Texas Tech University Athletics
No. 8 Lady Raiders Travel To Kansas
January 30, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 30, 2003
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#8 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (17-2/6-1 Big 12)
vs.
Kansas Jayhawks (9-9/2-5 Big 12)
February 1, 2003 * Lawrence, Kan. * 2 p.m.
Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
Saturday's Game
No. 8 Texas Tech (17-2/6-1) travels to Kansas (9-9/2-5) on Saturday, Feb. 1 for a 2 p.m. game. 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 17-2 on the year and 6-1 in the Big 12 defeating Missouri, 84-50, last Tuesday in Lubbock. On the year, senior Plenette Pierson leads the team in scoring with an 18.5 average followed by junior Jia Perkins at 16.4. Pierson is the top rebounder, grabbing 7.4 boards per outing. Freshman LaToya Davis is shooting a team-high 58.7 percent from the field. Junior Natalie Ritchie is shooting 35.4 percent from three-point range. Freshman Erin Grant has a team-high 137 assists, while Perkins leads the team in steals with 46. Sophomore Cisti Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 59 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 32.6 percent from three-point range and 65.8 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Kansas enters the game with a 9-9 overall record and 2-5 in the Big 12 after winning two-straight league games. The Jayhawks won at Texas A&M, 64-57, Jan. 25 and beat Nebraska, 67-64, last Wednesday in Lawrence. In the game against the Huskers, freshman Crystal Kemp poured in a game-high 26 points, while sophomore Aquanita Burras added 11 and freshman Erica Hallman had 10. Kemp also had eight rebounds and three blocks. Sophomore Blair Waltz finished with three assists and two steals.
On the year, Kemp paces the Jayhawks in scoring with an 11.7 average follwed by Burras at 10.9 and freshman Tamara Ransburg at 10.3. Ransburg is the the top rebounder as she is averaging 7.7 boards per outing. Hallman has a team-high 66 assists, while Burras leads the team in steals with 45. Ransburg is the top shot blocker with 46 blocks. Kansas is shooting 42.2 percent from the field, 31.5 percent from the three-point line and 68.3 percent from the charity stripe.
Marian Washington is in her 30th year at the helm of the Jayhawks and as a head coach with a career record of 548-338.
Series Record
Texas Tech holds a 5-3 advantage over Kansas after beating the Jayhawks, 76-54, in Lubbock Jan. 2, 2002. Tech has won the last three meetings. The last time Kansas won was Jan. 23, 1999 in a 55-45 triumph in Lawrence. The Lady Raiders are 1-2 in Lawrence. Their only win at Allen Fieldhouse came on Feb. 14, 2001 with a 49-45 victory.
Last Time vs. Kansas
Jan. 2, 2002 - Jolee Ayers scored a career-high 22 points, and Cisti Greenwalt had a double-double as No. 9 Texas Tech defeated Kansas 76-54 in each team's Big 12 opener. Kansas stayed close until midway through the second half, when Tech went on a 17-8 run in which Ayers scored seven points. Later, the Jayhawks' shooting went cold and they went nearly four minutes without a basket.
The Jayhawks were nearly shut out in rebounds at their end of the court, getting only six. Tech outrebounded Kansas 46-24. Greenwalt scored 18 points and had 15 rebounds, and Natalie Ritchie added 12 points for the Lady Raiders. Ayers' highest point total before Wednesday's game was last season, when she scored 17 against Texas A&M.
K.C. Hilgenkamp scored 12 points - all in the final minutes of the game - and Selena Scott and Blair Waltz added 11 each for Kansas. Tech led 33-28 at halftime. The Jayhawks got only one shot each time down the court and didn't get an offensive rebound until 4:34 remained.
They got only one more in the half.
A Win Saturday Would...
- ...give head coach Marsha Sharp her 497th career victory - just three shy of her 500th career win
- ...give Tech an 18-2 overall record and 7-1 in the Big 12
- ...give Tech a 6-3 record against Kansas
Last Time Out
(AP) - Having limited Missouri to 13 points in the first half, Texas Tech coach Marsha Sharp had an easy time telling her team what to focus on over the final 20 minutes.
The eighth-ranked Lady Raiders did exactly that, thanks in large part to a career-high 32 points from Plenette Pierson in an 84-50 victory Tuesday night.
Texas Tech (17-2, 6-1 Big 12) wrapped up the victory in the early stages of the second half. After Missouri (9-8, 3-3) outscored Texas Tech 10-4 over the first four minutes of the second half to make it 43-23, the Lady Raiders went on a 13-0 run.
Pierson scored eight points in the run while Jolee Ayers, who had season-highs with nine points and 11 rebounds, scored four.
Missouri never got closer than 27 points the rest of the way.
Jia Perkins had 18 points for the Lady Raiders.
Stretch James paced Missouri with 16 points, including six of 10 points during the early second-half run. Pierson and Perkins each had six points as Texas Tech used a 17-0 run to take a 24-5 lead. Natalie Ritchie added a 3-pointer and Ayers had a follow shot as the Lady Raiders took command.
