Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Take On Michigan In Dallas
November 26, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2003
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Friday's Game
No. 5 Texas Tech will take on Michigan in the first game of the SMU Hoops for the Cure Tournament in Dallas at Moody Coliseum. SMU and UTA will square off at 7 p.m. The winners of the two games will meet up in the championship game on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m., while the consolation game will be at 5 p.m. The game on the 29th can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network as Ryan Hyatt calls the game. The game on the 29th will be televised in Lubbock on UPN22 with Vinnie Vinzetta and Crystal Boles calling the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 4-0 after beating No. 15 Rutgers, 73-45, in the championship game of the Preseason WNIT last Sunday. On the year, senior Jia Perkins leads the team in scoring with an 18.5 average followed by freshman Alesha Robertson at 9.7. Senior Casey Jackson is the top rebounder, grabbing 7.8 boards per outing. Sophomore Jametra Clark is shooting 58.3 percent from the field and freshman Brook Baughman is shooting 50 percent. Baughman is shooting 50 percent from the three-point arc. Sophomore Erin Grant has a team-high 18 assists, while sophomore Chesley Dabbs leads the team in steals with seven. Perkins is also the top shot blocker with six blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 41.4 percent from the field, 26.2 percent from three-point range and 73.9 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Michigan enters the game with a 3-2 record after losing to Alabama, 76-74, in overtime on Monday in Ann Arbor. In that game, senior Jennifer Smith scored a team-high 27 points followed by juniors Tabitha Pool and Sierra Hauser-Price with 12 each and sophomore Niki Reams with 11. Poll added eight rebounds, while Hauser-Price tallied five assists. Smith finished with four steals.
On the year, Smith paces the Wolverines in scoring with a 22.0 average followed by senior Stephanie Gandy at 13.6 and Pool at 12.4. Pool is the top rebounder, grabbing 8.2 boards per outing. Pool leads the team in assists with 15, while Smith has a team-high nine steals. Gandy is the top shot blocker with four blocks. Michigan is shooting 41.7 percent from the field, 32.3 percent from three-point range and 71.7 percent from the free throw line.
Cheryl Burnett is in her first year at the helm of the Wolverines with a 3-2 record. She is in her 16th year as a head coach establishing a record of 322-138.
Series Record
Texas Tech and Michigan will meet for the first time on Friday.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will play in the SMU Hoops for the Cure Tournament in Dallas Nov. 28-29. Tech will take on either SMU or UTA on the 29th. The winners of the two games will battle it out at 7 p.m. in the championship game, while the losers will play at 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. Tech concludes 2003 by playing in the Surf 'N Slam San Diego Hoop Classic Dec. 28, 30.
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 512-159 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.
Lady Raiders Claim WNIT Title
Texas Tech won the Preseason WNIT Tournament with a 74-35 victory over No. 15 Rutgers. The Lady Raiders won the tournament averaging 76.3 points a game, while their opponents averaged just 45.3 points a game for an average 31-point margin of victory.
Perkins, Jackson Named to All-Tournament Team
Senior Jia Perkins was named the MVP of the Preseason WNIT tournament as she averaged 18.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the four games. Senior Casey Jackson was also named to the all-tournament team.
Jackson Pulls Down Career High, Gets Double-Double
Senior Casey Jackson recorded her second career double-double and first of the season against Rutgers as she scored 10 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds. The 19 rebounds tied the Preseason WNIT record for most rebounds in a game.
Baughman Puts in Career High
Freshman Brooke Baughman scored a career-high nine points and tied her career highs of four assists and two three-pointers in Tech's victory over Rutgers. She also recorded her first block of her career.
Perkins Moves Up the Charts
Senior Jia Perkins moved into the top five on Tech's all-time field goal attempts list. She ranks fifth with 1,504 attempts. She cracked the top 10 in free throws made with 246.
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 1,578 career points after four games this season and is just two points shy of tying for sixth on the list.
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.
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.
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 216 weeks. That includes this week's polls in which Tech is ranked fifth in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA top 25 and fifth in the AP poll.
