Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Take On Texas-Arlington In NCAA First Round
March 14, 2005 | Women's Basketball
March 14, 2005
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NCAA Championship
Philadelphia Region • First Round
No. 4 Seed #14/14 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (22-7/12-4 Big 12)
vs.
No. 13 Seed Texas-Arlington Lady Mavs (21-9/13-3 Southland)
March 19, 2005 • Dallas, Texas • 8:30 p.m.
Television - ESPN2/ESPNU
Reunion Arena (16,500)
The Game
No. 14/14 Texas Tech is the No. 4 seed in the Philadelphia Region and will face No. 13 seed Texas-Arlington in the first round of the NCAA Championship at Reunion Arena in Dallas on Sat., March 19 at approximately 8:30 p.m.
On the Air
The game is being televised on ESPN2 and ESPNU as Ron Franklin (play-by-play) and Nancy Lieberman (color analyst) call the game. Holly Rowe will be the sideline reporter. 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 22-7 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 13.1. Junior Chesley Dabbs is at 12.4, sophomore Alesha Robertson is at 12.3 and junior LaToya Davis is at 12.0 points a game. Davis is shooting a team and Big 12-high 60.4 percent from the field. Robertson is shooting 37 percent from behind the arc and a Big 12-high 86.1 percent from the free throw line. Greenwalt is the top rebounder, grabbing 9.0 boards per outing. Junior Erin Grant has team highs of 193 assists and 38 steals and leads the Big 12 in assists per game at 6.89 and assist/turnover ratio at 3.57. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 95 blocks and leads the conference in blocks per game at 3.28. Texas Tech is shooting 45.5 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from three-point range and 70.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Scouting the Opponent
Texas-Arlington enters the NCAA Championship with a 21-9 overall record and tied for the Southland Conference regular-season title with a 13-3 record. The Lady Mavs got an automatic bid in the championship after winning the Southland Conference Tournament.
On the year, senior Rola Ogunoye paces the Lady Mavs in scoring with a 14.7 average followed by sophomore Terra Wallace at 13.9. Ogunoye is also the top rebounder, averaging 7.0 boards per contest. Senior Krystal Buchanan has a team-high 118 assists and Wallace leads the team in steals with 61. Ogunoye is the top shot blocker with 30 blocks. UTA is shooting 38.1 percent from the field, 33.4 percent from three-point range and 70.1 percent from the free throw line.
Donna Capps is in her fifth year at the helm of the Lady Mavs with a career record of 75-70.
Series Record
It is the ninth meeting between Texas Tech and Texas-Arlington with the Lady Raiders holding a 6-2 advantage over the Lady Mavs. One of Tech's losses was originally a win but later had to be forfeited (12/5/78). UTA's only on court win came Dec. 17, 1975, in an 82-65 victory, which was the first game of the series. Tech has been victorious every game since then. The last time the two teams met was Nov. 20, 2000, in Lubbock with the Lady Raiders winning 78-40.
Common Opponents
Texas Tech and Texas-Arlington had three common opponents during the 2004-05 season. Both teams played Arkansas-Little Rock, Texas and Kansas. Texas Tech beat UALR, 69-29, Dec. 2 in Lubbock, while UTA won 76-59, Nov. 19, in Little Rock. The Lady Mavs fell to Texas, 69-24, Dec. 21, and the Lady Raiders split with Texas during conference play, winning 79-62 Jan. 12 in Lubbock, and losing 64-43 Feb. 13, in Austin. Both teams beat Kansas in Lawrence as Tech won, 66-53, Feb. 16, and UTA was victorious, 53-49, Nov. 21.
Texas Tech in the NCAA Championship
Texas Tech is making its 18th appearance in the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship and its 16th-consecutive bid into the event. The Lady Raiders have advanced to the Sweet 16 10 times, the Elite Eight four times, the Final Four once and won the National Championship in 1993.
