Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Face Missouri In Big 12 Quarterfinals
March 07, 2006 | Women's Basketball
March 7, 2006
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Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship • Quarterfinals
Texas Tech (15-13/9-7) vs. Missouri (20-8/10-6)
March 8, 2006 • Reunion Arena (16,500) • Dallas, Texas • 2:30 p.m. • FSN
The Game
No. 5 seed Texas Tech (14-13/9-7) takes on No. 4 seed Missouri (20-8/10-6) in the quarterfinals of the 2006 Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship on Wed., March 8, at 2:30 p.m. at Reunion Arena in Dallas. The winner of the game will advance to the semifinals to play either No. 1 seed Oklahoma or No. 9 seed Iowa State on Thurs., March 9, at 6 p.m.
On the Air
The game is being televised on FSN with play-by-play by Bill Land 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 15-13 on the year after beating Oklahoma State, 61-42, in the first round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Tuesday. On the year, senior LaToya Davis leads the team in scoring at 19.1 points per game followed by junior Alesha Robertson at 12.4 and senior Erin Grant at 11.9. Davis is also the top rebounder, grabbing 10.8 boards per outing, while Robertson is averaging 6.8 rebounds. Davis is shooting a team-high 59.7 percent from the field and Grant is shooting 37.5 percent from behind the three-point arc and 79.1 percent from the free throw line. Grant has team highs of 174 assists and Davis leads the team in steals with 30. Sophomore Erin Myrick is the top shot blocker with 24 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 41.4 percent from the field, 32.9 percent from three-point range and 65.5 percent from the charity stripe.
Scouting the Opponent
Missouri, who owns a 20-8 overall record, is playing its first game of the Big 12 Championship after receiving a first-round bye by finishing fourth during conference regular-season play with a 10-6 record.
On the year, senior LaToya Bond paces the Tigers in scoring with a 17.5 record followed by senior Christelle N'Garsanet at 13.8 and junior Carla Savant at 10.3. N'Garsanet is the top rebounder, as she is averaging 8.9 rebounds per contest. Bond has team highs of 88 assists and 57 steals. N'Garsanet is the top shot blocker with 35 blocks. Missouri is shooting 42.8 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from the three-point arc and 63.4 percent from the free throw line.
Cindy Stein is in her eighth year at the helm of the Tigers establishing a record of 132-105. She is in her 11th year as a head coach with a career record of 197-130.
Series Record
It is the 13th meeting between Texas Tech and Missouri with the Lady Raiders holding a 9-3 advantage. The Tigers were victorious earlier this year, 65-51, Jan. 28, in Columbia. Prior to that, Tech had won the last four games, including a 75-45 victory in Lubbock on Jan. 26, 2005. Tech is 1-0 against Missouri in the Big 12 Championship, winning the only contest, 78-51, in first round March 5, 2002 in Kansas City, Mo.
Last Time vs. Missouri
Jan. 28, 2006 (AP) - Christelle N'Garsanet scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Missouri beat Texas Tech 65-51 on Saturday.
N'Garsanet also had a game-high four assists for Missouri, which won its 11th straight home game.
Texas Tech scored nine straight points to take a 20-14 lead, but Carlynn Savant made back-to-back shots as Missouri pulled within 27-25 at halftime.
Missouri scored 11 straight points in the second half, capped by a 3-point shot by Savant, to take a 55-42 lead. The Tigers shot 50 percent from the field in the second half.
LaToya Davis led Texas Tech with 19 points and eight rebounds and Alesha Robertson had 16 points.
Savant finished with 18 points and nine rebounds for Missouri and LaToya Bond scored 16 points.
Last Time Out
(AP) - LaToya Davis had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Patrice Edwards added 11 points off the bench as Texas Tech cruised to a 61-42 victory over Oklahoma State in the first round of the Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship on Tuesday.
Alesha Robertson contributed 10 points and Darrice Griffin had 10 rebounds for Texas Tech.
The fifth-seeded Lady Raiders (15-13) play fourth-seeded Missouri (20-8) in Wednesday's second round.
Whitney Pegram's 12 points led the 6-22 Cowgirls, whose season ends with a 17-game losing streak.
Oklahoma State, which has dropped 24 in a row to Big 12 schools, threatened to set a tournament record for fewest points _ 39 by Iowa State in 1997.
But Taylor Hardeman's 3-pointer with 30 seconds left gave the Cowgirls their final total.
Texas Tech extended the run of coach Marsha Sharp, who has announced she will retire at the end of the season.
The Lady Raiders carried a 26-15 lead into halftime behind Davis' nine points. Oklahoma State, the 12th seed, was 5-for-26 from the field in the first half.
Texas Tech put the game away with an 11-5 run midway through the second half that included three baskets from Edwards, extending the Lady Raiders' lead to 50-31.
Lady Raiders center Erin Myrick had to be helped to the locker room with a knee injury early in the first half and did not return.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will compete in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at Reunion Arena in Dallas March 7-11.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Feb. 27, senior LaToya Davis ranks 10th in field goal percentage at 60.1, 15th in rebounds per game at 10.8 and 24th in scoring at 18.9, and senior Erin Grant ranks 11th in assists per game at 6.3, among all NCAA Division I players.
