Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Take On Oral Roberts Thursday
December 13, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 13, 2005
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Texas Tech (2-5) vs. Oral Roberts (4-3)
December 15, 2005 • United Spirit Arena (15,050) • Lubbock, Texas • 7 p.m. • TTTN
The Game
Texas Tech (2-5) hosts Oral Roberts (4-3) on Thurs., Dec. 15, at 7 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. It is the 11th meeting between the two schools.
On the Air
The game is being televised on the Texas Tech Television Network, which airs locally on UPN Lubbock, with play-by-play by Drew Dougherty and Crystal Boles as the color analyst. The game can be heard on the radio on the Texas Tech Sports Network as Ryan Hyatt calls the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 2-5 on the year after losing in double overtime at Penn State, 78-72, Dec. 4. On the year, senior LaToya Davis leads the team in scoring at 19.3 points per game followed by senior Erin Grant at 14.7 and junior Alesha Robertson at 11.1. Davis is also the top rebounder, grabbing 10.3 boards per outing, while Robertson is averaging 6.1 rebounds. Davis is shooting a team-high 59.8 percent from the field and Grant is shooting 71.4 percent from behind the three-point arc. Grant has team highs of 46 assists and 11 steals. Sophomore Erin Myrick is the top shot blocker with nine blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 41.5 percent from the field, 28 percent from three-point range and 68.2 percent from the charity stripe.
Scouting the Opponent
Oral Roberts is 4-3 on the year after losing at Tulsa, 88-73, last Saturday. In that game, junior Elisha Turek scored a team-high 19 points and freshman Jenny Hardin chipped in 10. Turek also had eight rebounds and three steals. Freshman Marianna Camargo dished out six assists and junior Jamie Fithian had two blocks.
On the year, Turek paces the Golden Eagles in scoring at 17.1 followed by junior Sarah Davidson at 12.4. Turek is the top rebounder, averaging 7.4 boards per contest. Senior Leah Cannon has a team-high 26 assists and Camargo leads the team in steals with 16. Fithian is the top shot blocker with eight blocks. ORU is shooting 40.5 percent from the field, 26.5 percent from three-point range and 69.9 percent from the free throw line.
Jerry Finkbeiner is in his 10th year at the helm of the Golden Eagles establishing a record of 143-125. He is also in his 17th year as a head coach with a career record of 342-159.
Series Record
It is the 11th meeting between Texas Tech and Oral Roberts with the Lady Raiders having a 7-3 edge over the Golden Eagles. Last year, Tech defeated ORU, 79-46, Dec. 9, in Lubbock. The Lady Raiders have won the last three games and four of the last five. ORU's last victory was a 61-54 triumph in Tulsa, Dec 19, 1985. The series dates back to the 1976-77 season as Tech beat ORU, 66-62, Nov. 27, 1976, at the Flying Queens Classic. The Lady Raiders are 5-0 against the Golden Eagles in Lubbock.
Last Time Out
(AP) - Courtney Molinaro scored on a breakaway layup and hit three key foul shots, and Kamela Gissendanner finished with 34 points, helping Penn State overcame big shots by Erin Grant and beat No. 24 Texas Tech 78-72 in double overtime on Sunday.
Romana Vynuchalova also hit two late foul shots as the Lady Lions (3-3) pulled away in the second overtime after squandering a 13-point lead in regulation.
After a desperation 3-pointer by Texas Tech's Judith Smith bounced off the rim as time expired, the Lady Lions raised their arms and exchanged hugs at center court.
Grant hit a layup with 3:16 left in the second overtime to give Texas Tech (2-5) a 65-63 lead. But Penn State rallied behind the play of Molinaro and Gissendanner.
With 32 seconds remaining, Gissendanner grabbed a defensive rebound, then found Molinaro for a layup to give Penn State 75-70 advantage.
Texas Tech is in danger of falling out of the Top 25 for the first time since 1992.
Grant tied the game at 46-all with 3 seconds left in the regulation on an off-balance jumper from the free throw line, then tied it again at 59-all in the first overtime with a desperation 3-pointer from the right wing with time expiring. She finished with 28 points and hit all 14 of her foul shots.
Alesha Robertson scored 19 points and LaToya Davis finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds for Texas Tech.
Adrienne Squire had 11 points and 13 rebounds for Penn State.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech travels to Cancun, Mexico, for the Caribbean Classic and plays Louisville on Dec. 19 at 3:30 p.m. and Virginia Tech on Dec. 20 at 1 p.m. The Lady Raiders conclude their non-conference schedule by hosting Fresno State Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. Tech will open Big 12 Conference play on Jan. 4 at Kansas State at 7 p.m. The game at K-State will be televised on FSN Midwest.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Dec. 5, Texas Tech ranks sixth in turnovers at 12.9, among all NCAA Division I teams. Senior Erin Grant ranks 11th in assists per game at 6.6 and senior LaToya Davis ranks 28th in field goal percentage at 59.8 and 32nd in points per game at 19.3, among all NCAA Division I players.
