Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Battle Bears In Semifinals Tonight
March 10, 2005 | Women's Basketball
March 10, 2005
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Phillips 66 Big 12 Tournament Semifinals
No. 4 Seed #14/14 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (22-6/12-4 Big 12)
vs.
No. 1 Seed #6/6 Baylor Lady Bears (25-3/14-2 Big 12)
March 10, 2005 • Kansas City, Mo. • 6 p.m.
Television - FSN
Municipal Auditorium (9,130)
The Game
No. 4 seed and 14th/14th-ranked Texas Tech (22-6) takes on No. 1 seed and sixth/sixth-ranked Baylor (25-3) in the semifinals of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Tournament on Thurs., March 10, at 6 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo.
On the Air
The game is being televised on FSN as Kevin Eschenfelder (play-by-play) and Debbie Antonelli (color analyst) call the game. The game can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network, in Lubbock on KFYO-AM 790 and KKCL-FM 98.1, with play-by-play by Ryan Hyatt and Crystal Boles as color analyst.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 22-6 and finished Big 12 regular-season play tied for third with a 12-4 record. On the year, four Lady Raiders are scoring in double figures led by senior Cisti Greenwalt at 13.5. Junior Chesley Dabbs and sophomore Alesha Robertson are both averaging 12.5 points, while junior LaToya Davis is at 11.8 points a game. Davis is shooting a team and Big 12-high 60.8 percent from the field. Robertson is shooting 38.2 percent from behind the arc and a Big 12-high 86.1 percent from the free throw line. Greenwalt is the top rebounder, grabbing 9.3 boards per outing. Junior Erin Grant has team highs of 187 assists and 37 steals and leads the Big 12 in assists per game at 6.93 and assist/turnover ratio at 3.53. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 95 blocks and leads the conference in blocks per game at 3.39. Texas Tech is shooting 45.6 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from three-point range and 70.5 percent from the charity stripe.
Scouting the Opponent
Baylor posts a 25-3 overall record and captured its first Big 12 regular-season title with a 14-2 record. The Lady Bears beat Missouri in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 Tournament, 70-52. In that game, junior Sophia Young put up 18 points and nine rebounds, while junior Chameka Scott added 16 points and three blocks. Sophomore Latoya Wyatt and senior Steffanie Blackmon chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. Senior Chelsea Whitaker tallied 10 assists and five steals.
On the year, Young paces the Lady Bears in scoring with a 17.4 average followed by Blackmon at 16.0. Young is the top rebounder, grabbing 9.4 boards per contest. Whitaker leads the team in assists with 137 and Scott has a team-high 55 steals. Niemann is the top shot blocker with 25 blocks. Baylor is shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 42.8 percent from behind the arc and 70.2 percent from the free throw line.
Kim Mulkey-Robertson is in her fifth year at the helm of the Lady Bears establishing a career record of 123-38.
Series Record
Texas Tech is 45-14 against Baylor (including a forfeit by Baylor in 1989). Baylor was victorious both times during the regular season this year, 52-49, Feb. 5, in Lubbock, and 79-69, March 3, in Waco. Tech won both regular-season meetings last year: 64-63, in Lubbock Jan. 17 and 62-59, in Waco Feb. 8. The Lady Bears were victorious in the third game last year, 80-72, in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament at Reunion Arena in Dallas. The Lady Raiders are 0-2 against Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament - losing in the quarterfinals in 2002 (75-60), and in the quarterfinals in 2004.
Last Time vs. Baylor
March 3, 2005 - (AP) - Chelsea Whitaker had 16 points and eight assists, many at key times for Baylor, and the seventh-ranked Lady Bears clinched their first Big 12 regular season title outright with a 79-69 win over No. 13 Texas Tech.
Baylor led the entire game and shot 62 percent (30-of-54).
Whitaker made the game's first shot, and the Lady Bears jumped out to a 6-0 lead less than 90 seconds in before a raucous crowd of 10,550 people jammed into the Ferrell Center.
Steffanie Blackmon, playing her last game in Waco, had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Lady Bears. Sophia Young had her 37th straight double-figure scoring game with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Abiola Wabara had 10 points.
LaToya Davis led Texas Tech with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Cisti Greenwalt and Judith Smith had 14 points each. Greenwalt blocked three shots, pushing her season total to a Big 12 record 93.
When Texas Tech got within 15-12 on Darrice Griffin's 3-pointer midway through the first half, Whitaker sparked a 12-0 run.
Whitaker drove for a layup and then stole a pass that led to Emily Niemann's 3-pointer. After Griffin traveled, Niemann hit another 3-pointer and Whitaker blocked a shot before making another shot.
