Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Ready For Longhorns
February 28, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2003
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No. 7 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (23-3/12-2 Big 12)
vs. No. 10 Texas Longhorns (20-5/13-1 Big 12)
March 2, 2003 * Lubbock, Texas * 12:30 p.m.
Television - Fox Sports Net
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Sunday's Game
No. 7/8 Texas Tech (23-3/12-2) hosts No. 10/10 Texas (20-5/13-1) on Sunday, March 2 at 12:30 p.m. It is the 67th meeting between the two schools. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net with Bill Land and Brenda Van Lengen calling the game. The game can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network as Ryan Hyatt and Crystal call the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 22-3 on the year and 12-2 in the Big 12 after winning at Nebraska, 50-35, last Wednesday. On the year, senior Plenette Pierson leads the team in scoring with a 17.3 average followed by junior Jia Perkins at 16.0. Pierson is the top rebounder, grabbing 7.6 boards per outing. Pierson and sophomore Cisti Greenwalt are both shooting 51.2 percent from the field. Junior Miklannet Tennal is shooting 44 percent from three-point range, while junior Natalie Ritchie is shooting 35.1 percent. Freshman Erin Grant has a team-high 179 assists, while Perkins leads the team in steals with 65. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 72 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from three-point range and 66.3 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Texas enters the game with a 20-5 overall record and 13-1 in the Big 12 after winning at Baylor, 79-57, last Wednesday. In that game, sophomore Heather Schreiber scored a game-high 23 points followed by junior Jamie Carey with 15 and sophomore Kala Bowers with 13. Schreiber added nine rebounds, while Carey had eight assists. Bowers finished with two blocks. On the year, junior Stacy Stephens paces the Longhorns in scoring with a 13.7 average followed by Schreiber at 13.5 and Carey at 11.0. Stephens is the top rebounder as she is averaging 8.6 boards per contest. Freshman Nina Norman leads the team in assists with 75, while Stephens has a team-high 43 steals. Stephens is also the top shot blocker with 25 blocks. Texas is shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 40.6 percent from three-point range and 69.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Jody Conradt is in her 27th year at the helm of the Longhorns establish-ing a record of 691-201. She is also in her 34th year as a head coach with a career record of 808-263.
Series Record
It is the 67th meeting between Texas Tech and Texas with the Long-horns holding a 48-18 advantage. The Longhorns won the first meeting this year, 69-58, Jan. 22 in Austin. Last year, Tech was victorious, 61-49, in Lubbock Feb. 6.
Last Time vs. Texas
Jan. 22, 2003 - The 17th-ranked Texas Longhorns beat No. 7 Texas Tech 69-58, in Austin.
Stacy Stephens had 16 of her 20 points in the second half, and Heather Schreiber had 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as Texas snapped Tech's 15-game winning streak and stayed in first place in the conference. Jia Perkins and Plenette Pierson led Texas Tech with 16 points each.
The Longhorns led for the entire game but didn't have it secured until clutch free-throw shooting in the final minute.
Stephens, 1-of-8 from the floor in the first half, hit her first three shots after the break in a scoring outburst that gave the Longhorns a 36-25 lead. Schreiber, who also had a tough shooting night, made up for it with tenacious rebounding and two key baskets in the final four minutes.
Texas led 54-51 before Schreiber turned around Pierson with a slick spin move in the lane and scored. She followed it with another layup to give the Longhorns a 58-51 cushion with 3:33 to play.
The Lady Raiders, who committed 20 turnovers, had to resort to send-ing Texas to the foul line in the final minute. The Longhorns hit eight free throws to seal it. The Longhorns also dominated the rebounding, 46-36.
A Win Sunday Would ...
- give head coach Marsha Sharp her 503rd-career victory
- give Tech a 24-3 overall record and 13-2 in the Big 12
Last Time Out
(AP) - On a night Texas Tech couldn't find any rhythm on offense, the seventh-ranked Lady Raiders relied on their defense to beat Nebraska 50- 35 on Wednesday night.
After the teams played even through the first 20 minutes, Tech switched to its little-used zone defense.
The result: Nebraska made just three field goals and scored only seven points the first 17 minutes of the second half. By then, the Lady Raiders' win was secure.
