Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders To Take on Aggies
February 12, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 12, 2004
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#7/7 TEXAS TECH LADY RAIDERS (20-4/6-4 BIG 12)
VS. TEXAS A&M AGGIES (8-14/1-10 BIG 12)
February 14, 2004
College Station, Texas - 7 p.m.
Reed Arena (12,500)
Saturday's Game
No. 7/7 Texas Tech (20-4/6-4) travels to Texas A&M (8-14/1-10) Saturday, Feb. 14 for a 7 p.m. contest at Reed Arena. The game can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network as Ryan Hyatt calls the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 20-4 and 6-4 in the Big 12 after suffering its first loss at home to No. 24 Oklahoma, 68-62, last Tuesday. On the year, freshman Alesha Robertson leads the team in scoring with a 12.7 average followed by sophomore Erin Grant at 7.9. Senior Casey Jackson is the top rebounder, grabbing 6.3 boards per outing and junior Cisti Greenwalt is averaging 5.5 rebounds a game. Sophomore Jametra Clark is shooting 50.8 percent from the field, while Jackson is shooting 50 percent. Robertson is shooting 42.9 percent from the three-point arc, while Ritchie is shooting 35.7 percent from three-point range. Sophomore Erin Grant has team highs of 159 assists and 33 steals. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 53 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 44.9 percent from the field, 36.9 percent from three-point range and 71.5 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Texas A&M enters the game with an 8-14 overall record and 1-10 in the Big 12 after losing at No. 1/2 Texas, 66-55, last Wednesday. In that game, senior Toccara Williams scored a game-high 22 points and added six steals and five assists. Sophomore Tamea Scales finished with nine points, 11 rebounds, seven steals and two blocks. Senior Lynn Classen added three blocks.
On the year, Williams paces the Aggies in scoring with a 15.5 average followed by Scales at 8.5. Scales is the top rebounder as she is averaging 6.3 boards per contest. Williams has team highs of 147 assists and 84 steals. Classen is the top shot blocker with 42 blocks. Texas A&M is shooting 38.8 percent from the field, 31.6 percent from three-point range and 63.6 percent from the charity stripe.
Gary Blair is in his first year at the helm of the Aggies establishing a record of 8-14. He is also in his 19th year as a head coach with a career record of 416-177.
Series Record
It is the 57th meeting between Texas Tech and Texas A&M with Tech holding a 48-8 advantage. The Lady Raiders won the first meeting this year, 65-56, Jan. 28 in Lubbock. Tech has won 15-straight games against the Aggies. The last time A&M was victorious was in a 72-68 triumph on March 9,1996 at the Southwest Conference Tournament in Dallas. The Lady Raiders are 19-3 in College Station and have won seven-straight at A&M.
Last Time vs. Texas A&M
Jan. 28, 2004 - Cisti Greenwalt matched a season-high with 19 points as No. 7 Texas Tech beat Texas A&M 65-56.
Alesha Robertson added 15 points for Tech.
Toccara Williams and Lynn Classen led A&M with 16 points apiece.
The Lady Raiders took control during the early stages of the second half, scoring on nine of their first 11 possessions to build a 47-38 lead with 14:09 left. Robertson scored five points during the run as Tech stretched what had been a 32-31 advantage.
Texas A&M pulled within five points with 3:30 left when Williams drove to the basket and scored while drawing a foul. She hit the ensuing free throw, cutting the margin to 61-56, but those were the last points the Aggies scored. Janae Derrick missed a layup on the Aggies' ensuing possession that would have cut Tech's lead to three points.
Tech responded with a basket by Greenwalt with 2:17 left that made it 63-56 before Erin Grant converted a pair of free throws with 32 seconds left for the game's final points.
In the opening half, Tech led by as many as seven points with 9:13 left when Chesley Dabbs scored six points in 47 seconds to give the Lady Raiders a 19-12 advantage.
But A&M ended the half with an 8-2 run highlighted by four points, and the Aggies trailed 30-29 at the break.
Last Time Out
Maria Villarroel scored 20 points to lead Oklahoma to a 68-62 victory Tuesday night over seventh-ranked Texas Tech, snapping the Lady Raiders' 17-game home winning streak.
Oklahoma (15-6, 5-5 Big 12) seized control in the second half by scoring 12 straight points - holding Tech scoreless for more than 6:30 - to take a 50-38 lead with 6:08 remaining. Dionnah Jackson added 19 points for Oklahoma.
The loss was the first for Tech (20-4, 6-4) on its home floor since a 70-67 setback to Texas on March 2. Erin Grant led the Lady Raiders with 20 points.
Caton Hill scored five points during the run for the Sooners, and Jackson added four. Britney Brown capped the surge by connecting on a 3-pointer that provided the Sooners with a lead of 12.