By the time Whitaker passed to Chameka Scott for a layup less then three minutes after she started the run, the Lady Bears led 27-12.
Tech's best stretch came near the end of the first half when it scored points on eight straight possessions. The Raiders were within 36-33 when Erin Grant threw an inbound pass to Davis for a layup, ending an 8-0 run.
Whitaker, who scored just 10 points in two games since a 20-point second half in a win against Iowa State, drove for a layup just before halftime for a 40-34 lead.
The Lady Raiders got within 42-39 early in the second half, then Baylor scored three straight baskets and its lead dropped below seven points only twice - never closer than five.
Last Time Out
(AP) -Alesha Robertson made two free throws with 2.7 seconds left and Iowa State's last-second shot rimmed out to lift No. 14 Texas Tech to a 61-59 win Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament.
Robertson and Chesley Dabbs each had 13 points to lead the Lady Raiders (22-6), who face No. 6 Baylor in Thursday's semifinal. Erin Grant added 12 points and nine assists and Cisti Greenwalt had 12 points and nine rebounds.
Tied at 59 with under five seconds to go, Grant drove the lane but was fouled. After inbounding the ball to the post, Robertson was immediately fouled while attempting a shot and sank both free throws for the winning margin.
Anne O'Neil, who had 22 points to lead No. 18 Iowa State (23-6), caught a fullcourt inbounds pass and attempted a 15-footer as the buzzer sounded. But unlike Tuesday's 64-62 win over Colorado, when the Cyclones' Lyndsey Medders hit a game-winning 3-pointer, O'Neil's shot spun off the rim.
Lisa Kriener added 16 points for Iowa State and Katie Robinette scored 10. Iowa State wrestled the lead from Texas Tech midway through the first half, then slowly added to it. After an O'Neil 3-pointer and Brittany Wilkins' basket in the post, the Cyclones led 35-26 with 2:41 to go in the half.
The Lady Raiders got within 36-30 by the intermission and used a 10-2 run early in the second half to take a 47-45 lead. The teams swapped the lead four times before Texas Tech took a 59-53 advantage on Judith Smith's 3-pointer.
O'Neil answered with a driving layup and converted a free throw to get within 59-57. After Smith threw it away at Texas Tech's end, O'Neil made two free throws to knot it at 59 with 36 seconds left.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will compete in the Big 12 Tournament at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo., March 8-10, 12. The Lady Raiders will co-host NCAA First and Second Rounds at Reunion Arena in Dallas with Texas March 19, 21.
NCAA Stats
As of games through March 7, Texas Tech ranks first in blocked shots per game at 7.6, fifth in field goal percentage defense at 34.2, eighth in turnovers per game at 13.8, ninth in scoring margin at 18.9, ninth in assists per game at 17.5, 16th in scoring offense at 72.9, 16th in scoring defense at 54.0, 18th in field goal percentage at 45.9, 18th in rebound margin at 45.9, 22nd in won-lost percentage at 77.8 and 23rd in personal fouls per game at 14.3, among all NCAA Division I teams. Junior Erin Grant ranks fourth in assists per game at 6.8; junior LaToya Davis ranks fifth in field goal percentage at 61.8; and senior Cisti Greenwalt ranks seventh in blocked shots per game at 3.4, among all NCAA Division I players.
Another 20-Win Season
Texas Tech is 22-6, marking its 16th-straight 20-win season and Marsha Sharp's 20th in her 23 years as head coach. It is also the 23rd 20-win season overall for the Lady Raiders.
All-Big 12 Honors
Senior Cisti Greenwalt and junior Erin Grant garnered first team All-Big 12 honors, while junior Chesley Dabbs was named to the second team, which was voted on by the league coaches. Junior LaToya Davis and sophomore Alesha Robertson were honorable mention selections. Greenwalt, Dabbs and Davis were all first time all-conference honorees, as Grant was second team and Robertson was honorable mention in 2004.
Starters Put Up Numbers
The five starters combined for 56 of Tech's 61 points against Iowa State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament. Junior Chesley Dabbs and sophomore Alesha Robertson both had a team-high 13 points, while senior Cisti Greenwalt and junior Erin Grant each added 12 points. Robertson hit the game-winning free throws with 2.7 seconds remaining in the game. Junior LaToya Davis chipped in three points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Grant also dished out a game-high nine assists. Freshman Judith Smith came off the bench and hit two key three-pointers for the Lady Raiders.
