Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Gear Up For Missouri
January 27, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 27, 2003
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#8 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (16-2/5-1 Big 12) vs. Missouri Tigers (9-7/3-2 Big 12)
January 28, 2003 * Lubbock, Texas * 7 p.m.
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Tuesday's Game
No. 8 Texas Tech (16-2/5-1) hosts Missouri (9-7/3-2) on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. It is the ninth meeting between the two schools. The game can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network with Ryan Hyatt and Crystal Boles calling the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 16-2 on the year and 5-1 in the Big 12 after winning at Colorado, 80-58, last Sunday. On the year, senior Plenette Pierson leads the team in scoring with an 17.8 average followed by junior Jia Perkins at 16.3. Pierson is the top rebounder, grabbing 7.3 boards per outing. Freshman LaToya Davis is shooting a team-high 58.6 percent from the field. Junior Natalie Ritchie is shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range. Freshman Erin Grant has a team-high 133 assists, while Perkins leads the team in steals with 44. Sophomore Cisti Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 58 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from three-point range and 65.3 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Missouri enters the game with a 9-7 overall record and 3-2 in the Big 12 after beating Oklahoma State, 87-65, last Saturday in Columbia, Mo. In that game, junior Evan Unrau scored a game-high 20 points followed by junior Stretch James and senior Kerensa Barr with 15 apiece and junior Melanie Fisher chipped in 14. Unrau collected a double-double as she added 10 rebounds. Barr dished out seven assists, while James had three blocks. On the year, Unrau paces the Tigers in scoring with a 15.6 average followed by Barr at 12.4. Unrau is the top rebounder as she is averaging 8.7 boards per contest. Barr has team highs of 87 assists and 40 steals. James is the top shot blocker with 20 blocks. Missouri is shooting 42.3 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from the three-point line and 76.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Cindy Stein is in her fifth year at the helm of the Tigers establishing a record of 76-59. She is also in her eighth season as a head coach with a career record of 141-84.
Series Record
Texas Tech holds a 6-2 advantage over Missouri. The Tigers won the first meeting last year, 82-71, Jan. 9 in Columbia. The Lady Raiders defeated Missouri, 78-51, March 5, 2002, in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Mo.
Last Time vs. Missouri
March 5, 2002 - Jia Perkins scored 24 points to lead No. 17 Texas Tech to a 78-51 victory over Missouri in the first round of the Big 12 Conference Tournament.
Jolee Ayers added 11 points and Natalie Ritchie had 10 for the Lady Raiders . Reserve Cisti Greenwalt had 11 rebounds, and Candi White fin-ished with 10 assists.
Natalie Bright led Missouri with 11 points. Evan Unrau added nine points and 11 rebounds.
Texas Tech dominated from the outset and built a 39-24 lead by halftime.
The Lady Raiders used a 19-9 run at the start of the second half to put the game out of reach.
Texas Tech shot 48 percent from the field and outrebounded Missouri 22-14. The Red Raiders shot 30 percent.
A Win Tuesday Would ...
- give head coach Marsha Sharp her 496th career victory - just four shy of her 500th career win
- give Tech a 17-2 overall record and 6-1 in the Big 12
- give Tech a 7-2 record against Missouri
- give Tech a 15-game home winning streak
Last Time Out
(AP) - Natalie Ritchie didn't make every shot she took. It only seemed that way to Colorado.
Ritchie scored 18 of her 21 points in the first half, helping No. 7 Texas Tech open a 19-point halftime lead, and cruise to an 80-58 victory over Colorado on Sunday.
Ritchie was 8-for-13 from the floor, including 5-for-9 from 3-point range. She played only the first six minutes of the second half and sat out the rest of the game, with Tech already comfortably ahead.
The Lady Raiders (16-2, 5-1 Big 12) also got 22 points and eight re-bounds from Plenette Pierson and 19 points from Jia Perkins.
Tera Bjorklund had 26 points and 10 rebounds for Colorado (14-3, 4-2).
The Lady Raiders, rebounding from Wednesday's 69-58 loss to No. 17 Texas, used a 16-1 run early in the game to build a 12-point lead and never looked back. Tech shot 47 percent to Colorado's 38 percent and outrebounded the Buffaloes 44-37.
