Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Battle Baylor
February 05, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 5, 2004
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#9/9 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (19-3/5-3 Big 12)
vs.
#17/17 Baylor Lady Bears (17-4/5-3 Big 12)
February 8, 2004 * Waco, Texas * Noon
Television - Fox Sports Net
Ferrell Center (10,284)
Sunday's Game
No. 9/9 Texas Tech (19-3/5-3) will take on No. 17/17 Baylor (17-4/5-3) in Waco at the Ferrell Center at noon. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net with play-by-play by Kevin Eschenfelder and Brenda Van Lengen as the color analyst. The game can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network as Ryan Hyatt calls the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 19-3 and 5-3 in the Big 12 after beating Kansas, 67-44, last Wednesday. On the year, freshman Alesha Robertson leads the team in scoring with a 12.2 average followed by senior Natalie Ritchie at 7.7. Senior Casey Jackson is the top rebounder, grabbing 6.5 boards per outing and junior Cisti Greenwalt is averaging 5.4 rebounds a game. Jackson is shooting 50.5 percent from the field, while sophomore Jametra Clark is shooting 50.4 percent. Robertson is shooting 41.4 percent from the three-point arc, while Ritchie is shooting 35.4 percent from three-point range. Sophomore Erin Grant has a team high 143 assists and 29 steals. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 44 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 45 percent from the field, 36.2 percent from three-point range and 72.5 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Baylor enters the game with a 17-4 overall record and 5-3 in Big 12 play. The Lady Bears did not play last Wednesday. In their last game, Baylor defeated Nebraska, 67-57, Jan. 31 in Waco. In that game, senior Jessika Stratton had game highs of 15 points and nine assists. Sophomore Sophia Young and Chameka Scott each added 13 points, while junior Steffanie Blackmon chipped in 11. Scott grabbed nine rebounds and Young tallied four steals.
On the year, Young paces the Lady Bears in scoring with a 16.5 average followed by Blackmon at 14.1 and freshman Emily Niemann at 10.5. Young is the top rebounder as she is averaging 8.2 boards per contest. Junior Chelsea Whitaker has a team-high 84 assists, while Young leads the team in steals with 53. Niemann is the top shot blocker with 20 blocks. Baylor is shooting 47.7 percent from the field, 38.8 percent from three-point range and 73 percent from the charity stripe.
Kim Mulkey-Robertson is in her fourth year at the helm of the Lady Bears establishing a career record of 89-30.
Series Record
It is the 56th meeting between Texas Tech and Baylor with Tech holding a 44-11 advantage (including a forfeit in 1989). Tech won the first meeting this year, 64-63, in Lubbock Jan. 17. The teams split the two games last year as each won on its home court. Tech beat the Lady Bears, 62-48, Jan. 11 in Lubbock, while Baylor won, 86-72, in overtime Feb. 15 in Waco. The Lady Raiders are 18-4 against the Lady Bears in Waco. Tech has lost two-straight games at the Ferrell Center with its last win on Feb. 7, 2001 in a 67-56 triumph.
Last Time vs. Baylor
Jan. 17, 2004 - Alesha Robertson made three free throws in the final 7.6 seconds and finished with 18 points to lead No. 2 Texas Tech past No. 24 Baylor 64-63 on Saturday night.
Trailing by four points with 1:53 remaining, Tech got two free throws from Erin Grant and a spinning layup by LaToya Davis to tie the score at 61 with 43.9 seconds left.
Baylor took the lead again when Dionne Brown hit a 15-footer with 27.5 seconds left.
After Robertson made two free throws to tie it at 63-all, Baylor's Jessika Stratton turned the ball over when she was called for stepping backward onto the baseline. A television replay of the call showed that Stratton's heel did not step onto the line.
Robertson then missed a layup attempt but was fouled with 2.2 seconds left and hit her third free throw.
Tech had four players in double figures despite shooting just 26 percent (17-for-65). Davis scored 12 points, Grant added 11 and Chesley Dabbs got 10.
Young scored 24 points and Ebony Jackson added 13 for the Lady Bears.
Tech led 28-24 at halftime. The Lady Raiders used a 17-8 run to take a 28-20 lead with 1:22 remaining in the half. Robertson and Davis accounted for 11 points in Tech's run.
Last Time Out
(AP) - From the outset, Texas Tech's Erin Grant knew she could have a big night against Kansas.
The Jayhawks left her open often on the outside as they tried to defend the basket, allowing her to score a career-high 27 points to lead ninth-ranked Tech past Kansas 67-44 Wednesday night.
In the loss to No. 3 Texas, Grant had 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in 38 minutes.
Against Kansas, Grant had two 3-pointers. That doubled her output in nine previous tries.
