Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Ready For Rutgers In Preseason WNIT Championship
November 22, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 22, 2003
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#5/7 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (3-0)
vs.
#15 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-0)
Preseason WNIT Championship Game
November 23, 2003 * Lubbock, Texas * 12:30 p.m.
Television - UPN22 - Lubbock
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Sunday's Game
No. 5/7 Texas Tech will take on No. 15 Rutgers in the championship game of the Preseason WNIT in Lubbock on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 12:30 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. The game will be televised on various networks across the nation, including UPN22 in Lubbock. Tracy Warren and Becky Hammons will be calling the game with Renee Carlson doing the sideline reporting. 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 3-0 after beating No. 18 UC Santa Barbara, 68-41, in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT on Thursday. On the year, senior Jia Perkins leads the team in scoring with a 19.7 average followed by freshman Alesha Robertson at 12.0. Perkins is the top rebounder, grabbing 7.3 boards per outing. Sophomore Jametra Clark is shooting 63.2 percent from the field and Perkins is shooting 47.7 percent. Freshman Brooke Baughman is shooting 42.9 percent from the three-point arc. Sophomore Erin Grant has a team-high 15 assists, while Perkins leads the team in steals with five. Perkins is also the top shot blocker with six blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 40.9 percent from the field, 27.3 percent from three-point range and 73.9 percent from the free throw line. 75.8 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
No. 15 Rutgers enters the game with a 3-0 record after beating Michigan, 65-50, in the semifinals of the Preseason WNIT last Wednesday. In that game, junior Cappie Pondexter scored a game-high 16 points followed by senior Dawn McCullouch with 14, sophomore Michelle Campbell with 11 and juniors Nikki Jett and Rebecca Richman with 10 apiece. Richman added 12 rebounds and five blocks.
On the year, Pondexter paces the Scarlet Knights in scoring with a 14.7 average followed by McCullouch at 11.3 and Campbell at 10.3. Campbell and Richman are the top rebounders as each is averaging 6.7 boards per game. Pondexter has a team-high 10 assists, while McCullouch leads the team in steals with eight. Richman is the top shot blocker with eight blocks. Rutgers is shooting 43.3 percent from the field, 43.5 percent from three-point range and 64.3 percent from the free throw line.
C. Vivian Stringer is in her ninth year at the helm of the Scarlet Knights establishing a record of 157-92. She is also in her 32nd year as a head coach with a 677-227 career record.
Series Record
Texas Tech holds a 2-1 advantage over Rutgers after winning the last two contests. The Scarlet Knights won the first meeting, 53-42, March 20, 1999 in the NCAA Sweet 16 in Normal, Ill. Tech beat Rutgers, 62-49, Dec. 21, 2001 in New Brunswick, N.J. Last season, the Lady Raiders won at home, 94-81, on Jan. 2.
Last Time Out
(AP) - Cal Santa Barbara had the size, but No. 7 Texas Tech had the speed. And the 18th-ranked Gauchos had no answer for that Thursday night.
The Lady Raiders, using their athleticism at both ends of the floor, beat Santa Barbara 68-41 in the semifinals of the women's Preseason NIT. Senior guard Jia Perkins had 22 points for Tech (3-0), which will host No. 15 Rutgers in Sunday's championship game.
Texas Tech used a 15-0 run midway through the second half to put away Santa Barbara (2-1). The Gauchos pulled within 41-30 on a 3-pointer by Brandy Richardson with 14:25 left and Tech scored on its next five possessions to make it 50-30 with 11:21 to play.
Natalie Ritchie hit three free throws, LaToya Davis scored inside and Chesley Dabbs connected on a 10-footer before Casey Jackson capped the run with a layup off a great pass by Dabbs.
Perkins then added four points and Jametra Clark finished the run by scoring inside for a 56-30 lead with 8:25 left. The Gauchos never got closer than 20 points the rest of the way.
Ritchie finished with 11 points for Tech, which held its third straight opponent to fewer than 50 points.
Lindsay Taylor had 12 points for the Gauchos.
Santa Barbara made just four of its first 20 shots, but still led 7-5. Tech then held the Gauchos scoreless for more than six minutes while running off 10 points.