Senior CLASS Finalists
Senior LaToya Davis was one of 10 student-athletes named as a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, which is presented annually to the nation's senior player of the year. Davis and senior Erin Grant were both named one of 30 finalists in January before the list was trimmed to 10 on March 1. 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. Nationwide voting begins on Monday, March 6 and concludes two weeks later on March 20. Winners are determined by a balloting system that includes college basketball coaches, media and fans. Over 100 coaches and media will receive private ballots. Fans can vote on-line at www.seniorclassaward.com.
Grant Named First Team Academic All-District VI
Senior Erin Grant was named to the CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI first team. Grant was one of six student-athletes to receive this honor for District VI. Grant now advances to the national ballot, which consists of all first team selections from the eight districts, a total of 42 student-athletes this year. In order to be nominated for Academic All-District and All-America honors, a player must be a starter or important reserve, must have a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and must have completed at least one full academic year at her institution.
Davis, Grant All-Big 12 First Team, Robertson Honorable Mention
Senior LaToya Davis and Erin Grant were named All-Big 12 first team by the league coaches, while junior Alesha Robertson was selected honorable mention. Texas Tech was the only school to have more than one player on the 10-member first team squad.
Academic All-Big 12 First Team Honors for Four
Senior Erin Grant, junior Brooke Baughman and sophomores Darrice Griffin and Erin Myrick were named Academic All-Big 12 first team, which was announced by the conference office. Grant is a three-time honoree, while this is the second time for Baughman and the first time for both Griffin and Myrick.
Grant Becomes Big 12 Leader in Career Assists
Senior Erin Grant dished out seven assists at Oklahoma State, which allowed her to become the Big 12 Conference's all-time career leader in assists, which she currently has 835 career assists. Grant broke the old record of 764, set by Oklahoma's Stacey Dales (1998-2002). The 835 assists ranks tied for 14th in NCAA Division I history.
Grant Named Mid-Season Naismith Candidate
Senior Erin Grant was one of 30 women's basketball players named mid-season Naismith Trophy Candidates, which was announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club last week. The Naismith Trophy is presented annually to the National Player of the Year.
Three Join 1,000-Point Club
Senior LaToya Davis reached the 1,000th-career point plateau in the game against Fresno State. Davis currently has 1,302 points in her career, which is 13th on Tech's career scoring list. Junior Alesha Robertson scored 16 points at Missouri to crack the 1,000th-point mark. She currently has 1,144 points in her career, which ranks 16th all-time at Tech. Senior Erin Grant chipped in 10 points at Texas A&M to join the 1,000-point club. Grant has 1,093 career points, which stands 20th all-time.
Sharp's 118 the Best in the Big 12
Head coach Marsha Sharp's 118 Big 12 wins is first among all Big 12 coaches. Sharp finished Big 12 play with a 118-41 record.
Davis Collects 18th Double-Double
Senior LaToya Davis collected her 18th double-double of the year with 15 points and 10 rebounds versus Oklahoma State in the first round of the Big 12 Championship. It marked the 28th double-double of her career.
Edwards Scores Career High
Junior Patrice Edwards came off the bench in the first game of the Big 12 Championship to score a career-high 11 points against Oklahoma State. Edward also added five rebounds in 16 minutes of play. She was 4-for-8 from the field and 3-for-4 from the charity stripe for the night. Edwards' previous career high was nine points against Miami last season.
Griffin Grabs Season-High Boards
Sophomore Darrice Griffin grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds against Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship. She was just two rebounds shy of tying her career high of 12.
Seventeenth Double-Double for Davis
Senior LaToya Davis got her 17th double-double of the season with 27 points and 10 rebounds against Oklahoma in the regular-season finale. It was the 27th double-double of her career.
Myrick Picks Up Second Double-Double
Sophomore Erin Myrick picked up her second double-double of the season and the second of her career with 10 points and 10 rebounds at Texas. Her first double-double came at Texas A&M.
Davis Records Two More Double-Doubles
Senior LaToya Davis registered her 15th and 16th double-doubles of the season as she had 11 points and tied her season-high 15 rebounds at Iowa State, and had 23 points and 10 rebounds at Baylor.
Grant Gets Third Double-Double
Senior Erin Grant picked up her third double-double of the year as she had 19 points and 10 assists at Baylor. It was the fifth time this season she has recorded double-digit assists and the 22nd of her career.
Another 50 Percent Field Goal Effort
The Lady Raiders shot over 50 percent for the second time in three games as they shot 52.2 percent at Baylor (24-for-46). It marked the sixth time this season to shoot 50 percent or better from the field. Tech shot 50 percent against Colorado two games prior to the Baylor game. Tech's season-high field goal percentage is 62.5 percent against Oral Roberts Dec. 15.
