Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Oklahoma State
Lady Raiders Sneak Past Cowgirls
February 21, 2009 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 21, 2009
STILLWATER, Okla. - With a 74-70 victory over Oklahoma State, the Texas Tech women's basketball team's hopes for a NCAA Championship berth are still alive.
In a game that had several lead changes, the Lady Raiders (15-11/5-7) opened the game with an 8-2 advantage the first three and half minutes. Their biggest lead of the first half was seven points, twice, with the last coming on a jumper by Jordan Barncastle at the 12:02 mark to give Tech a 16-9 lead. With just under 10 minutes to go, the Cowgirls (15-10/4-8) took their first lead, 18-16, on a jumper by Andrea Riley. OSU got up by as many as five points over the next six minutes before Tech's Dominic Seals scored the final points of the half as she hit two free throws with 15 seconds left to tie the score at 34-34.
The second half was just at close as the first as the lead changed seven times in the final 20 minutes of play. After the game was tied at 63-63 with 3:43 remaining in the contest, Tech's Maria Moore hit a layup at the 3:30 mark to give the Lady Raiders back the lead. After that layup, Riley was called for a technical foul which sent Jordan Murphree to the line. Murphree hit one of two free throws to put Tech up 66-63. Tegan Cunningham missed a three-point attempt and a free throw before Tech's Maddy Brown responded by nailing a three with 2:23 to go to give the Lady Raiders a six-point lead at 69-63. In the final minute and a half of the game, Tech hit 5-of-10 shots from the charity stripe to clinch the four-point win.
Seals and Murphree led the way for Tech scoring 22 and 20 points, respectively. Seals had her 10th double-double of the season as she added 13 rebounds. Kierra Mallard finished with 11 boards.
Andrea Riley had 29 points to lead Oklahoma State.
OSU outshot the Lady Raiders 38.2 percent to 36.8 percent. The Cowgirls also outrebounded Tech by four, 47-43.
The Lady Raiders shot a season-high 38 free throws, connecting on 27 of them (71.1 percent).
Tech now travels to Waco, Texas, to play No. 5 Baylor on Wed., Feb. 25, at 7 p.m.