Perkins scored four points in the run while Ritchie added a 3-pointer. Erin Grant and Jolee Ayers-Curry completed the scoring by combining for three free throws.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will play in the SMU Hoops for the Cure Tournament in Dallas Nov. 28-29. The Lady Raiders will take on Michigan on the 28th at 5 p.m., while SMU and Texas-Arlington square off at 7 p.m. The winners of those games will battle it out at 7 p.m. on the 29th with the consolation game slated for 5 p.m. The game on Nov. 29 will be televised in Lubbock on UPN. Tech will return home for three-straight games: California (Dec. 1), Wyoming (Dec. 6) and Pacific (Dec. 8). The Lady Raiders will travel to Washington Dec. 19 and return home with a matchup with Stanford Dec. 21.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech history, Hall of Fame head coach Marsha Sharp is 511-159 in her 22nd year at the helm of the Lady Raiders. She has led the Lady Raiders to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 14 consecutive, and 10 NCAA Sweet 16 and four 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. In May 2003, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
Perkins Moves Up the Charts
Senior Jia Perkins moved into the top five on Tech's all-time field goal attempts list after the game with UCSB. Perkins ranks fifth with 1,491 attempts. She also cracked the top 10 in career free throws made with 245.
Double Duty Day for Davis
Sophomore LaToya Davis turned in her first double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Western Kentucky. It marked her third double-double of her career.
Clark A Spark Off the Bench
Sophomore Jametra Clark came off the bench to score a career-high 15 points against Western Kentucky in 16 minutes of play. Last season, Clark had a then career-high 11 points against Texas A&M in Lubbock.
Freshman Has Back-to-Back Double Digits
Freshman Alesha Robertson made her collegiate debut with back-to-back double digit scoring games. Robertson chipped in 14 against UTSA and 10 against Western Kentucky.
100 Percent
Sophomore Erin Grant shot 100 percent from the field, three-point range and from the free throw line against Western Kentucky. Grant was 2-for-2 from the field, including 1-for-1 from the three-point line, and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe.
Up the Scoring List
Senior Jia Perkins moved into seventh place on Tech's all-time scoring list after the game against Texas-San Antonio. Perkins has 1,563 career points after three games this season.
Tech Ties School Record Turnovers
Texas Tech tied its school record for fewest turnovers in a game with five against Texas-San Antonio. The Lady Raiders also had five turnovers against Texas A&M on Jan. 31, 1983.
Perkins Has Career Highs
Senior Jia Perkins grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds against Texas-San Antonio and tied her career high of three blocks. Perkins' previous career high in rebounds was 12 against Creighton last year. She now has had three blocks on four occasions. Double Action Senior Jia Pekins put up a double-double against UTSA as she finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds. It marked the fifth double-double of her career.
Dabbs, Jackson Swat High
Sophomore Chesley Dabbs swatted a career-high two blocks vs. Texas-San Antonio. Her previous high was one, five times last season. Against Western Kentucky, senior Casey Jackson tallied a career-high three blocks. Her previous high of two blocks came last year against Wyoming.
76 Wins This Time
In its opening game of the season, Texas Tech scored 76 points en route to beating UTSA. It was the exact same number of points Tech scored last year in its opening loss to Louisiana Tech.
Flowers to Redshirt
Freshman Tawanna Flowers will redshirt the 2003-04 season. Flowers suffered a navicular fracture in her right foot during her senior season and is currently rehabbing the injury.
On the Tube
The Lady Raiders will make five national or regional television appearances in regular-season play this season. Texas Tech will appear on ESPN2 once and Fox Sports Net four times. On Fox Sports Net, Tech will play Stanford (Dec. 21), Baylor (Jan. 17), at Texas (Feb. 1) and at Baylor (Feb. 8). On Feb. 22, the Lady Raiders will play Texas on ESPN2. Tech will also have 11 games broadcasted on the local Red Raider Sports Network.
Preseason All-Big 12 By Coaches and Media
Senior Jia Perkins was named preseason All-Big 12 by the coaches and the media. Joining Perkins on the team were Kansas State's Nicole Ohlde and Kendra Wecker and Texas' Heather Schreiber and Stacy Stephens.
Wade Watch
Senior Jia Perkins was one of 35 players selected as a preseason candidate for the State Farm Wade Trophy/Division I Player of the Year Award by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Perkins Preseason Wooden Award and Naismith Candidate
Senior Jia Perkins was named to the John R. Wooden Preseason All-America team and was one of 30 players chosen as a candidate for the John R. Wooden Award, which will be presented annually to the most outstanding female collegiate basketball player. She is also one of 30 preseason candidates for the Naismith Player of the Year Award.
Perkins, Grant Among the Best at Their Positions
Senior Jia Perkins was named one of the top five off-guards in the country by ESPN.com, while sophomore Erin Grant was selected as one of the top five point guards. Joining Perkins on the list were Alana Beard (Duke), Kelly Mazzante (Penn State), Diana Taurasi (Connecticut) and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota). Along with Grant, Jamie Carey (Texas), Temeka Johnson (LSU), Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers) and Erika Valek (Purdue) made up the top five selections.
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 215 weeks. That includes this week's polls in which Tech is ranked fifth in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA top 25 and seventh in the AP poll.