Grant Pours in Career High Points
Senior Erin Grant poured in a career-high 28 points in Tech's double overtime loss to Penn State. Her previous high was 27 against Kansas in 2004. She also hit a season-high two three-pointers against the Lady Lions.
Fourth Double-Double for Davis
Senior LaToya Davis had her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds at Penn State. The 13 rebounds tied her season high. Davis has 14 double-doubles in her career.
Block Buster
Junior Alesha Robertson tallied four blocks at Penn State for a new career high. Robertson's previous high was two blocks on three occasions. She also recorded season highs of 19 points and nine rebounds.
Davis Rallies in Second Half
Senior LaToya Davis scored just three points in the first half against Sacramento State as she played only eight minutes before picking up two fouls. Davis came back in the second half to spark the Lady Raiders as she scored 21 of her 24 points playing the final 20 minutes of the game. She was 10-for-12 on the night and collected nine rebounds.
Grant First to 700
Senior Erin Grant became the first player in Texas Tech history to collect 700 assists in her career. Grant got her 700th-career assist on a dish inside to senior LaToya Davis in the game against Sacramento State. Grant has 707 career assists.
Another 40-Minute Game
Senior Erin Grant played all 40 minutes against Sac State, marking her third game this season without a rest. Grant is averaging 37.4 minutes a game, which is third best among Big 12 players.
Another Henderson in the Making
The football team may have standout running back Taurean Henderson, but the Lady Raiders have another Henderson who is making her presence known on the basketball court - Tiny Henderson. Even though the two are not related both play an important role in their respective sports. Tiny Henderson, a Lubbock native, has started all six games this season and scored in double figures in three of the six games this year. She has also made a defensive presence, guarding some of the best players in the country. Against Sac State, she had career highs of five assists and four rebounds and scored 10 points in 34 minutes. In the prior game against Stanford, Henderson scored a career-high 16 points as she played a career-high 38 minutes.
Morris and Smith Get First Starts
Sophomore center Megan Morris and sophomore guard Judith Smith got their first-career starts against Sacramento State. Morris replaced sophomore Erin Myrick at the five, while Smith started in place of junior Alesha Robertson at the three.
Davis Ties Career-High Points
Senior LaToya Davis tied her career-high 26 points against Rice. It marked the second time in her career for her to score 26 points, the other coming against Texas-Arlington in the first round of the 2005 NCAA Championship.
Davis Doing Double Duty
Senior LaToya Davis recorded her third double-double of the year as she had 15 points and 13 rebounds versus Stanford.
Myrick Ties Career-High Points
Sophomore Erin Myrick scored nine points against Stanford, which tied her career high. Myrick also scored nine points against Arkansas-Little Rock last year.
Another Double-Double
Senior LaToya Davis registered her second double-double of the season and the 12th of her career as she finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds against Rice.
Smith Matches High Point Total
Sophomore Judith Smith came off the bench to tie her career high of 14 points at Rice and at Ole Miss. She also matched her career high of two three-pointers in both games.
Grant Dishes Double Digits
Senior Erin Grant dished out 11 assists at Rice, marking her first double-digit assist game this season. It was her 18th game of 10+ assists in her career.
Myrick Grabs High
Sophomore Erin Myrick grabbed a career-high eight rebounds at Rice. Her previous career-high was seven against Texas last season. She also scored a season-high eight points at Ole Miss.
Flowers Big on the Boards
Sophomore Tawanna Flowers grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against SEMO and tied her career-high seven points.
Davis Sets Tip-Off Classic Record
Senior LaToya Davis set a new State Farm Women's Tip-Off Classic record for field goal percentage as she was 10-for-13 for 76.9 percent against LSU. The old mark was 72.8 percent held by three players.
Getting the Start
Sophomore Erin Myrick and freshman Tiny Henderson got their first career starts against LSU. Myrick finished the game with four points, three rebounds and tied her career-high four blocks. Henderson, who played 34 minutes against the Lady Tigers, scored 11 points and added four steals and two assists. The last freshman to get her first start in the opening game was Erin Grant in 2002, which was also in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic against Louisiana Tech held in Knoxville, Tenn., that year.
Great Fan Support
Texas Tech had 14,641 fans in attendance for the State Farm Women's Tip-Off Classic, marking the 10th-largest crowd at the United Spirit Arena for a women's basketball game.
