Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Set To Host Oklahoma State On Saturday
January 16, 2003 | Women's Basketball
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#7 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (14-1/3-0 Big 12)
vs.
Oklahoma State Cowgirls (5-9/1-2 Big 12)
January 18, 2003 * Lubbock, Texas * 3 p.m.
Television - Fox Sports Net
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Saturday's Game
No. 7 Texas Tech (14-1/3-0) hosts Oklahoma State (5-9/1-2) on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 3 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. It is the 26th meeting between the two schools. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net with Kevin Eschenfelder and Brenda Van Lengen calling the game. The game can also be heard on the All Sports Radio Network as Ryan Hyatt and Crystal Boles call the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 14-1 on the year and 3-0 in the Big 12 after beating No. 23 Oklahoma, 80-71, last Wednesday in Norman. On the year, senior Plenette Pierson leads the team in scoring with an 17.9 average followed by junior Jia Perkins at 16.2 and sophomore Cisti Greenwalt at 10.3. Pierson is the top rebounder, grabbing 7.5 boards per outing. Freshman LaToya Davis is shooting a team-high 60 percent from the field. Junior Natalie Ritchie is shooting 38 percent from three-point range. Freshman Erin Grant has a team-high 109 assists, while Perkins leads the team in steals with 34. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 49 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 46.2 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from three-point range and 67 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Oklahoma State enters the game with a 5-9 overall record and 1-2 in the Big 12 after beating Kansas, 60-56, last Wednesday in Stillwater. In that game, junior Trisha Skibbe scored a game-high 21 points followed by senior Thia Willis with 12. Skibbe grabbed eight rebounds, while senior Chantoya Hawkins had four assists and five steals. On the year, Skibbe paces the Cowgirls in scoring with a 16. 4 average. She is also the top rebounder as she is averaging 6.7 boards per contest. Hawkins has team highs of 43 assists and 31 steals. Skibbe is the top shot blocker with 20 blocks. OSU is shooting 37.2 percent from the field, 26.5 percent from the three-point line and 67.2 percent from the charity stripe. Julie Goodenough is in her first year at the helm of the Cowgirls establishing a record of 5-9. She is also in her 10th year as a head coach with a career record of 193-63.
Series Record
It is 26th meeting between Texas Tech and Oklahoma State with the Lady Raiders holding a 14-11 advantage. Each team won on its home court last year. In their first meeting last season, Tech won 62-51 Jan. 23 in Lubbock. In Stillwater, the Cowgirls were victorious, 58-55, Feb. 14.
Last Time vs. Oklahoma State
Feb. 14, 2002 - 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 ended an 11-game losing streak to the Lady Raiders.
Texas Tech (blew a 10-point second-half lead with scoreless stretches of 5:00 and 3:08.
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 had 13.
Willis and Trisha Skibbe had 13 points for the Cowgirls.
A Win Saturday Would...
...give head coach Marsha Sharp her 494th career victory - just six shy of her 500th career win
...give Tech a 15-11 record against Oklahoma State
...give Tech a 15-game winning streak
Last Time Out
(AP) - Plenette Pierson led five players in double figures with 18 points, and No. 7 Texas Tech ran its winning streak to 14 with an 80-71 victory over No. 23 Oklahoma on Wednesday night.
The Lady Raiders (14-1, 3-0 Big 12) were too deep and too quick for the Sooners (10-5, 1-1), who had won 15 straight at home in the conference.
Freshman Erin Grant scored 16, Natalie Ritchie and Jia Perkins had 13 and Cisti Greenwalt 11 for Texas Tech.
Maria Villarroel scored 20 and Theresa Schuknecht 15 for Oklahoma, which hadn't lost a league game at home since falling to Iowa State 81-79 on Jan. 6, 2001.
The Sooners had won five in a row against Tech, but they committed 17 turnovers and shot just 37.5 percent in falling to 0-4 against top-10 teams this season.