40 More Minutes
Junior Erin Grant played all 40 minutes against the Cyclones in the Big 12 Tournament, which was the third time for her this season. She also recorded 40-minute games against Oklahoma and at Baylor. She also has played all but one minute in three contest this season.
Greenwalt Sets Single-Season Block Record
Senior Cisti Greenwalt has recorded 95 blocks this season which sets a new Texas Tech and Big 12 record for blocks in a single season. She broke former Lady Raider Crystal Boles' record of 90 blocks which was registered during the 1996-97 season.
Upperclassmen Take Charge
Senior Cisti Greenwalt and junior Erin Grant, LaToya Davis and Chesley Dabbs combined to score 75 of Texas Tech's 83 points at Oklahoma. Grant led the way with a season-high 21 points followed by Davis with 20, Greenwalt with 19 and Dabbs with 15. The foursome then combined for 50 of Tech's 65 points in its win over Oklahoma State. Greenwalt and Davis both finished with 14 points, while Dabbs and Grant chipped in 11 points apiece.
Tech's Post Masters
Post players senior Cisti Greenwalt and junior LaToya Davis have scored in double figures in 21 and 19 games, respectively, this season. Greenwalt has played in all 28 games, while Davis has seen action in 27, missing one game with an injured knee. Greenwalt has scored in double digits in the last six games, while Davis has in five of the last six games. Greenwalt leads the team in scoring at 13.5, while Davis is fourth at 11.8.
Grant Looking to Score
Junior Erin Grant has upped her scoring average over the last several games. In the first eight games of the year, she averaged 6.5 points a game, but in the last eight games Grant has averaged 11.3 points. On the year, she is averaging 8.0 points and 6.8 assists.
Grant Breaks School Record
Junior Erin Grant became Texas Tech's career leader for assists in the win over Texas A&M. The Arlington, Texas, native recorded 10 assists against the Aggies to give her the school record. Grant currently has 630 career assists, which ranks third all-time in the Big 12. The 10 assists against Texas A&M marked her fifth game of the season of dishing out 10 or more assists in a game.
Greenwalt Scores 1,000th Point, Gets Another Double-Double
Senior Cisti Greenwalt put up her 10th double-double of the season with 10 points and 14 rebounds against Texas A&M. It was her 20th double-double of her career. The 10 points enabled Greenwalt to record her 1,000th career point. She now has 1,064 points in her career at Tech.
Dabbs Getting the Minutes
Junior Chesley Dabbs played all forty minutes against Texas A&M, which was the third game this season she has played all 40 minutes of a game. She also played 44 of the 45 minutes in the overtime game versus Virginia Tech in December. She is averaging a team-best 33.0 minutes a game.
Another High Shooting Performance
Texas Tech shot 56.3 percent from the field at Oklahoma, marking its 10th game of 50 percent or better from the field this season. The Lady Raiders season best has been 57.1 percent at Oklahoma State.
Season Low Shooting
Texas Tech shot just 27 percent from the field at Texas, marking its lowest shooting percentage of the season. Tech was 17-of-63 for the night.
Grant Getting It Done
Junior Erin Grant registered her first double-double of the season and the third of her career as she scored a season-high 19 points and dished out 10 assists against Iowa State.
Doing Dishes
Junior LaToya Davis dished out a career-high six assists against Iowa State. Her previous high was four against Penn State earlier this season. Davis also chipped in 12 points against the Cyclones to mark her 14th game this year to score in double figures.
Best Output in Conference Play
Texas Tech's 89 points against Iowa State was the most points the Lady Raiders have scored against a conference opponent this year and their second-best output for all games this season. Tech scored a 109 points against Miami (Fla.) Dec. 6.
Tech vs. Top 25
Texas Tech is 3-5 against teams ranked in the top 25. The Lady Raiders beat No. 12/11 Texas (79-62, Jan. 12), No. 14/14 Iowa State (89-62, Feb. 8) and No. 18/19 Iowa State (61-59, March 9), while losing to No. 7/5 Stanford (61-58, Nov. 28), No. 20/18 Kansas State (55-53, Jan. 22), No. 8/9 Baylor (52-49, Feb. 5), at No. 17/17 Texas (64-43, Feb. 13) and at No. 7/8 Baylor (79-69, Mar. 3).
Sellout Crowd
Texas Tech had its first sellout crowd of the season against Baylor Feb. 5. There were 15,050 fans in attendance for the game, marking Tech's eighth sellout for women's basketball since the United Spirit Arena opened in 1999. The Lady Raiders are averaging 12,569 fans a game which ranks third in the country. Career Assists for Grant Junior Erin Grant dished out a career-high 15 assists at Texas A&M. Her previous career high was 14 on two occasions.