The Huskers shot a season-low 24.5 percent - 18.1 percent after halftime. Jia Perkins scored 19 points and Plenette Pierson had 14 of her 15 rebounds in the second half for the Lady Raiders.
Tech (23-3, 12-2 Big 12) fell 28 points short of its league-leading scoring average and shot a season-low 33.3 percent. But the Lady Raiders still won easily after being tied at 22 with the last-place Cornhuskers at halftime. Cisti Greenwalt added eight points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Raiders. Nebraska (8-17, 1-13) made only four field goals in the second half and 12 for the game as it recorded its lowest point total since its program was elevated to varsity status in 1975.
Alexa Johnson and Margaret Richards led the Huskers with 14 points and eight rebounds apiece.
The difference in the game was turnovers. Nebraska's 24 turnovers led to 30 Tech points.
Pierson, fourth in the Big 12 at 17.8 points a game, picked up two quick fouls before even getting off a shot and played only three minutes in the first half. She didn't score until 3:07 into the second half and finished with five points.
Perkins picked up the slack, scoring 13 points in the first half. The Lady Raiders missed 12 of their first 15 shots while falling behind early.
They had no answer for Johnson in the early going. Johnson scored eight points in the first nine minutes to help the Huskers take a 16-8 lead. Miklannet Tennal hit a 3-pointer and Casey Jackson converted two steals into layups as Tech went ahead 17-16 with 6:47 left in the half.
Richards' lay in as the shot clock was about to expire gave the Huskers a 22-21 lead - and ended a six-minute field-goal drought - with 42 seconds left in the half.
Perkins then made one of two free throws to even the score at the break.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will conclude the regular season by hosting Kansas State on Thursday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net. Tech will then travel to Dallas for the Big 12 Tournament March 11-15.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech his-tory, head coach Marsha Sharp is 502-156 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.
500 and Counting
Head coach Marsha Sharp claimed her 500th-career victory with a 59- 48 win over Oklahoma Feb. 19. Sharp became just the 22nd NCAA Division I coach to reach the 500 plateau.
Award Finalists
Senior Plenette Pierson has been named a finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year Award and the Senior CLASS Award, while freshman Erin Grant is a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which is presented to the top point guard in the country. Head coach Marsha Sharp is a finalist for Naismith Coach of the Year.
March 2, 2003 * Lubbock, Texas * 7:30 p.m. Television - Fox Sports Net United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Sunday's Game
No. 7/8 Texas Tech (23-3/12-2) hosts No. 10/10 Texas (20-5/13-1) on Sunday, March 2 at 12:30 p.m. It is the 67th meeting between the two schools. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net with Bill Land and Brenda Van Lengen calling the game. The game can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network as Ryan Hyatt and Crystal call the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 22-3 on the year and 12-2 in the Big 12 after winning at Nebraska, 50-35, last Wednesday. On the year, senior Plenette Pierson leads the team in scoring with a 17.3 average followed by junior Jia Perkins at 16.0. Pierson is the top rebounder, grabbing 7.6 boards per outing. Pierson and sophomore Cisti Greenwalt are both shooting 51.2 percent from the field. Junior Miklannet Tennal is shooting 44 percent from three-point range, while junior Natalie Ritchie is shooting 35.1 percent. Freshman Erin Grant has a team-high 179 assists, while Perkins leads the team in steals with 65. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 72 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 46.9 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from three-point range and 66.3 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Texas enters the game with a 20-5 overall record and 13-1 in the Big 12 after winning at Baylor, 79-57, last Wednesday. In that game, sophomore Heather Schreiber scored a game-high 23 points followed by junior Jamie Carey with 15 and sophomore Kala Bowers with 13. Schreiber added nine rebounds, while Carey had eight assists. Bowers finished with two blocks. On the year, junior Stacy Stephens paces the Longhorns in scoring with a 13.7 average followed by Schreiber at 13.5 and Carey at 11.0. Stephens is the top rebounder as she is averaging 8.6 boards per contest. Freshman Nina Norman leads the team in assists with 75, while Stephens has a team-high 43 steals. Stephens is also the top shot blocker with 25 blocks. Texas is shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 40.6 percent from three-point range and 69.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Jody Conradt is in her 27th year at the helm of the Longhorns establish-ing a record of 691-201. She is also in her 34th year as a head coach with a career record of 808-263.