Last Time Out
(AP) - Chelsea Whitaker's layup with 2.1 seconds to go to lifted top-seeded Baylor over Texas Tech 58-57 Thursday night in the semifinals of the Big 12 tournament.
After Alesha Robertson gave the Lady Raiders a 57-53 lead with just over 1 minute to go, Steffanie Blackmon hit a foul shot and then snuck in a put-back to draw within 57-56 with 16.5 seconds to go.
A foul sent Tech's Darrice Griffin to the free-throw line, but she missed the front end of a one-and-one and Baylor got the rebound. After calling a timeout, Whitaker got the inbounds pass and slashed through the lane for the game-winner.
Sophia Young had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead Baylor (26-3), which awaits either Kansas State or Texas in Saturday night's championship game. Blackmon finished with 15 points and Whitaker added 12.
LaToya Davis scored 18 points for Texas Tech (23-6), which lost to Baylor for the third time this season. It's also the third time in the last four years Baylor has knocked Tech out of the Big 12 tournament.
Darrice Griffin added 11 points and Chesley Dabbs 10 for the Lady Raiders. Cisti Greenwalt, Texas Tech's leading scorer, picked up her third personal foul midway through the first half and never got out of foul trouble, finishing with just three points.
But Davis picked up the slack inside, scoring 10 of the Lady Raiders' final 12 points - including a putback with 2 seconds to go - to take a 33-30 lead into the break.
The Lady Raiders led by as many as eight with under five minutes to go before Baylor outscored them 9-2 down the stretch.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will co-host NCAA First and Second Rounds at Reunion Arena in Dallas with Texas March 19 and 21.
NCAA Stats
As of games through March 14, Texas Tech ranks second in blocked shots per game at 7.4, fourth in field goal percentage defense at 34.3, sixth in turnovers per game 13.6, ninth in assists per game at 17.4, 10th in scoring margin at 17.6, 16th in scoring defense at 54.3, 20th in field goal percentage at 45.5, 23rd in rebound margin at 6.3, 24th in scoring offense at 71.9 and 26th in personal fouls per game at 14.4, among all NCAA Division I teams. Junior Erin Grant ranks third in assists per game at 6.9 and senior Cisti Greenwalt ranks 10th in blocked shots per game at 3.3, among all NCAA Division I players.
Another 20-Win Season
Texas Tech is 22-7, 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.
Griffin Ties Career Highs
Freshman Darrice Griffin tied her career-high 11 points in Tech's loss in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament to Baylor March 10. Griffin had scored 11 points earlier in the year against Idaho State.
Season-High Boards for Dabbs
Junior Chesley Dabbs grabbed a season-high nine rebounds against the Lady Bears in the Big 12 Tournament semis. Dabbs recorded a previous season high of eight rebounds versus Virginia Tech back in December. Her career high is 11 against Colorado last year.
Robertson Matches High Assists
Sophomore Alesha Robertson matched her career-high four assists against Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals. Robertson has dished out four assists five times in her career, including three occasions this season.
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 20 games, respectively, this season. Greenwalt has played in all 29 games, while Davis has seen action in 28, missing one game with an injured knee. Both have scored in double digits in six of the last seven games. Greenwalt leads the team in scoring at 13.1, while Davis is fourth at 12.0.
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 6.9 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 636 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 1,067 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 3-6 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), at No. 7/8 Baylor (79-69, Mar. 3) and vs. No. 6/6 Baylor (58-57, March 10).
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 96-33 (.744) and 43-21 (.672) in the Big 12. The juniors post a 76-21 (.784) mark and 35-13 (.729) in the conference. The sophomore class is 47-15 (.758) and 22-10 (.688) in the league, while the freshmen are 22-7 (.759) 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 two games on FSN - Iowa State (W, 61-59) and Baylor (L, 59-58)
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 250 weeks. That includes the March 14 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 636, 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. Sophomore Patrice Edwards suffered an ACL injury to her right knee prior to the Big 12 Tournament and will be out the rest of the year. She will undergo surgery after the season.
