Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Meets Mizzou On Tuesday
February 16, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2004
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#7/9 TEXAS TECH LADY RAIDERS (21-4/7-4 BIG 12)
VS. MISSOURI TIGERS (13-9/4-7 BIG 12)
February 17, 2004 * Columbia, Mo. * 7 p.m.
Hearnes Center (13,611)
Tuesday's Game
No. 7/9 Texas Tech (21-4/6-4) travels to Missouri (13-9/4-7) Tuesday, Feb. 17 for a 7 p.m. contest at the Hearnes Center. The game can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network as Ryan Hyatt calls the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 21-4 and 7-4 in the Big 12 after winning at Texas A&M, 59-58, last Saturday. On the year, freshman Alesha Robertson leads the team in scoring with a 12.5 average followed by junior Cisti Greenwalt and sophomore Erin Grant at 7.8. Senior Casey Jackson is the top rebounder, grabbing 6.2 boards per outing and Greenwalt is averaging 5.7 rebounds a game. Sophomore LaToya Davis is shooting 62 percent from the field, while sophomore Jametra Clark is shooting 50.8 percent. Robertson is shooting 42.3 percent from the three-point arc, while senior Natalie Ritchie is shooting 35.7 percent from three-point range. Grant has team highs of 169 assists and 34 steals. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 56 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 45.2 percent from the field, 37 percent from three-point range and 71.6 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Missouri enters the game with a 13-9 overall record and 4-7 in the Big 12 after winning at Oklahoma State, 71-46, last Saturday. In that game, senior Evan Unrau finished with a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Senior MyEsha Perkins added 14 points, while seniors Stretch James and Tracy Lozier chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. Lozier tallied six assists and three steals. Junior Megan Roney had three blocks.
On the year, Unrau paces the Tigers in scoring with a 17.4 average followed by James at 13.6 and sophomore LaToya Bond at 11.6. Unrau is the top rebounder as she is averaging 9.0 boards per contest. Lozier has team highs of 88 assists and 40 steals. James is the top shot blocker with 47 blocks. Missouri is shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 32.7 percent from three-point range and 69.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Cindy Stein is in her sixth year at the helm of the Tigers establishing a record of 97-75. She is also in her ninth year as a head coach with a career record of 162-100.
Series Record
It is the 10th meeting between Texas Tech and Missouri with the Lady Raiders leading the series 7-2. Tech won last year's game, 84-50, Jan. 28 in Lubbock. The Tigers' last victory came Jan. 9, 2002 in an 82-71 triumph in Columbia. The Lady Raiders have won the last two contests (last year and in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament in 2002). Tech is 1-2 against Missouri in Columbia.
Last Time vs. Missouri
Jan. 28, 2003 - The eighth-ranked Lady Raiders defeated Missouri thanks in large part to a career-high 32 points from Plenette Pierson in an 84-50 victory.
Texas Tech wrapped up the victory in the early stages of the second half. After Missouri outscored Texas Tech 10-4 over the first four minutes of the second half to make it 43-23, the Lady Raiders went on a 13-0 run. Pierson scored eight points in the run while Jolee Ayers, who had season-highs with nine points and 11 rebounds, scored four.
Missouri never got closer than 27 points the rest of the way.
Jia Perkins had 18 points for the Lady Raiders.
Stretch James paced Missouri with 16 points, including six of 10 points during the early second-half run.
Pierson and Perkins each had six points as Texas Tech used a 17-0 run to take a 24-5 lead. Natalie Ritchie added a 3-pointer and Ayers had a follow shot as the Lady Raiders took command.
Missouri was held scoreless for nearly a six-minute stretch of the opening half. The Tigers finished the first half with four field goals and four free throws. After James scored on a putback to cut the lead to 24-7, the Lady Raiders went on a 12-2 run. Pierson scored seven points during the run with a three-point play, a rebound basket and two free throws.
Texas Tech led 39-13 at halftime.
Last Time Out
(AP) - It took quite a while, but No. 7 Texas Tech finally solved the Texas A&M defense Saturday night.
