Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Idaho State
Lady Raiders Slide By Bengals
November 21, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2010
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery 
Idaho State Postgame Press Conference
LUBBOCK, Texas - Despite its lowest shooting percentage since the 2008-09 season, the Texas Tech women's basketball team pulled through to get a 64-52 win over Idaho State Sunday afternoon at the United Spirit Arena.
Tech (3-0) got its first points on a pair of free throws by Monique Smalls at the 16:03 mark and didn't hit its first bucket until 15:48 when Kierra Mallard made a layup. The Lady Raiders made just two field goals in the first six minutes of the game.
The game was tied at 7-7 at 13:29 and then Tech scored back-to-back buckets as Chynna Brown made a layup, and on Idaho State's (2-2) next possession Smalls got a steal and scored the easy layup to put Tech up 11-7. The Bengals responded by scoring the next two baskets to tie the game at 11-11 with 9:47 to go.
Idaho State took back the lead with just under four minutes to play as Chelsea Pickering nailed a three to give the Bengals a 21-20 advantage. Tech answered that with two-straight layups by Jordan Barncastle and Marissa Ashton to put Tech back on top 24-21 with 3:14 remaining in the period.
Tech went up by five at 28-23 with 56 seconds left as Mallard connected on two free throws. Teena Wickett then made one of two free throws to put the Lady Raiders up by six, their largest lead of the half, with 30 seconds to go.
Tech led 29-23 at the half.
The Lady Raiders opened the second half scoring eight points in the first three minutes, including Casey Morris' back-to-back three-pointers to give Tech a 37-25 lead.
Tech opened the half on a 10-2 run before Idaho State went on its own run starting at the 14:28 mark, scoring eight-straight points to cut the Lady Raider's lead to 39-34 with 10:40 to go. Tech was held scoreless for six minutes until Mary Bokenkamp nailed a three-pointer with 10:14 remaining to give the Lady Raiders a 42-34 lead. The Bengals hit their own three just seconds later to close the gap to five again and Bokenkamp drilled another three with eight and a half minutes to go to put Tech up 45-37.
The Lady Raiders took back a double-digit lead with just over four and a half minutes to go starting with a three-pointer by Bokenkamp and then a pair of free throws by Smalls to give Tech a 50-39 advantage. Bokenkamp hit her fourth three-pointer with 4:11 for a 14-point lead, 53-39.
The Lady Raiders largest lead of the game was 15 points which occurred twice - first at 61-46 with 54 seconds to go on two free throws by Wickett and then the last time with 30 seconds on the clock on a layup by Wickett, 63-48.
Bokenkamp led Tech with a career-high 15 points as she hit a career-high five three-pointers. Morris finished with 12 points and Smalls added 10. Wickett had her second-straight game of double-figure rebounds with 11.
Pickering had 15 points for Idaho State.
The Bengals shot 37.7 percent from the field (20-53), while Tech shot just 28.4 percent (19-67). It was Tech's lowest shooting percentage since shooting 27.6 percent (16-58) versus Iowa State on Feb. 28, 2009. Tech outrebounded Idaho State 47-39.
Tech has a quick turnaround as it hosts Mississippi Valley State on Tues., Nov. 23, at 5:30 p.m. The game will be followed by the men's game versus Georgia Southern.