The Lady Raiders scored the game's first eight points, six coming on consecutive baskets inside by the 6-foot-5 Greenwalt. Oklahoma got on the board when Schuknecht scored 2:28 in, starting a 6-0 run.
But the Lady Raiders pushed the lead to 17-11 on a 3-pointer by Ritchie, and after Oklahoma got to 19-17 with 8:39 left, Tech scored seven straight to build a comfortable lead again.
Grant scored eight of Tech's final nine points of the half as the Lady Raiders took a 40-29 lead. The score was 49-39 when they scored five in a row to make it a 15-point cushion with 12:32 left. Oklahoma got no closer than eight after that.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will play at Texas Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. The game will be televised locally in Lubbock on UPN22. Tech plays at Colorado Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. CST on Fox Sports Net. Tech returns home Jan. 28 to take on Missouri at 7 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 493-154 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.
Off To Best Start Since 1998-99
Texas Tech is 14-1 and off to its best start since 1998-99 when the Lady Raiders started 17-1. In 1998-99, Tech finished 30-4 on the year and 14-2 in the Big 12 and claimed their second-straight Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles.
Perkins Continues Streak
Junior Jia Perkins continues her double-figure scoring streak as she had 13 points at Oklahoma. Perkins has scored in double digits in 20-straight games dating back to the Missouri game March 5, 2001.
Grant Scores Career High
Freshman Erin Grant poured in a career-high 16 points at Oklahoma. The Arlington, Texas native was 5-for-6 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line against the Sooners.
All Five Starters Score in Double Digits, Again
All five starters scored in double figures at Oklahoma, which marked the second time this season, Rutgers was the first. Senior Plenette Pierson led the way with 18 points followed by freshman Erin Grant with 16, juniors Jia Perkins and Natalie Ritchie with 13 apiece and sophomore Cisti Greenwalt with 11.
Davis Big 12 Rookie of the Week
Freshman LaToya Davis was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week Jan. 13 for her performances against Texas A&M and Baylor. Davis came off the bench for the Lady Raiders to give them the spark they needed against Baylor. She recorded the first double-double of her career with career highs of 15 points and 15 rebounds. For the week, she averaged a double-double with 10.5 points and 10 rebounds, while shooting 64.3 percent from the field and 60 percent from the free throw line.
Season Low Shooting Night
Texas Tech shot just 33.9 percent from the field against Baylor, it's lowest of the season. The Lady Raiders hit just 21 of 62 shot attempts on the night.
Pierson Gets Third Double-Double of Season
Senior Plenette Pierson recorded her third double-double of the season with 25 points and 11 rebounds at Texas A&M. It was the second time in three games she had a double-double and her 18th double-double of her career.
Season High Rebounds
Texas Tech grabbed a season-high 52 rebounds at Texas A&M on Jan. 8. The team's previous season high was 48 against Creighton and at Southern Miss.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Jan. 13, freshman Erin Grant ranks fourth in assists per game (7.7), sophomore Cisti Greenwalt is sixth in blocks (3.4) and senior Plenette Pierson is 50th in scoring (17.9), among all NCAA Division I players. As a team, Texas Tech ranks second in blocked shots per game (7.7), seventh in won-lost percentage (92.9), 10th in turnovers per game (14.3), 11th in field goal percentage (34.7), 13th in scoring margin (19.2), 16th in scoring offense (78.8), 17th in rebound margin (8.4) and 22nd in assists (18.1).
Pierson, Grant Garner Big 12 Honors
Senior Plenette Pierson and freshman Erin Grant earned Big 12 Conference honors Jan. 6. Pierson was named the Big 12 Player of the Week after she averaged 22.3 points and 11.3 rebounds, while shooting 52.2 percent from the field. Grant received the Big 12 Rookie of the Week honor as she averaged 10.7 points and 10 assists a game. It was Pierson's first league honor this season and Grant's second.
Pierson Lights It Up
Senior Plenette Pierson matched her career-high 31 points while adding a career-high 17 rebounds against Rutgers. It marked her second double-double of the season.
