Texas Tech University Athletics
Women's Basketball Game Notes for Tuesday
November 07, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 7, 2005
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Lubbock, Texas -- The Texas Tech women's basketball team continues exhibition play on Tuesday night. Texas Tech returns 11 letterwinners, including four starters, from a team that went 24-8 last season and advanced to its 11th NCAA Sweet 16.
Leading the way for Tech is preseason Player of the Year candidate senior Erin Grant, who is a preseason candidate for The State Farm Wade Trophy and the Wooden Award. Grant became Tech's career leader in assists last year with 661 and is on pace to break the Big 12 Conference assists record this season. Grant was a member of the USA Basketball gold-medal winning team at the World University Games this past summer.
Joining Grant in the backcourt is senior Chesley Dabbs, who averaged 12.2 points and started all 32 games last year. Rounding out the senior class is LaToya Davis who, along with junior Alesha Robertson, is Tech's top returning scorer at 12.5 points a game. Davis is also the team's top returning rebounder as she averaged 7.9 boards a game in 2004-05. Robertson also started all 32 games last year and was the team's top three-point threat, shooting 37.3 percent from behind the arc. Robertson, Brooke Baughman and Patrice Edwards make up the junior class.
The sophomore class is the biggest class with six players: Tawanna Flowers, Darrice Griffi n, Enrica Johnson, Megan Morris, Erin Myrick and Judith Smith. Myrick will take over the starting role at center, while Darrice Griffi n is expected to be back on the court the fi rst of December after suffering an ACL injury during the summer. Smith saw quality minutes last year in 27 games. Morris comes to Tech after a year at South Plains College. Also looking to make an impact to the team are freshmen Krystal Cole, Teddy Griffi n, and Tiny Henderson.
The Opponent
Everyone's Internet is comprised of former collegiate players from across the United States. The team is coached by Kevin Cook, assistant coach for the Houston Comets.
Last Time Out
Texas Tech defeated Love and Basketball in its fi rst exhibition game of the year, 68-59, last Thursday night. In that game, senior Erin Grant and junior Alesha Robertson led the team with 14 points apiece. Senior LaToya Davis turned in a double-double performance with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while adding a game-high six assists. Grant collected a team-high four steals. Freshman Tiny Henderson chipped in 10 points. The Lady Raiders shot 44.1 percent from the fi eld, connecting on 26 of 59 shot attempts.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will open the season by hosting the prestigious State Farm Women's Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 13. Baylor and Georgia will square-off in the fi rst game at noon followed by Tech and LSU at 2:30 p.m. The Lady Raiders will host Southeast Missouri State on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. before taking the road for two games: at Rice Nov. 21 and at Ole Miss Nov. 23. Tech will return home to face Stanford on Nov. 27.
Preseason Honors
Senior Erin Grant has been named a preseason Player of the Year Candidate for The State Farm Wade Trophy and the Wooden Award as well as preseason All-Big 12. Grant was also named high honorable mention by Street & Smith's. Senior LaToya Davis was named honorable mention by Street & Smith's. Davis, senior Chesley Dabbs and junior Alesha Robertson were selected preseason honorable mention All-Big 12.
Sister Act
The Lady Raiders welcome their fi rst pair of sisters to their roster this season in sophomore Darrice Griffi n and freshman Teddy Griffi n. They are also the fi rst second generation players to play for head coach Marsha Sharp. The Griffi ns' mother, Tami Wilson, played for Texas Tech in 1990-92.
Record Watch
Senior Erin Grant holds the Texas Tech record for career assists with 661 and is on pace to break the Big 12 record of 764 set by Oklahoma's Stacey Dales (1998-02).