The crowd often encourages her to put up 3-pointers.
She finished 10 of 13 from the field, and had six assists, five steals and no turnovers in 30 minutes.
She also hit all five of her free throws. Grant hasn't missed from the line in the last two games. She hit all four of her free throws in the Texas loss.
Alesha Robertson and LaToya Davis added 12 points each for the Lady Raiders (19-3, 5-3 Big 12). Grant's previous career high of 18 points came in a loss to Texas last year in the conference tournament.
Tamara Ransburg had 13 points and Aquanita Burras 10 to lead Kansas (9-10, 2-6).
Unforced turnovers hurt the Jayhawks. They finished with 25 overall and Tech converted 31 points off of them.
The Lady Raiders built their biggest lead of at 62-36 with 6:30 remaining on a layup by Grant.
Tech led 34-17 at halftime. The Lady Raiders used a 13-3 run to go up 24-11. Kansas was held two baskets in the last 14:19 of the half.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech hosts Oklahoma Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. on the Red Raider Sports Network. 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. 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 527-162 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. 3, Texas Tech ranks fourth in scoring margin at 23.1, fourth in rebound margin at 10.5, sixth in turnovers per game at 13.2, seventh in scoring defense at 54.0, 10th in scoring offense at 77.1, 11th in won-lost percentage at 85.7, 16th in blocked shots at 5.2, 24th in assists per game at 17.3 and 29th in field goal percentage at 45.1, among all NCAA Division I teams. Sophomore Erin Grant ranks 10th in assists per game at 6.5 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 93-28 (.769) overall and 39-17 (.696) in Big 12 regular-season play. The junior class, which consists of just one player - Cisti Greenwalt is 68-21 (.764) and 26-14 (.650) in the league. The sophomores post a 48-9 (.842) mark and 18-6 (.750) in the conference. The freshmen are 19-3 (.864) and 5-3 (.625) 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 5-1 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 and No. 24 Baylor. Tech's only loss was at No. 3/4 Texas.
Largest Margin of Victory in Almost 18 Years
Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma State 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.
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. In the game prior at Texas, she scored a then season-high 14 points. Grant has scored in double figures in five games this season, which all have come in five of the last seven games.
Stick 'Em Up
Texas Tech stole a season-high 16 steals versus Kansas. The previous season high was 15 at Oklahoma State Jan. 24.
Scoring Streaks
Freshman Alesha Robertson continues double-digit scoring streak. Robertson has scored in double figures in six-straight games and in nine of the last 10 games.
Closing In
Junior Cisti Greenwalt is second on Tech's career list for blocks with 182 and closing in on first. Greenwalt is just nine blocks shy of tying Crystal Boles (1994-98) for first with 191.
Grant to Eighth
After the game at Texas, sophomore Erin Grant moved to eighth on Tech's career list for assists and now has 371. She needs five to tie Jia Perkins (2000-04) for seventh at 376.
Greenwalt Stepping Up
Junior Cisti Greenwalt has turned it up a notch especially as of late. She put up a then season-high 16 points against Nebraska and poured in season-high 19 points at Oklahoma State and against Texas A&M. She recorded her third double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds against the Aggies. She chipped in 10 points at Texas.
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 12.2 average in all games and a 15.4 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 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, 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 Scores Career High, Sets Three-Point Record
Senior Natalie Ritchie scored a career-high 27 points against OSU. 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.
Tech Bench Outscores OSU
Texas Tech's bench combined for 45 points to outscore OSU, who had 43 points for the game.
Grant Dishes Out, Ties Career High
Sophomore Erin Grant tied her career-high 14 assists against the Cowgirls.
Season High FG Percentage
The Lady Raiders shot a season-high 61.7 percent from the field against OSU. Tech was 37-of-60 from the field.
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.
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.
Please Take a Seat
Texas Tech had 14,674 fans in attendance at the Stanford game which was then the fifth largest home crowd in school history. It moved to sixth after Tech had a sellout against Oklahoma State Jan. 10.
First to 10
Texas Tech was the first top 25 team to claim 10 victories in 2003 after beating Washington Dec. 19.
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) and at Texas (Feb. 1) and will play 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 225 weeks. That includes the Jan. 26 polls in which Tech is ranked ninth in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches' Poll and ninth in the AP poll.
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:
Amarillo - KPUR-AM (1440)
Haskell - KVRP-FM (97.1)
Hereford - KPAN-AM/FM (860/106.3)
Lamesa - KPET-AM (690)
Lubbock - KFYO-AM/KKCL-FM (790/98.1)
Midland - KMMD/KRIL-AM (1510/1410)
Plainview - KVOP-AM (1090)
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.