Grant and Robertson Put Up Points
Senior Erin Grant and junior Alesha Robertson combined to score 41 of Tech's 65 points at Iowa State. Grant led the Lady Raiders with 21 points and Robertson finished with 20.
Season-High Three-Pointers
Texas Tech hit nine three-pointers at Iowa State marking a season-high performance. In the first half, the Lady Raiders hit 8-of-11 three-pointers. Junior Alesha Robertson tied her season-high four three-pointers and senior Erin Grant tied her career-high three three-pointers against the Cyclones.
Starters Getting the Job Done
The starting five scored all but four points in the Lady Raiders' win over Colorado. Senior LaToya Davis poured in 22 points followed by senior Erin Grant and junior Alesha Robertson with 16 apiece. Sophomore Erin Myrick chipped in 12 points and junior Brooke Baughman had six. Myrick and Davis had nine and eight rebounds, respectively, while Grant and Baughman both tallied six assists. Grant also collected a season-high four steals.
Season-High Blocks for Griffin
Sophomore Darrice Griffin swatted a season-high three blocks against the Buffaloes. Her previous season-high was two at Kansas State.
Another Double-Double for Davis
Senior LaToya Davis collected her 14th double-double of the season with 12 points and 14 rebounds in the win over Oklahoma State (2/8).
Baughman Dishes Out
Junior Brooke Baughman dished out eight assists against the Cowgirls (2/8), just one assist shy of matching her career high of nine assists.
Edwards Ties Career Highs
Junior Patrice Edwards tied her career highs of six rebounds and two steals against Oklahoma State (2/8).
Three Starters Record Double-Doubles
The Lady Raiders had three starters record double-doubles at Texas A&M. Junior Alesha Robertson had 16 points and 11 rebounds, while senior LaToya Davis had 14 points and 10 rebounds and sophomore Erin Myrick finished with 10 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.
Seeing Double
For the second time this season, all five starters scored in double figures for Tech in the win over Texas. Senior LaToya Davis led the way with 23 points followed by junior Alesha Robertson with 21, junior Brooke Baughman with 16, sophomore Erin Myrick with 12 and senior Erin Grant with 10. The Lady Raiders also had all five starters (Davis, Robertson, Myrick, Henderson, Grant) score in double figures against Oral Roberts on Dec. 15.
Baughman Has Big Night
Junior Brooke Baughman had a big night against Texas (2/1) as she poured in a career-high 16 points and hit a career-high four three-pointers in the win.
Robertson Up the Charts
Junior Alesha Robertson ranks sixth in career three-point field goals made (141) and stands seventh in career three-point field goal attempts (384).
Robertson Grabs Career-High Boards
Junior Alesha Robertson grabbed a career-high 13 boards at Oklahoma State. Robertson's previous career high was 11 on three occasions.
First Road Win
Texas Tech got its first road win of the season in a 61-51 victory at Oklahoma State. The other road win came at Texas. Tech's only other win away from Lubbock was a neutral site game against Louisville in the Caribbean Classic in Cancun, Mexico.
Lady Raiders Swat Season High
As a team, Texas Tech swatted a season-high seven blocks at Oklahoma on Wednesday. Junior Alesha Robertson and sophomore Erin Myrick led the way with two blocks apiece, while senior LaToya Davis, senior Erin Grant and sophomore Darrice Griffin each had one block.
First Top 25 Win
Texas Tech's 64-62 win over No. 5/5 Baylor was the first victory against a team ranked in the Top 25 this season. Tech was 0-2 against teams in the Top 25, which included losses to No. 3/3 LSU and No. 15/13 Stanford.
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.
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.
Home Sweet Home
Texas Tech has won 99 of its 110 games it has played at the United Spirit Arena for a .900 winning percentage. In the Sharp era, the Lady Raiders have won 288 of their 333 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).
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 93-35 (.727) mark and 44-20 (.688) in the conference. The junior class posts a record of 64-29 (.688) and 31-17 (.646). The sophomore class is 39-21 (.650) and 21-11 (.656) in the league, while the freshmen are 15-13 (.536) and 9-7 (.563) in the Big 12.
On the Tube
Texas Tech had 17 regular-season games televised this season. Tech appeared on ESPN2 three times: LSU (L, 68-76), at Penn State (L 2OT, 72-78) and at Texas (W, 58-46); and on ESPNU once: Texas (W, 84-63). The Lady Raiders were on FSN six times: Stanford (L, 63-66), (W, 64-62), Nebraska (W, 61-59), at Missouri (L, 51-65), at Texas A&M (L, 48-65) and at Baylor (L, 60-73). Tech played on FSN Midwest at Kansas State (L, 51-53). The Texas Tech Television Network aired the following games: Sac State (W, 63-53), Oral Roberts (W, 99-58), Texas A&M (W, 56-55), Colorado (W, 76-56) and Oklahoma (L, 59-60). Tech's game at Oklahoma (L, 63-57) aired on the Sooner Sports Network and broadcast back to Lubbock. The Lady Raiders will play Missouri on FSN in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship as well.
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.
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.
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.
