Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Play Pepperdine Sunday
January 03, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2004
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#2/2 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (13-0)
vs.
Pepperdine Waves (6-6)
January 4, 2004 * Lubbock, Texas * 2 p.m.
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Sunday's Game
No. 2 Texas Tech hosts Pepperdine on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. It is the final non-conference game for the Lady Raiders before they open Big 12 play on Jan. 10 against Oklahoma State in Lubbock. The game can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network as Ryan Hyatt and Crystal Boles call the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 13-0 after beating San Diego in the championship game of the Surf 'N Slam San Diego Hoop Classic last Tuesday. On the year, senior Jia Perkins leads the team in scoring with a 16.7 average followed by freshman Alesha Robertson at 10.3. Senior Casey Jackson is the top rebounder, grabbing 7.5 boards per outing. Sophomore Jametra Clark is shooting 52.9 percent from the field, while Perkins is shooting 51.4 percent. Robertson is shooting 44 percent from the three-point arc. Sophomore Erin Grant has a team-high 78 assists, while Perkins leads the team in steals with 28. Junior Cisti Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 24 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 44.7 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from three-point range and 74.6 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Pepperdine enters the game with a 6-6 record after beating Portland State, 67-50, on Friday. In that game, junior Jennifer Lacy finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Shandrika Lee and junior Shanell Law each chipped in 12 points. Lee also added five assists. On the year, Lee paces the Waves in scoring with a 12.9 average followed by senior Nicole Funn at 10.0. Funn is the top rebounder as she is averaging 5.3 boards per contest. Funn has team highs of 25 assists and 19 steals. Junior Shannon Mayberry is the top shot blocker with 12 blocks. Pepperdine is shooting 37.2 percent from the field, 28.6 percent from three-point range and 65.5 percent from the free throw line. Mark Trakh is in his 11th year at the helm of the Waves and as a head coach establishing a career record of 188-116.
Series Record
Texas Tech is 1-0 against Pepperdine after winning the first meeting, 70-63, Dec. 30, 1986 at the UC Irvine Tournament.
Last Time Out
(AP) - Jia Perkins had 20 points, and second-ranked Texas Tech scored on 14 straight first-half possessions in a 95-47 victory Tuesday night over San Diego in the championship game of the Surf-N-Slam Classic.
The victory enabled Texas Tech (13-0) to extend its school record for consecutive wins to begin a season. The Lady Raiders also won their third consecutive tournament championship this season.
Perkins made nine of 12 shots to lead a balanced Lady Raiders attack in which 11 players scored. Perkins was chosen as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Jametra Clark scored 15 points and Alesha Robertson went 5-for-5 from the field to score 14 points for Texas Tech, which shot 58 percent. Cisti Greenwalt added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Marta Menuez scored 11 points for San Diego (5-7), a loser for the first time in four games.
The Toreros made only 18 of 65 shots from the floor (27.7 percent) and were outrebounded 53-24.
The Lady Raiders used the fast pace in the first half to their advantage, shooting 59.5 percent. Texas Tech increased its 10-4 lead at the 14:24 mark to 38-11 with 6:41 left in the half.
The Toreros missed 24 of their first 28 shots.
San Diego had played tough in its last two home games against ranked teams, losing by two points in overtime to No. 4 Iowa State in 2001, and by two points in double overtime to 16th-ranked Oklahoma in December 2000.
The Lady Raiders used a blistering tempo in the first half to take control of the game. They led 50-25 at the break.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech opens Big 12 play by hosting Oklahoma State Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on the Red Raider Sports Network. The Lady Raiders travel to Iowa State Jan. 14 for a 7 p.m. contest. Tech will host Baylor Jan. 17 at 5 p.m. and Nebraska Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. The Baylor game will be televised on Fox Sports Net.
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 521-159 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.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Dec. 15, Texas Tech ranks first in scoring defense at 45.9, first in field goal percentage defense at 29.7, first in won-lost percentage at 100.0, third in scoring margin at 32.9, fourth in turnovers per game at 12.8, sixth in rebound margin at 13.6, 13th in blocked shots per game at 5.6, 14th in assists per game at 19.4 and 19th in scoring offense at 78.8, among all NCAA Division I teams. Sophomore Erin Grant ranks 15th in assists per game at 6.6 among all NCAA Division I players.
Best Start in School History
Texas Tech is 13-0 and off to its best start in school history. The previous best start was when the Lady Raiders went 10-0 in 1999-2000 before falling at Iowa State, 62-37, Jan. 2, 2000.
Lady Raiders Win Third Title
Texas Tech won its third tournament title of the season when it captured the Surf 'N Slam San Diego Hoop Classic on Dec. 30. The Lady Raiders also won the Preseason WNIT and the SMU Hoops for the Cure Tournament.
Tech vs. the Top 25
Texas Tech is 4-0 this year against teams ranked in the top 25. The Lady Raiders beat No. 18/18 UC Santa Barbara, No. 15/15 Rutgers, No. 24 Washington and No. 7/7 Stanford.
Perkins, Clark Named to All-Tournament Team
Senior Jia Perkins was named the Most Valuable Player of the Surf 'N Slam San Diego Hoop Classic while sophomore Jametra Clark was named to the all-tournament team.
Season-High from the Field
The Lady Raiders shot a season-high 58 percent from the field at San Diego. Tech connected on 40-of-69 shot attempts on the night.
Second Double-Double for Greenwalt
Junior Cisti Greenwalt recorded her second double-double against San Diego with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Greenwalt also added four blocks on the night.