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 preseason first team All-America by Women's Basketball News Service and 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.
ESPN Experts Like Grant
ESPN.com grilled its panel of experts - bracket Charlie Creme, columnist Mechelle Voepel and ESPN's Nancy Lieberman and Beth Mowins on their picks for the 2005-06 season. Texas Tech's Erin Grant was picked the best passer in the country by Creme, Lieberman and Voepel, while Voepel chose Grant as the best ball handler in the nation. Creme and Lieberman also picked the Lady Raiders to win the Big 12 Championship.
Dabbs to Redshirt
Senior Chesley Dabbs will redshirt the 2005-06 season after having surgery to her left knee on Nov. 10 to repair a torn ACL and meniscus. Dabbs suffered the injury during preseason workouts.
Sister Act
The Lady Raiders welcome their first pair of sisters to their roster this season in sophomore Darrice Griffin and freshman Teddy Griffin. They are also the first second generation players to play for head coach Marsha Sharp. The Griffins' mother, Tami Wilson, played for Texas Tech in 1990-92.
Grant Closing in on Big 12 Record
Senior Erin Grant holds the Texas Tech career assists record with 707 assists. Grant's 707 assists are third all-time in the Big 12 Conference. Standing in second is Toccara Williams (Texas A&M 2001-04) with 724 and Stacey Dales (Oklahoma 1998-02) holds the Big 12 record with 764. Grant has averaged 220.3 assists per year in her first three seasons.
Robertson on the Move
Junior Alesha Robertson has 876 career points and is looking to crack the 1,000-point mark this season. Robertson currently stands eighth all-time in three-point field goal attempts (286) and ninth in three-point field goals made (107).
Home Sweet Home
Texas Tech has won 90 of its 100 games it has played at the United Spirit Arena for a .900 winning percentage. In the Sharp era, the Lady Raiders have won 280 of their 324 home contests (.864 percent). Tech has produced five perfect seasons at home 1999-00 (16-0), 1998-99 (14-0), 1995-96 (16-0), 1992-93 (15-0) and 1991-92 (11-0).
Sharp the Best in the Big 12
Texas Tech head coach Marsha Sharp has produced the most wins of any coach in Big 12 play. Sharp had led the Lady Raiders to a Big 12-leading 109 conference wins since 1997.
Diploma in Hand
Senior Erin Grant is not only a standout on the court, but also in the classroom. Grant graduated from Texas Tech last May with degrees in marketing and general business in just three years. She is currently working on her MBA.
Winning Percentage By Class
The senior class is 80-27 (.748) mark and 35-13 (.729) in the conference. The junior class posts a record of 51-21 (.708) and 22-10 (.688). The sophomore class is 26-13 (.667) and 12-4 (.750) in the league, while the freshmen are 2-5 (.286).
On the Tube
Texas Tech will have 17 regular-season games televised this season. Tech will appear on ESPN2 three times: LSU (L, 68-76), at Penn State (L 2OT, 72-78) and at Texas Feb. 26; and on ESPNU once: Texas Feb. 1. The Lady Raiders will play on FSN six times: Stanford (L, 63-66), Baylor Jan. 15, Nebraska Jan. 21, at Missouri Jan. 28, at Texas A&M Feb. 5 and at Baylor Feb. 19. Tech will play on FSN Midwest at Kansas State Jan. 4. The Texas Tech Television Network will air the following games: Sac State (W, 63-53), Oral Roberts Dec. 15, Texas A&M Jan. 7, Colorado Feb. 11 and Oklahoma March 1. Tech's game at Oklahoma Jan. 18 will be on the Sooner Sports Network and broadcast back to Lubbock.
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, is televised every Sunday 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.
Lady Raiders Ink Two to National Letters of Intent
Texas Tech signed two standout student-athletes to National Letters of Intent: Raquel Christian (Midland, Texas) and Jordan Murphree (Brock, Texas). Christian is a 5-7 guard from Midland High School and Murphree is a 5-11 guard from Brock High School.
Lubbock - The Place to Live
The first-ever Coldwell Banker® College Market Home Price Comparison Index (HPCI) found that fans and alumni of Texas Tech should stand and cheer. Lubbock, Texas, ranks as the most affordable college town in the study, with an average home price of $164,133. The College Market HPCI evaluated average home values for a single-family dwelling in a middle-management community measuring approximately 2,200 square feet with four bedrooms, two and one-half baths, a family room (or equivalent) and two-car garage. The snapshot study examined 59 markets that are home to the premier college football programs in the country. Palo Alto, Calif., home of Stanford, topped the charts as the most expensive college town in the index at $1,550,000.
