Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Host No. 5/5 Baylor on Sunday
January 12, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 12, 2006
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The Game
Texas Tech (6-7/1-1) hosts No. 5/5 Baylor (12-1/2-1) on Sun., Jan. 15, for a 2 p.m. game at the United Spirit Arena. It is the 61st scheduled meeting between the two schools.
On the Air
The game is being televised on FSN with play-by-play by Kevin Eschenfelder and Brenda VanLengen as the color analyst. The game can be heard on the radio on the Texas Tech Sports Network as Ryan Hyatt (play-by-play) and Crystal Boles (color analyst) call the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 6-7 on the year and 1-1 in the Big 12 after beating Texas A&M, 56-55, Jan. 7. On the year, senior LaToya Davis leads the team in scoring at 20.5 points per game followed by senior Erin Grant at 13.6 and junior Alesha Robertson at 10.1. Davis is also the top rebounder, grabbing 10.9 boards per outing, while Robertson is averaging 6.1 rebounds. Davis is shooting a team-high 62.7 percent from the field and Grant is shooting 53.3 percent from behind the three-point arc. Robertson is shooting 82.2 percent from the free throw line. Grant has a team-high 86 assists and Davis leads the team in steals with 18. Sophomore Erin Myrick is the top shot blocker with 15 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 43.2 percent from the field, 29 percent from three-point range and 65.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Scouting the Opponent
Baylor enters the game with a 12-1 overall record and 2-1 in the Big 12 after beating Oklahoma State, 57-26, last Wednesday. In that game, freshman Jessica Morrow scored a team-high 11 points and senior Sophia Young added 10 points. Freshman Rachel Allison had 14 rebounds, while senior Chameka Scott tallied six steals and senior Jordan Davis dished out four assists.
On the year, Young paces the Lady Bears in scoring with a 21.2 average followed by sophomore Angela Tisdale at 13.8 and junior Abiola Wabara at 10.2. Young is the top rebounder as she is averaging 10.5 rebounds per contest. Tisdale leads the team in assists with 63 and Scott has a team-high 24 steals. Wabara is the top shot blocker with 18 blocks. Baylor is shooting 45.2 percent from the field, 31.4 percent from three-point range and 66.1 percent from the free throw line.
Kim Mulkey-Robertson is in her sixth year at the helm of the Lady Bears establishing a career record of 143-39.
Series Record
Texas Tech is 45-15 against Baylor (including a forfeit by Baylor in 1989). Baylor was victorious all three times last year, 52-49, Feb. 5, in Lubbock; 79-69, March 3, in Waco; and 58-57, March 10, in the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Mo. Tech won both regular-season meetings in 2004: 64-63, in Lubbock Jan. 17 and 62-59, in Waco Feb. 8. The Lady Bears were victorious in the third game that year, 80-72, in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament at Reunion Arena in Dallas. The Lady Raiders are 24-3 against Baylor in Lubbock, which includes the forfeit by Baylor in 1989.
Last Time vs. Baylor
March 10, 2005 (AP) - Chelsea Whitaker's layup with 2.1 seconds to go to lifted top-seeded Baylor over Texas Tech 58-57 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, 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, 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.
Last Time Out
(AP) - LaToya Davis notched her eighth double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Texas Tech held on for a 56-55 win over Texas A&M on Saturday night.
The loss snapped a 10-game win streak for the Aggies, the second longest in school history.
Tech lead by as much as 11 points midway in the second half before the Aggies used a 8-2 run to pull within 54-52 with 2:38 remaining.
Alesha Robertson sealed the win with two free throws with 5.8 seconds remaining to put the Lady Raiders (6-7, 1-1 Big 12) up 56-52. A'Quonesia Franklin hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer that left the Aggies one point shy of pushing it into overtime.
The win for Tech wasn't always pretty. Tech had a season-high 22 turnovers and A&M (12-3, 1-1) took advantage, scoring 17 points off of them. The Aggies took the ball away from Tech another 13 times.
The difference came at the free throw line, where Tech was perfect _ 13-of-13 _ until Davis missed one with 2:22 remaining. The Lady Raiders finished 15 of 18.
Erin Grant scored 13 points and LaVonda Henderson added nine for Tech, which hasn't started a season 6-7 since the 1987-88 season.
Takia Starks scored 14 points, and Danielle Gant and Morenike Atunrase each added nine.