Career High for Clark
Sophomore Jametra Clark scored a career-high 18 points in 30 minutes of play against Maryland. Clark also dished out a career-high three assists while matching her season high of six rebounds.
Robertson Big 12 Rookie of the Week
Freshman Alesha Robertson was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week Dec. 22. Robertson averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds the week of Dec. 15-21 in helping Texas Tech to wins over two top 25 teams, at No. 24 Washington and at home vs. No. 7 Stanford.
First Start and Career Day for Robertson
Freshman Alesha Robertson made her first collegiate start against Stanford and recorded career highs of 18 points, six rebounds and three steals in 28 minutes of play.
Clark a Spark
Sophomore Jametra Clark came off the bench to score 11 points, second-highest on the team behind freshman Alesha Robertson's 18, in the win over Stanford. It was the fourth time this season she has scored in double figures.
Fifth Largest Crowd
Texas Tech had 14,674 fans in attendance at the Stanford game which was the fifth largest home crowd in school history.
First to 10
Texas Tech was the first top 25 team to claim 10 victories in 2003 after beating Washington Dec. 19.
Jackson, Greenwalt Record Get Double-Double at Washington
Senior Casey Jackson and junior Cisti Greenwalt both finished with double-doubles at Washington, which was the first time this season Texas Tech has had two players record double-doubles in the same game. Jackson had 10 points and a game-high 16 rebounds, while Greenwalt had season highs of 15 points and 11 boards. It was the third double-double for Jackson this season and the first for Greenwalt.
100 Points
Texas Tech scored a 100 points in its win over Pacific, which marked the first time the Lady Raiders had scored 100 points since beating Penn, 100-57, March 16, 2001 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Lubbock.
Dabbs Has Career Game
Sophomore Chesley Dabbs recorded career highs of 18 points, six rebounds and five assists against Pacific. Dabbs came off the bench to play 21 minutes.
Bench Does It Again
In back-to-back games, Texas Tech's bench combined for 50 or more points. In the win over Wyoming the subs combined for 50 points as four of the six players scored in double figures led by sophomore LaToya Davis' game-high 14 points. Junior Cisti Greenwalt and freshman Alesha Robertson each added 11, while sophomore Chesley Dabbs chipped in 10. Greenwalt also finished with game highs of eight rebounds and six blocks - both season highs for her. In the victory against Pacific, they combined for 58 points led by a career-high 18 points by Dabbs. Also scoring in double figures were Robertson with 11, while Greenwalt and sophomore Jametra Clark each added 10.
Grant, Baughman Dish Out
Sophomore Erin Grant dished out a season-high 13 assists against Pacific, while freshman Brooke Baughman collected a career-high seven assists.
Greenwalt, Ritchie Move Up the Charts
Junior Cisti Greenwalt is now third in career blocks with 162. Standing in second is Carolyn Thompson (1980-84) with 174 career blocks. Senior Natalie Ritchie moved to fourth on Tech's all-time list for three-point field goals made with 169. Former standout and current Tech assistant Krista (Kirkland) Gerlich (1989-93) is in third with 220.
Tech Ties Fewest Points Allowed
Texas Tech held Wyoming to 26 points Dec. 6, which tied the school record for fewest points scored by an opponent. McMurry had scored 26 points on Feb. 24, 1978.
Perkins Passes Swoopes
Senior Jia Perkins passed Sheryl Swoopes (1991-93) on Tech's all-time scoring list. Perkins currently stands fourth on the list with 1,721 career points. Swoopes had 1,645 during her time as a Lady Raider. Standing in third is Michi Atkins (1992-96) with 2,134 points. Carolyn Thompson (1980-84) holds the school record for most career points with 2,655, while Alicia Thompson (1994-98) is second with 2,156.
Senior Leadership
Texas Tech held on to claim a seven-point victory over California and a big reason was the play of three seniors. Jia Perkins, Casey Jackson and Natalie Ritchie combined to score 60 of Tech's 76 points. They connected on 25 of their combined 37 shot attempts for a 68 percent shooting percentage from the field. Perkins scored a season-high 29 points in the game.
Tech Holds SMU to Record-Low Shooting Percentage
Texas Tech held SMU to just 16.9 percent from the field, which set a school record for lowest shooting percentage by an opponent. The Mustangs hit just 11 of 65 shot attempts in the game. The previous school record was 17.6 percent (12-of-68) by Southwest Texas State on Jan. 1, 1993.
Johnson, Flowers to Redshirt
Freshman Enrica Johnson had meniscus repair done to her right knee on Dec. 17 and will redshirt this season. She joins freshman Tawanna Flowers who is redshirting after suffering 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 six 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 played Stanford (Dec. 21) and will play Baylor (Jan. 17), at Texas (Feb. 1) and at Baylor (Feb. 8). Tech played at Washington (Dec. 19) on Fox Sports Northwest/Southwest. 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.
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 220 weeks. That includes the Dec. 29 polls in which Tech is ranked second in the AP poll and second in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches poll.
Marsha Sharp Radio Show Begins Jan. 5
The Marsha Sharp Radio Show begins Monday, Jan. 5 and will be held from 6-7 p.m. in the City Bank conference rooms on the south end concourse of the United Spirit Arena. The show on Jan. 12 will be at the County Line Restaurant, while the shows on Jan. 19 and 26 will be at Jones SBC Stadium Club. The show will return to the United Spirit Arena on Feb. 2.
