Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders To Play Caribbean Classic
December 16, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 16, 2005
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The Games
Texas Tech (3-5) travels to Cancun, Mexico, to compete in the Caribbean Classic Dec. 19-20 at the Aventura Spa Palace in Riviera Maya. The Lady Raiders will take on Louisville (6-1) on Mon., Dec. 19, at 3:30 p.m. and Virginia Tech (8-0) on Tues., Dec. 20 at 1 p.m. Cancun is in the central time zone.
On the Air
The games can be heard on the radio on the Texas Tech Sports Network as Ryan Hyatt calls the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 3-5 on the year after beating Oral Roberts, 99-58, last Thursday. On the year, senior LaToya Davis leads the team in scoring at 21 points per game followed by senior Erin Grant at 15 and junior Alesha Robertson at 11.1. Davis is also the top rebounder, grabbing 10 boards per outing, while Robertson is averaging 5.9 rebounds. Davis is shooting a team-high 62.8 percent from the field and Grant is shooting 75 percent from behind the three-point arc. Grant has team highs of 57 assists and 12 steals. Sophomore Erin Myrick is the top shot blocker with 10 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 44.2 percent from the field, 30.3 percent from three-point range and 67.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Scouting the Opponents
Louisville owns a 6-1 record after beating Northern Colorado, 66-57, on Dec. 15. In that game, junior Jazz Covington had a team-high 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Sophomore Yuliya Tokova scored 12 points, while senior Connie Neal and junior Missy Taylor each chipped in 11 points. Helen Johnson added 10 points. Taylor also had 10 rebounds. Johnson and sophomore Patrika Barlow both dished out five assists. On the year, Covington and Taylor pace the Cardinals in scoring at 12.0 points per game followed by Johnson at 11.9. Taylor is the top rebounder, averaging 8.4 rebounds per contest. Taylor has team highs of 21 assists and nine blocks. Freshman Angel McCoughtry leads the team in steals with 15. Louisville is shooting 46.2 percent from the field, 36.7 percent from three-point range and 64.7 percent from the free throw ling. Tom Collen is in his third year at the helm of the Cardinals establishing a record of 48-19. He is also in his eighth year as a head coach with a career record of 177-53.
Virginia Tech enters the Caribbean Classic with a perfect 8-0 record and will face Western Michigan in the first game of the classic on Mon., Dec. 19. On the year, senior Kerri Gardin leads the Hokies in scoring at 13.9 points per game followed by senior Carrie Mason at 12.3. Gardin is the top rebounder, grabbing 10.5 boards per outing. Mason has team highs of 27 assists and 18 steals. Gardin is the top shot blocker with six blocks. Virginia Tech is shooting 44 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from the three-point line and 61.1 percent from the charity stripe. Beth Dunkenberger is in her second year as head coach of the Hokies with a 25-12 record. She is in her fifth year as a head coach with a career record of 90-62.
Series Records
It is just the second meeting between Texas Tech and Louisville as the Lady Raiders won the first game in the series, 66-53, Dec. 29, 1991, in Louisville.
Texas Tech and Virginia Tech are meeting for the fourth time with the Lady Raiders holding a 2-1 edge over the Hokies. Last year the two teams played in the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 19, as the Hokies won in overtime 71-70. Texas Tech won the first two games in the series: 68-47, Dec. 21, 1994, in the championship game of the San Juan Shootout in San Juan, Puerto Rico; and 73-52, March 18, 2001, in the second round of the NCAA Championship in Lubbock.
Last Time Out
(AP) - LaToya Davis scored a career-high 33 points and had eight rebounds to lead Texas Tech past Oral Roberts 99-58 on Thursday.
Davis had 25 points in the first half, nearly matching her previous career high of 26 before halftime. Davis twice scored 26 in her career, the last time on Nov. 21 against Rice.
Erin Myrick and Erin Grant each scored 17 points for the Lady Raiders (3-5), and Grant added 11 assists for a double-double. All five Texas Tech starters scored in double digits in the game.
Jenny Hardin topped all scorers for Oral Roberts (4-4) with 14.
The Lady Raiders led in nearly every aspect of the game, especially shooting percentage.
Texas Tech shot 62.5 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from 3-point range, while Oral Roberts went 37.5 percent from the field and 27.8 percent on 3-pointers.
That high shooting percentage was aided by Davis, who dominated the paint by scoring all of her points on layups or free throws and going 13-of-16 from the field.
The Lady Raiders also led in rebounds, 43-23, and assists, 25-8.
Texas Tech's lead was 13 at halftime, but the Lady Raiders pulled away in the second half, closing the game on a 24-7 run.
In the first half, the Lady Raiders used a 17-4 run to increase their lead, but the Golden Eagles had a small comeback after hitting back-to-back 3-pointers. That was quickly answered by Davis who scored all of the Lady Raiders' points on an 11-3 run.
The Lady Raiders were coming off a double-overtime loss to Penn State.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech concludes its 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. The Lady Raiders return home for two games: Jan. 7 vs. Texas A&M at 7 p.m. and Jan. 15 vs. Baylor at 2 p.m. The Texas A&M game will be televised on the Texas Tech Television Network, while the Baylor game will air on FSN.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Dec. 12, Texas Tech ranks seventh in turnovers at 12.9, among all NCAA Division I teams. Senior Erin Grant ranks 10th in assists per game at 6.6 and senior LaToya Davis ranks 23rd in field goal percentage at 59.8 and 30th in points per game at 19.3, among all NCAA Division I players.
Senior CLASS Finalists
Seniors LaToya Davis and Erin Grant have been named one of 30 finalists for the 2006 Senior CLASS Award, which is presented annually to the nation's senior player of the year. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was launched during the 2001-02 season in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving college early to turn professional. A national media committee will select the 10 finalists in February.
Biggest Win of the Season
Texas Tech got its biggest win of the season in a 41-point victory as it beat Oral Roberts 99-58 last week.
Davis Keeps on Going
Senior LaToya Davis scored a career-high 33 points in just 25 minutes of play against the ORU, including 25 first-half points. Her previous career high was 26 on two occasions.
First Double-Double of the Year for Grant
Senior Erin Grant recorded her first double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 assists against the Golden Eagles. The 11 assists tied her season high.
Career Highs for Myrick and Baughman
Sophomore Erin Myrick poured in a career-high 17 points against ORU, while junior Brooke Baughman dished out a career-high nine assists.
Starters Score in Double Digits
All five of Tech's starters scored in double figures led by Davis with 33, Grant and Myrick with 17 apiece and junior Alesha Robertson and freshman Tiny Henderson with 11 each.
Season-High Field Goal Percentage
The Lady Raiders shot a season-high 62.5 percent from the field (40-64) versus ORU. They shot 74.2 percent in the second half (23-31).
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 currently 718 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 eight games this season and scored in double figures in four of the eight 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 Doing Double Duty
Senior LaToya Davis recorded her third double-double of the year as she had 15 points and 13 rebounds versus Stanford.
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. She also had 11 assists versus Oral Roberts. She has had 19 games 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 718 assists. Grant's 718 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 887 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 (287) and ninth in three-point field goals made (108).
Home Sweet Home
Texas Tech has won 91 of its 101 games it has played at the United Spirit Arena for a .901 winning percentage. In the Sharp era, the Lady Raiders have won 281 of their 325 home contests (.865 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 81-27 (.750) mark and 35-13 (.729) in the conference. The junior class posts a record of 52-21 (.712) and 22-10 (.688). The sophomore class is 27-13 (.675) and 12-4 (.750) in the league, while the freshmen are 3-5 (.375).
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 (W, 99-58), 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.