Tech tried to rally, pulling to 54-47 with 2:08 left on a 10-footer by Chesley Dabbs.
But Oklahoma hit six straight free throws - two each by Villarroel, Jackson and Hill - to push the lead to 60-51 with 1:37 remaining.
The Lady Raiders closed to 61-57 on two free throws by Grant with 1:09 left. But Oklahoma responded by making seven of its final eight free throws to secure the victory.
Hill added 16 for Oklahoma. Alesha Robertson contributed 11 for Tech.
The Lady Raiders led by as many as 11 points in the first half, taking a 26-15 lead with 3:03 to go on two free throws by Jametra Clark.
Oklahoma outscored Tech 7-1 the rest of the first half and trailed 27-22 at the break.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will hit the road for two-straight games at Texas A&M Feb. 14 and at Missouri Feb. 17 with both games at 7 p.m. The Lady Raiders will host Texas Feb. 22 on ESPN2 at 1 p.m. and play at Oklahoma Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. on the Red Raider Sports Network. Games on the Red Raider Sports Network will be televised locally on UPN Lubbock.
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 528-163 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.
First to No. 1
Texas Tech became the first Big 12 school to be ranked No. 1 in the country since the inception of the league in 1996-97. The Lady Raiders topped the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches' Poll on Jan. 6. It marks the first time the Lady Raiders have been ranked No. 1 during the regular season and only their second ever as they were first in the final coaches poll after winning the National Championship in 1993.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Feb. 9, Texas Tech ranks fifth in scoring margin at 22.3, sixth in scoring defense at 53.7, sixth in rebound margin at 9.5, sixth in turnovers per game at 13.3, ninth in won-lost percentage at 87.0, 11th in field goal percentage defense at 35.1, 12th in scoring offense at 76.0, 13th in blocked shots at 5.2, 23rd in assists at 17.3 and 26th in field goal percentage at 45.2, among all NCAA Division I teams. Sophomore Erin Grant ranks ninth in assists per game at 6.7 among all NCAA Division I players.
Best Start in School History
Texas Tech started the season 15-0, before losing at Iowa State, which was the 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. Winning Percentage By Class
The senior class has a record of 94-29 (.764) overall and 40-18 (.690) in Big 12 regular-season play. The junior class, which consists of just one player - Cisti Greenwalt is 69-22 (.758) and 27-15 (.643) in the league. The sophomores post a 49-10 (.831) mark and 19-7 (.731) in the conference. The freshmen are 20-4 (.833) and 6-4 (.600) in Big 12 play this season.
Looking for Another Banner
Since the 1997-98 season, the Lady Raiders have hung at least one Big 12 Conference championship banner and/or an NCAA Sweet 16 or Elite Eight from the rafters each year. During that time, Tech has seen two NCAA Elite Eight banners, three NCAA Sweet 16 banners, three Big 12 regular-season champion banners, two Big 12 Tournament champion banners and a 2003 Marsha Sharp Women's Basketball Hall of Fame banner.
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 6-2 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, No. 7/7 Stanford, No. 24 Baylor (Jan. 17) and No. 17/17 Baylor (Feb. 8). Tech's two losses were at No. 3/4 Texas and vs. No. 24 Oklahoma.
Largest Margin of Victory in Almost 18 Years
Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma State (1/10), 106-43, a margin of 63 points, which was the largest margin of victory of the season and it's biggest since beating Hawaii Pacific, 114-48, Dec. 7, 1985.
One Point Losses
Texas Tech's 64-63 loss at Iowa State and 88-87 (2OT) loss at Oklahoma State were just the third and fourth times Tech has lost by just one point in the Marsha Sharp era. The last time the Lady Raiders lost by one point was in a 66-65 defeat to Texas Jan. 22, 1994. The only other one-point loss was a 66-65 loss to New Orleans in the National Women's Invitational March 24, 1982, Sharp's first year as head coach.
Another 20-Win Season
Texas Tech is 20-4, marking its 15th-straight 20-win season and Marsha Sharp's 19th in her 22 years as head coach. It is also the 22nd 20-win season overall for the Lady Raiders.
Scoring Streak
Freshman Alesha Robertson continues her double-digit scoring streak had 11 points vs. Oklahoma on Tuesday. Robertson has scored in double figures in eight-straight games and in 11 of the last 12 games. She also had her first career double-double at Baylor with 25 points and a career-high 10 rebounds, while hitting a career-high five three-pointers.
Greenwalt Ties Block Record
Junior Cisti Greenwalt recorded five blocks against Oklahoma to tie the school record for career blocks with 191. She is tied with Crystal Boles who had her 191 blocks over a four-year span (1994-98).