LaToya Davis scored on a layup with four seconds left, ending Tech's 10:55 field-goal drought and giving the Lady Raiders a 59-58 win.
Tech (21-4, 7-4 Big 12), which got 18 points from Chesley Dabbs, trailed 58-55 with 15 seconds left. But Cisti Greenwalt hit a pair of free throws. Then Toccara Williams missed the front end of a one-and-one that Davis rebounded.
A&M (8-15, 1-11) had one more chance, but Lynn Classen air-balled a 10-foot jumper with one second remaining. Williams led the Aggies with 21 points, eight assists and eight steals.
Davis' shot spoiled a stellar defensive effort by the Aggies. A&M held Tech to just five points and one field goals in the final 10 minutes. Texas Tech committed 25 turnovers, 15 off steals by the Aggies.
It was the third tough home loss for A&M against a ranked opponent. The Aggies have lost by three points to then-No. 24 Baylor and by two to then-No. 3 Texas.
Tech led 34-30 at halftime, and Dabbs sparked an 8-0 run to put the Lady Raiders up 48-40 midway through the second half.
But A&M mounted a comeback as Charlette Castile and Tamea Scales combined to give the Aggies a 12-1 run to take a 58-55 lead with 19.4 seconds remaining.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech 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. The Lady Raiders will return to Lubbock for its final home game of the season Feb. 28 as they host Colorado at 7 p.m. on the Red Raider Sports Network. Tech will conclude the regular season at Kansas State March 3 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 529-163 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.
Grant Nominee for Lieberman Award
Sophomore Erin Grant has been named one of the 12 nominees for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top point guard. A list of the nation's top 10 point guards will be determined in the coming weeks.
Winning Percentage By Class
The senior class has a record of 95-29 (.766) overall and 41-18 (.694) in Big 12 regular-season play. The junior class, which consists of just one player - Cisti Greenwalt is 70-22 (.761) and 28-15 (.651) in the league. The sophomores post a 50-10 (.833) mark and 20-7 (.741) in the conference. The freshmen are 21-4 (.840) and 7-4 (.636) 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 21-4, 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.
Greenwalt Breaks Block Record
Junior Cisti Greenwalt became Texas Tech's career record holder in blocks with 194. She passed Crystal Boles (1994-98) who finished her career with 191.
Dabbs Matches Career High in Points
Sophomore Chesley Dabbs tied her career-high 18 points and had a career-high three blocks at Texas A&M. Dabbs also scored 18 points earlier this season against Pacific and has now scored in double figures in five games this year.
Two Double-Double Against Aggies
Junior Cisti Greenwalt and sophomore LaToya Davis both recorded double-doubles at Texas A&M. Greenwalt had her fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and a season-high 12 rebounds. Davis finished with 13 points and a season-high 11 boards for her second double-double of the year.
50 Percent or Better
Texas Tech shot 52.2 percent from the field at Texas A&M, marking the eighth time this season the Lady Raiders have shot 50 percent or better this year.
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. At Baylor, Grant dished out 11 assists. Against Oklahoma, she scored 20 points marking the second time this season of 20 or more points. At Texas A&M Grant dished out 10 assists, which marked the fourth time this season she has had 10 or more assists in a game and the 11th time in her career.
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 Sixth
Sophomore Erin Grant moved to sixth on Tech's career list for assists with 397 and needs 13 assists to tie Noel Johnson (1991-95) for fifth with 410.
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 12.5 average in all games and a 15.0 average in league 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 (1/17). 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 227 weeks. That includes the Feb. 16 poll in which Tech is ranked ninth in the Associated Press top 25 poll. The USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches poll had not be released at the time of print and Tech was ranked seventh in that poll last week.
Follow the Lady Raiders
All Lady Raider basketball games can be heard live on the All Sports Radio Network on KFYO-AM 790 and KKCL-FM 98.1 locally. Listen to play-by-play by Ryan Hyatt as he takes the court with the Lady Raiders. The following radio stations will air the Lady Raider basketball games this season:
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.