Series Record
It is the 67th meeting between Texas Tech and Texas with the Long-horns holding a 48-18 advantage. The Longhorns won the first meeting this year, 69-58, Jan. 22 in Austin. Last year, Tech was victorious, 61-49, in Lubbock Feb. 6.
Last Time vs. Texas
Jan. 22, 2003 - The 17th-ranked Texas Longhorns beat No. 7 Texas Tech 69-58, in Austin.
Stacy Stephens had 16 of her 20 points in the second half, and Heather Schreiber had 15 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as Texas snapped Tech's 15-game winning streak and stayed in first place in the conference. Jia Perkins and Plenette Pierson led Texas Tech with 16 points each.
The Longhorns led for the entire game but didn't have it secured until clutch free-throw shooting in the final minute.
Stephens, 1-of-8 from the floor in the first half, hit her first three shots after the break in a scoring outburst that gave the Longhorns a 36-25 lead. Schreiber, who also had a tough shooting night, made up for it with tenacious rebounding and two key baskets in the final four minutes.
Texas led 54-51 before Schreiber turned around Pierson with a slick spin move in the lane and scored. She followed it with another layup to give the Longhorns a 58-51 cushion with 3:33 to play.
The Lady Raiders, who committed 20 turnovers, had to resort to send-ing Texas to the foul line in the final minute. The Longhorns hit eight free throws to seal it. The Longhorns also dominated the rebounding, 46-36.
A Win Sunday Would ...
- give head coach Marsha Sharp her 503rd-career victory
- give Tech a 24-3 overall record and 13-2 in the Big 12
Last Time Out
(AP) - On a night Texas Tech couldn't find any rhythm on offense, the seventh-ranked Lady Raiders relied on their defense to beat Nebraska 50- 35 on Wednesday night.
After the teams played even through the first 20 minutes, Tech switched to its little-used zone defense.
The result: Nebraska made just three field goals and scored only seven points the first 17 minutes of the second half. By then, the Lady Raiders' win was secure.
The Huskers shot a season-low 24.5 percent - 18.1 percent after halftime. Jia Perkins scored 19 points and Plenette Pierson had 14 of her 15 rebounds in the second half for the Lady Raiders.
Tech (23-3, 12-2 Big 12) fell 28 points short of its league-leading scoring average and shot a season-low 33.3 percent. But the Lady Raiders still won easily after being tied at 22 with the last-place Cornhuskers at halftime. Cisti Greenwalt added eight points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Raiders. Nebraska (8-17, 1-13) made only four field goals in the second half and 12 for the game as it recorded its lowest point total since its program was elevated to varsity status in 1975.
Alexa Johnson and Margaret Richards led the Huskers with 14 points and eight rebounds apiece.
The difference in the game was turnovers. Nebraska's 24 turnovers led to 30 Tech points.
Pierson, fourth in the Big 12 at 17.8 points a game, picked up two quick fouls before even getting off a shot and played only three minutes in the first half. She didn't score until 3:07 into the second half and finished with five points.
Perkins picked up the slack, scoring 13 points in the first half. The Lady Raiders missed 12 of their first 15 shots while falling behind early.
They had no answer for Johnson in the early going. Johnson scored eight points in the first nine minutes to help the Huskers take a 16-8 lead. Miklannet Tennal hit a 3-pointer and Casey Jackson converted two steals into layups as Tech went ahead 17-16 with 6:47 left in the half.
Richards' lay in as the shot clock was about to expire gave the Huskers a 22-21 lead - and ended a six-minute field-goal drought - with 42 seconds left in the half.
Perkins then made one of two free throws to even the score at the break.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will conclude the regular season by hosting Kansas State on Thursday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net. Tech will then travel to Dallas for the Big 12 Tournament March 11-15.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech his-tory, head coach Marsha Sharp is 502-156 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.
500 and Counting
Head coach Marsha Sharp claimed her 500th-career victory with a 59- 48 win over Oklahoma Feb. 19. Sharp became just the 22nd NCAA Division I coach to reach the 500 plateau.
Award Finalists
Senior Plenette Pierson has been named a finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year Award and the Senior CLASS Award, while freshman Erin Grant is a finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which is presented to the top point guard in the country. Head coach Marsha Sharp is a finalist for Naismith Coach of the Year.