior Tanisha Ellison recorded a career-high 19 points, while adding a season-high 14 rebounds for her first double-double of the season vs. Texas A&M. Ellison's previous career high was 15 at Missouri last year.
Fourth Double-Double for Ayers
Sophomore Jolee Ayers recorded her fourth double-double of the season against Texas A&M. Ayers poured in 14 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Greenwalt Breaks Into Top 10
Freshman Cisti Greenwalt now ranks ninth on Tech's all-time single-season list in blocks with 47 blocks. Greenwalt is tied with Stacey Siebert, who tallied 47 blocks during the 1987-88 season. Standing in eighth is Carolyn Thompson with 50, which occurred during the 1980-81.
Tech Ties Highest Output
Texas Tech tied its highest scoring output of the season with 95 points against Texas A&M. The Lady Raiders also scored 95 points against Southern Miss earlier this season.
Tech Finishes Non-Conference with 9-2 Mark
Texas Tech finished its non-conference season with a 9-2 record after beating Wisconsin in the Big 12/Big Ten Challenge. Tech is now 4-0 all-time against the Badgers.
Perkins Returns
Sophomore Jia Perkins returned to form against Wisconsin. Perkins led Tech over the Badgers with 19 points, while adding six rebounds, five assists and four steals and committing just one turnover.
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 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.
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. 20, Texas Tech is ranked 12th in the current WBCA/Summerville RPI (rate percentage index). Tech also ranks third 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 191 weeks. That includes this week's polls of 17th in the AP poll and 17th in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