Lady Raiders in the Polls
The Texas Tech Lady Raiders enter the 2005-06 season ranked in the top 25 in various polls. The Associated Press preseason poll has not been released yet. The preseason rankings to date are as follows: CBS Sportsline/Basketball News .......................................... 8th
Street & Smith's .................................................................... 9th
Women's Basketball News Service .................................... 10th
ESPN.com .......................................................................... 11th
USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll ............................. 13th
Athlon ................................................................................. 14th
Lindy's................................................................................. 17th
Follow the Lady Raiders
All Lady Raider basketball games can be heard live on the Texas Tech Sports 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 - KIXZ-AM (940) 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 Raider Basketball with Marsha Sharp
Marsha Sharp's weekly television show, Lady Raider Basketball with Marsha Sharp, will be televised every Sunday starting Nov. 13. The shows on Nov. 13 and Nov. 20 will air at 10 p.m. on UPN Lubbock. Starting Nov. 27, the show will air on FOX34 at 10 p.m. and UPN Lubbock at 10:30 p.m.
The Marsha Sharp Radio Show
The Marsha Sharp Radio Show will be held each Monday starting Jan. 9 from 6-7 p.m. The show will air on KFYO-AM 790 and KKCL-FM 98.1 locally. The site for the show will be announced at a later date.
2004-05 Highlights
- The Lady Raiders earned their 16th straight and 18th overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to their 11th NCAA Sweet 16
- Texas Tech recorded its 23rd 20-win season, 16th-straight with a 24-8 overall record
- The Lady Raiders fi nished the year with an RPI of 12th by the WBCA/Summerville RPI rankings
- Texas Tech was ranked 12th in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches fi nal poll and 14th in the fi nal Associated Press top 25 poll
- Marsha Sharp was a fi nalist for Naismith Coach of the Year
- Erin Grant and Cisti Greenwalt were named fi rst team All-Big 12 by the coaches
- Chesley Dabbs was named second team All-Big 12 by the coaches
- LaToya Davis and Alesha Robertson were named honorable mention All-Big 12 by the coaches
- Cisti Greenwalt was named the Most Intimidating Post Defender by the Dallas Morning News
- Cisti Greenwalt was named second team All-Big 12 by the Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman, Kansas City Star and Waco Tribune-Herald
- Erin Grant was named second team All-Big 12 by the Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star- Telegram, Austin American-Statesman, Kansas City Star and Waco Tribune-Herald
- Alesha Robertson was named third team All-Big 12 by the Kansas City Star
- Alesha Robertson was named Big 12 Player of the Week once
- Darrice Griffi n was a one-time Big 12 Rookie of the Week
- Brooke Baughman, Chesley Dabbs and Erin Grant were named fi rst team Academic All- Big 12
- Alesha Robertson was named second team Academic All-Big 12
- Erin Grant was a fi nalist for the Nancy Lieberman Award (presented annually to the nation's top point guard)
- Cisti Greenwalt was selected MVP of the Las Vegas Duel in the Desert
- Chesley Dabbs and Alesha Robertson were selected to the Las Vegas Duel in the Desert All-Tournament Team
- Erin Grant became Texas Tech's all-time career leader in assists with 661, which ranks third in the Big 12 Conference; she also set the junior record for assists in a season with 218, which ranks third on Tech's single-season list for assists (she is also second and fourth on the list for her freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively)
- Cisti Greenwalt holds the Big 12 and Texas Tech career records for blocks with 300
- Cisti Greenwalt set the Texas Tech single-season record for blocks with 105
- Cisti Greenwalt was a fi nalist for The V Foundation Comeback of the Year Award
- The Lady Raiders maintained a top 25 ranking in both the Associated Press and USA Today
Player of the Year Candidate
#14 Erin Grant
5-8, Senior, G
Arlington, Texas
Mansfield HS
- Preseason The State Farm Wade Trophy Candidate
- Preseason Wooden Award Candidate
- Preseason All-Big 12
- Texas Tech record holder for career assists (661)
- On pace to break the Big 12 Conference record for career assists, which is 764 set by Oklahoma's Stacey Dales (1998-02)
- Member of 2005 USA Basketball Women's World University Games Team, which won the gold medal in Izmir, Turkey
- All-Big 12 fi rst team in 2004
- Two-time team MVP (2004, 2005)
- Two-time Academic All-Big 12 fi rst team
- Started every game since freshman season except one, which she had a foot injury and could not play.