Missouri was held scoreless for nearly a six-minute stretch of the opening half. The Tigers finished the first half with four field goals and four free throws.
After James scored on a putback to cut the lead to 24-7, the Lady Raiders went on a 12-2 run. Pierson scored seven points during the run with a three-point play, a rebound basket and two free throws.
Texas Tech led 39-13 at halftime.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will host Iowa State Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. on espn2. The Lady Raiders will face Texas A&M Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. in Lubbock before traveling to Baylor Feb. 15 for a 7 p.m. contest. Tech hosts Oklahoma Feb. 19 at 7:15 p.m. The Baylor and Oklahoma games will be televised in Lubbock on UPN22.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech history, head coach Marsha Sharp is 496-155 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.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Jan. 27, sophomore Cisti Greenwalt ranks sixth in blocked shots per game (3.2) and freshman Erin Grant is eighth (top freshman) in assists per game (7.4), among all NCAA Division I players. As a team, Texas Tech ranks second in blocked shots per game (7.7), sixth in won-lost percentage (88.9), ninth in field goal percentage defense (34.6), 10th in scoring margin (18.8), 13th in scoring offense (78.7), 13th in turnovers per game (14.4), 16th in field goal percentage (46.8) and 19th in rebound margin (7.8).
New Career High for Pierson
Senior Plenette Pierson scored a career-high 32 points against Missouri, as her previous career high was 31. For the night, Pierson was 10-of-13 from the field and 12-of-15 from the free throw line.
Grant Gets Freshman Assist Record
Freshman Erin Grant tallied four assists against Missouri to claim the freshman record for assists in a season breaking Julie Lake's mark of 134 assist set during the 1995-96 season. For the year, she has totaled 137 assists for an average of 7.2 assists per contest. Grant has recorded five games of 10 or more assists: Valpo (10), Washington (14), Creighton (10), Rutgers (12), Oklahoma State (11).
Perkins Continues Streak
Junior Jia Perkins continues her double-figure scoring streak as she had 18 points against Missouri. Perkins has scored in double digits in 24-straight games dating back to the Missouri game March 5, 2001.
Season Highs for Ayers
Junior Jolee Ayers recorded season highs of nine points and 11 rebounds in her first start of the season against Missouri.
Two Freshmen Start, First Time Since 1995-96
Freshmen Erin Grant and LaToya Davis were both in the starting lineup at Colorado to mark the first time two freshmen have started the same game since Rene Hanebutt and Julie Lake in 1995-96.
Ritchie Ties Career High
Junior Natalie Ritchie tied her career-high 21 points, which is also a season high, at Colorado. Ritchie sank a season-high five three-pointers. She has now had 21 points four times in her career, while the five three-pointers move her to sixth all-time for career three-point field goals made at Tech with 126.
Stealing Jia
Junior Jia Perkins matched her career-high six steals at Colorado. It marked the fourth time in her career and the second of the season. She currently ranks sixth all-time on Tech's career steals list with 224.
Career Swats for Ayers
Junior Jolee Ayers swatted a career-high four blocks against Texas. Her previous career high was three on three occasions. Ayers also tied her season-high eight points.
Season Low Points
Texas Tech was held to a season-low 58 points in its loss at Texas. The Lady Raiders previous lowest output was 62 points against Baylor.
Grant Earns Third Big 12 Rookie of the Week Honor
Freshman Erin Grant earned her third Big 12 Rookie of the Week honor Jan. 20. For the week, Grant averaged 14 points and six rebounds as she scored a career-high 16 points at Oklahoma and recorded her second double-double against Oklahoma State with 12 points and 11 assists.
Grant Gets Second Double-Double
Freshman Erin Grant recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 assists against Oklahoma State. It marked the fifth time this season she has had 10 or more assists in a game.
Fourth Time of 90-Plus Points
Texas Tech's 95 points against Oklahoma State marked the fourth time this season that Tech has scored 90 or more points in a game. Tech had 94 points against Rutgers, 99 against Washington and 98 versus Creighton. Also, the 50-point victory margin (95-45) was the largest of the season.
Season High Shooting
Texas Tech shot a season-high 62.5 percent from the field against Oklahoma State. The Lady Raiders connected on 40-of-64 shot attempts.
Career Highs for Dabbs and Clark
Freshman Chesley Dabbs came off the bench to score a career-high 11 points against Oklahoma State, while freshman Jametra Clark grabbed a career-high eight rebounds.
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.
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.
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.
Outshooting Opponents
Texas Tech has outshot all 19 opponents this season. Tech shot a season-high 62.5 percent against Oklahoma State and a season-low 33.9 percent against Baylor. The Lady Raiders have shot 50 percent or better four times this year.
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.
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 (W, 95-45), at Colorado (W, 80-58), Texas (Mar. 2) and Kansas State (Mar. 6).
RPI
As of games through Jan. 29, Texas Tech was ranked fourth in the WBCA/Summerville RPI (rate percentage index). Tech's strength of schedule is 11th.
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 205 weeks. That includes this week's Associated Press poll in which Tech is ranked eighth and eighth in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches poll.