The loss was the 25th straight for the Aggies in Lubbock.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech travels to Oklahoma Jan. 18 for a 7 p.m. contest. The game will be televised on the Sooner Sports Network and will air locally in Lubbock on UPN. Tech returns home to host Nebraska on Jan. 21 at 5 p.m. on FSN and will play at Oklahoma State Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. The Lady Raiders play at Missouri Jan. 28 on FSN at 1 p.m.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Jan. 9, Texas Tech ranks eighth in turnovers per game at 13.5, among all NCAA Division I teams. Senior LaToya Davis ranks ninth in field goal percentage at 62.7, 10th in rebounds per game at 10.9 and 13th in points per game at 20.5 and senior Erin Grant ranks ninth in assists per game at 6.6, among all NCAA Division I players.
Senior CLASS Finalists
Seniors LaToya Davis and Erin Grant have been named two of the 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 10 finalists in February.
Grant Closing in on Big 12 Record
Senior Erin Grant holds the Texas Tech career assists record with 747 assists. Grant's 747 assists are second all-time in the Big 12 Conference. Standing in first is Stacey Dales (Oklahoma 1998-02) with 764 assists. Grant averaged 220.3 assists per year in her first three seasons.
Robertson on the Move
Junior Alesha Robertson has 929 career points and is looking to crack the 1,000-point mark this season. Robertson stands seventh all-time in three-point field goal attempts (305) and ninth in three-point field goals made (111).
Eighth Double-Double for Davis
Senior LaToya Davis collected her eighth double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Texas A&M Jan. 7. It was her 18th double-double of her career.
Season-High Boards for Davis
Senior LaToya Davis grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds at Kansas State just one rebound shy of her career-high 16. Davis has recorded nine games of 10 or more rebounds this season.
Davis Gets Seventh Double-Double of Year
Senior LaToya Davis turned in her seventh double-double of the season with 27 points and 11 rebounds against Fresno State.
Robertson Registers First Double-Double of 05-06
Junior Alesha Robertson had her first double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds against Fresno State. The 11 rebounds tied her career high.
Davis Reaches 1,000-Point Plateau
Senior LaToya Davis reached the 1,000th-career point plateau in the game against Fresno State. Davis currently has 1,034 points in her career, which ranks 22nd on Tech's career scoring list.
More Double-Doubles for Davis
Senior LaToya Davis registered her fifth and sixth double-doubles of the season as she had 24 points and 13 rebounds against Louisville, and 16 points and 12 rebounds versus Virginia Tech in the Caribbean Classic. In the Caribbean Classic, Davis averaged 20 points and 12.5 rebounds, both tournament highs.
Davis Named Big 12 Player of the Week
Senior LaToya Davis was named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Dec. 19 for her performance the week of Dec. 12-18. Davis poured in a career-high 33 points in Texas Tech's 99-58 win over Oral Roberts in the Lady Raiders' lone contest that week. Davis scored 25 of her points in the first half. The Houston, Texas, native shot 81.3 percent from the field, hitting 13-of-16 shots. Davis was also 7-of-10 from the free throw line for 70 percent. She added eight rebounds and a steal in the 41-point victory in 25 minutes of action.
Myrick Putting Up Points
Sophomore Erin Myrick has scored in double figures in three-straight games, including a career-high 17 points against Oral Roberts. Myrick scored 16 points against Louisville and 14 points versus Virginia Tech.
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 Dec. 15.
Davis Keeps on Going
Senior LaToya Davis scored a career-high 33 points in just 25 minutes of play against 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 against Oral Roberts 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.
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 has 747 career assists.
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.
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.
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.
Home Sweet Home
Texas Tech has won 93 of its 103 games it has played at the United Spirit Arena for a .903 winning percentage. In the Sharp era, the Lady Raiders have won 282 of their 326 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
Entering the 2006 Big 12 season, Texas Tech head coach Marsha Sharp had 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 84-29 (.743) mark and 36-14 (.720) in the conference. The junior class posts a record of 55-23 (.705) and 23-11 (.676). The sophomore class is 30-15 (.667) and 13-5 (.722) in the league, while the freshmen are 6-7 (.462) and 1-1 (.500) in the Big 12.
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.
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 played on FSN Midwest at Kansas State (L, 51-53). The Texas Tech Television Network will air the following games: Sac State (W, 63-53), Oral Roberts (W, 99-58), Texas A&M (W, 56-55), 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.
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 is redshirting this season after having surgery to her left knee on Nov. 10 to repair a torn ACL and meniscus.
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 is held each Monday starting from 6-7 p.m. at the southend meeting rooms at the United Spirit Arena. The show will air on KFYO-AM 790 and KKCL-FM 98.1 locally.
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.