Just Like the Energizer Bunny
Sophomore Erin Grant keeps on going and going as she scored a career-high 27 points in Tech's win over Kansas. She also had career highs of two three-pointers and five steals against the Jayhawks. Grant has scored in double figures in six games this season, which all have come in six of the last nine games. At Baylor, Grant dished out 11 assists, which marked the third time this season she has had 10 or more assists in a game. Against Oklahoma, she scored 20 points marking the second time this season of 20 or more points.
Davis Puts Up Numbers
Sophomore LaToya Davis scored double digits in back-to-back games for the first time this season. Davis had 12 points against Kansas and 13 at Baylor. She also got her first start of the season at Baylor.
Dabbs On the Boards
Sophomore Chesley Dabbs grabbed a career-high seven rebounds at Baylor. Her previous career high was six on two occasions.
Stick 'Em Up
Texas Tech stole a season-high 16 steals versus Kansas. The previous season high was 15 at Oklahoma State Jan. 24.
Grant to Seventh
Sophomore Erin Grant moved to seventh on Tech's career list for assists with 387 and needs four assists to tie Katrisa O'Neal (1997-2001) for sixth with 391.
A-Rob Paces Tech
Freshman Alesha Robertson scored a career-high 27 points at Oklahoma State. Robertson paces the Lady Raiders in scoring with a 12.7 average in all games and a 15.9 average in league games.
50 Percent or Better
Texas Tech shot 50.9 percent from the field (27-of-53) against Texas A&M, which marked the seventh time the Lady Raiders have shot 50 percent or better this season and the first time in five games.
Davis Steals from OSU
Sophomore LaToya Davis stole a career-high five steals at Oklahoma State. Her previous career high was two on three occasions.
More Rebounds
Senior Natalie Ritchie grabbed a season-high five rebounds against the Huskers.
Spark Plug
Sophomore LaToya Davis was a spark against Baylor (1/17) as she came off the bench to score 12 points and grab nine rebounds in just 18 minutes of play.
Young Guns
In the win over Baylor (1/17), the Lady Raiders were led by three sophomores (Dabbs, Davis, Grant) and one freshman (Robertson), who all scored in double figures and combined for 51 of Tech's 64 points on the night.
Low Percent from Field
Texas Tech shot a season-low 26.2 percent from the field in the victory over Baylor. Tech was 17-of-65 on the night.
Hitting from Charity Stripe
The Lady Raiders hit a season-high 30 free throws and attempted a season-high 39 free throws against Baylor. Tech shot 76.9 percent from the line.
Ritchie Has Career Day
Senior Natalie Ritchie scored a career-high 27 points against OSU (1/10). She hit a school record eight three-pointers. On the night she was 9-for-11 from the field, 8-for-10 from three-point range and 1-for-1 from the free throw line.
Team Sets Three-Point Mark
The Lady Raiders sank 14 three-pointers against OSU, which was a school record. Their previous record was 12 at Iowa State Jan. 19, 2002. Tech was 14-of-18 from three-point range for 77.8 percent.
Grant Dishes Out, Ties Career High
Sophomore Erin Grant tied her career-high 14 assists against the Cowgirls (1/10).
Packed House
Against Oklahoma State, Texas Tech had its fourth sellout crowd (15,050) since the United Spirit Arena opened in Nov. 1999. It was the first sell out of the season. Tech sold out last year against Texas on March 2.
100 Points, Again
Texas Tech scored 106 points in its victory over Oklahoma State Jan. 10. It marked the second time this season Tech had scored at least 100 points. The Lady Raiders scored 100 against Pacific Dec. 8. The 2003-04 season is the first time Tech has scored 100-plus points more than once in the same season since the 1994-95 season. It is also the 10th season Tech has accomplishment that feat. During the 1992-93 season, Tech scored 100 or more points on six occasions, which is the most of any Lady Raider season.
Non-Conference Point Margin
The Lady Raiders wrapped up non-conference play averaging 29.4 more points than their opponents.
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. 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), 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.
Grant Among the Best at Her Position
Sophomore Erin Grant was named one of the top five point guards in the country by ESPN.com. 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 226 weeks. That includes the Feb. 8 polls in which Tech is ranked seventh in the Associated Press top 25 poll. The USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches poll had not be released at the time of print.
Lady Basketball with Marsha Sharp
Lady Raider Basketball with Marsha Sharp is televised every Sunday. The show airs on Fox 34 at 9:30 p.m. The show also airs on UPN Lubbock at 10:30 p.m.
The Marsha Sharp Radio Show
The Marsha Sharp Radio Show is held each Monday from 6-7 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena in the City Bank conference rooms located on the south end concourse. The show will air on KFYO-AM 790 and KKCL-FM 98.1 locally.