Career High for Dabbs
Junior Chesley Dabbs scored a career-high 22 points in Texas Tech's win at Colorado. Her previous career-high was 21 against Ole Miss earlier this season.
Griffin Gets Career Numbers vs. Buffs
Freshman Darrice Griffin tied her career-high 10 rebounds at Colorado. It was the second time in her career to have 10 rebounds in a game, the other coming against Miami in December. She also recorded a career-high three blocks against the Buffs.
100th Big 12 Win
Texas Tech got its 100th Big 12 regular-season win Jan. 12 in a 79-62 triumph over Texas. Tech is the first school in the Big 12 to get 100 regular-season wins in league play. The Lady Raiders are 109-35 in the Big 12.
School Record 3s
Sophomore Alesha Robertson set the school record for most three-point shots made in a game with nine against Miami en route to scoring a career-high 37 points. The previous record was eight set last season by Natalie Ritchie against Oklahoma State. Robertson was 9-for-12 from three-point range.
Big 12 Career Block Leader
Senior Cisti Greenwalt is now the Big 12 Conference's all-time leader in blocked shots with 2908. She passed Britt Hartshorn of Colorado (1999-02), who had 208, as the league's career leader in blocks. Greenwalt set the Texas Tech school record last season.
100-Point Game
Texas Tech scored 109 points in its victory over Miami Dec. 6. Last season, Tech scored at least 100 points on two occasions: 100 vs. Pacific Dec. 8, 2003 and 106 vs. Oklahoma State Jan. 10, 2004. The 2003-04 season was the first time Tech had scored 100-plus points more than once in the same season since 1994-95. The 109 points versus Miami marks the 11th season Tech has accomplished the feat of scoring 100 or more points in a game. During 1992-93, Tech scored 100 or more points on six occasions, which is the most of any Lady Raider season.
Winning Percentage By Class
The senior class, which consists of just one player - Cisti Greenwalt is 96-32 (.750) and 43-21 (.672) in the Big 12. The juniors post a 76-20 (.792) mark and 35-13 (.729) in the conference. The sophomore class is 47-14 (.770) and 22-10 (.688) in the league, while the freshmen are 22-6 (.786) and 12-4 (.750) in the Big 12.
On the Tube
Texas Tech had 16 regular-season games televised this season. Those airing on FSN include: vs. Stanford (L, 61-58), at Oklahoma State (W, 76-38), Kansas State (L, 55-53), at Texas A&M (W, 67-54) and at Baylor (L, 79-69). Tech played at Colorado (W, 87-41). The Lady Raiders faced Texas (L, 64-43) on ESPN2. On the Texas Tech Television Network, Tech played Arkansas-Little Rock (W, 69-29), Oral Roberts (W, 79-46), Sacramento State (W, 83-37), Oklahoma (W, 70-64), Texas (W, 79-62), Missouri (W, 74-45), Iowa State (W, 89-62), Texas A&M (W, 56-53) and Oklahoma State (W, 65-52). In postseason play Tech has had one game on FSN - Iowa State (W, 61-59).
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 249 weeks. That includes the March 7 polls in which Tech is ranked 14th in the Associated Press top 25 poll and 14th in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches poll.
Grant Among the Best at Her Position
Junior Erin Grant was selected as one of the top five point guards in the country by ESPN.com. Joining Grant on the list were Jamie Carey (Texas), Dionnah Jackson (Oklahoma), Temeka Johnson (LSU) and Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers).
Naismith Candidates
Junior Erin Grant and sophomore Alesha Robertson were selected preseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy. Grant, a native of Arlington, Texas, was a second team All-Big 12 selection in 2004 after averaging 8.3 points and 6.5 assists per game. She is now Tech's career leader for assists with 630, breaking the school record against Texas A&M, Feb. 19. Plainview, Texas, native Robertson is Tech's top returning scorer from last year as she averaged 12.4 points per contest. Robertson was honorable mention All-Big 12 last season.
Preseason Honors
Sophomore transfer Patrice Edwards was named the preseason Co-Big 12 Newcomer of the Year by the league coaches, while junior Erin Grant and sophomore Alesha Robertson were named preseason honorable mention All-Big 12. Robertson was named preseason second team All-America by Women's Basketball News Service, Grant was named to the third team. Grant was also selected preseason honorable mention by Street & Smith's.
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 - 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)
Sidelined
Freshman Enrica Johnson will be out for the remainder of the season after undergoing ACL revision on her right knee on Feb. 4. Johnson is expected to go through approximately six months of rehabilitation.