Grant Records First Double-Double
Freshman Erin Grant recorded her first double-double as a Lady Raider against Rutgers. Grant had 11 points and 12 assists. It was also the fourth time this year she has had 10 or more assists.
All Five Starters Hit Double Digits
All five starters scored in double figures in Tech's victory over Rutgers. Senior Plenette Pierson led the way with 31 followed by junior Natalie Ritchie with 18, sophomore Cisti Greenwalt with 14, freshman Erin Grant with 11 and junior Jia Perkins with 10.
Third Time of 90 or More Points
For the third time this season, Texas Tech scored 90 or more points in a game with 94 points against Rutgers. The Lady Raiders scored 99 against Washington and 98 versus Creighton earlier this season.
Largest Crowd of Season
The 13,859 fans in attendance for the Rutgers game marked the largest crowd at the United Spirit Arena this season. It was also the 10th-largest crowd ever for women's basketball at the USA.
Dishing Out
Freshman Erin Grant has recorded four games of 10 or more assists: Valpo (10), Washington (14), Creighton (10), Rutgers (12). For the year, she has totaled 109 assists for an average of 7.3 assists per contest.
Outshooting Opponents
Texas Tech has outshot all 15 opponents this season. Tech shot a season-high 55.6 percent against Wyoming and a season-low 33.9 percent against Baylor. The Lady Raiders have shot 50 percent or better four times this year.
Grant Just Shy of Triple-Double and Plays First 40-Minute Game
Freshman Erin Grant was just shy of a triple-double at Rice as she had 11 points, nine assists and a career-high eight rebounds. Grant also added career highs of three steals and one block while playing her first 40-minute game at Texas Tech. Grant also played 40 minutes against Baylor.
Low Turnovers
Texas Tech committed a season low of six turnovers in its victory over Hawai'i. The school record for fewest turnovers in a game is five, which occurred against Texas A&M Jan. 31, 1983.
Tech Ties Blocks Record
Texas Tech tied its school record of 13 blocked shots in a game against Wyoming. Tech has now had 13 swats on four occasions in school history.
Perkins Joins Elite Club
Junior Jia Perkins poured in a career-high 41 points against Creighton to become just the fourth player in school history to score 40 or more points in a game. Perkins joins Sheryl Swoopes, Alicia Thompson and Carolyn Thompson on that list. Her 41 points ranks sixth for most points scored in a game by an individual; it tied Thompson's 41 points against Oklahoma on Feb. 18, 1982.
Perkins Has Career Day, Named Big 12 Player of the Week
Not only did junior Jia Perkins score a career-high 41 points against Creighton, she also had a career-high 12 rebounds, while tying her career high of six steals. It also marked her first double-double of the season. She was named the Big 12 Player of the Week Dec. 9 for her efforts vs. Creighton.
Grant Named Big 12 Rookie of the Week and Sets Freshman Record
Freshman Erin Grant was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week Nov. 25 for her performances against Louisiana Tech and Washington. Grant set the freshman record for assists in a game as she dished out 14 against Washington, while committing only two turnovers. She tallied 13 points and six assists against Louisiana Tech. She is averaging 10 assists a game, a team high. She also leads the team in free throw percentage at 87.5. The previous was 10 by Jia Perkins against Southeast Louisiana Dec. 19, 2000 and against USC Dec. 22, 2000.
On the Tube
The Lady Raiders will make seven national or regional television appearances in regular-season play this season. Tech will appear on ESPN2 twice and Fox Sports Net five times. Tech lost to Louisiana Tech on ESPN2 on Nov. 10 and will play Iowa State Feb. 9 on ESPN2. The Lady Raiders' games on Fox Sports Net include: Washington (W, 99-67), Oklahoma State (Jan. 18), at Colorado (Jan. 26), Texas (Mar. 2) and Kansas State (Mar. 6).
RPI
As of games through Jan. 15, Texas Tech was ranked second in the WBCA/Summerville RPI (rate percentage index).
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 203 weeks. That includes this week's Associated Press poll in which Tech is ranked seventh and seventh in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches poll.
