Texas Tech University Athletics
GAME PREVIEW: No. 13 Texas Tech vs CSU Bakersfield
December 29, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2011
SURF N SLAM CLASSIC - GAME 1
WHO: No. 13/18 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (10-0) at CSU Bakersfield (3-13)
WHEN: 9 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011
WHERE: Jenny Craig Pavilion, San Diego, Calif.
RADIO: Texas Tech Sports Network, 97.3 FM (Lubbock)
PLAY-BY-PLAY: Steve Strain
TEXAS TECH LADY RAIDERS (10-0)
The Lady Raiders (No. 13 Associated Press Poll/No. 18 USA Today/Coaches Poll) matched its highest ranking in both polls on Monday when they moved up two spots to No. 13 in The Associated Press Poll. That's the highest ranking since Tech began the 2005-06 season at No. 13. Tech extended its non-conference winning streak to 15 games and non-conference win streak at home to 40 games with a 75-38 win over Western Kentucky on Dec. 21. Senior forward Kierra Mallard leads the Lady Raiders with 13.9 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game this season, posting fur double-doubles - the last coming against Illinois on Dec. 17.
Tech is facing CSU Bakersfield for the first time in school history and it is also the first time for head coach Kristy Curry to face the Roadrunners.
TEXAS TECH PROBABLE STARTERS
NO. NAME HT P YR STATS
23 Monique Smalls 5-6 G JR 7.8 pts/game
15 Casey Morris 5-9 G JR 10.9 pts/game
5 Christine Hyde 5-10 G JR 9.6 pts/game
41 Kelsi Baker 6-0 F SO 8.7 pts/game
20 Kierra Mallard 6-3 F SR 13.9 pts/game
CSU BAKERSFIELD ROADRUNNERS (3-13)
The Roadrunners enter the tournament with a 3-13 record and are looking to try and improve on a 1-1 record against San Diego while playing Texas Tech for the first time in school history. The Roadrunners have been decimated by injuries this season and now have just seven active players on its roster. The Roadrunners entered the season with 12 players on the roster. Two; Jana Smith and Tyler Collins suffered ACL tears in the preseason and will apply for a medical redshirt. Tyonna Outland tore the ACL in her left knee in practice during the week of Nov. 28 and is out for the season.
Dajy Vines was lost to a right knee injury during the Pacific game Nov. 22. Vines is expected to return to the lineup after the new year. Marilyn Naderhoff has battled a right knee injury and has sat out four of the past five games.
As a result of the small roster, CSUB added Tika Smith (R-Jr., Sweetwater, Texas, Sweetwater HS) to the roster., Smith a volleyball player for the Roadrunners, was an All-County basketball selection as a prep player at Sweetwater High School. In Smith's first game since her junior year of high school, the 5-9 forward scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Fresno State Dec. 15.
CSU BAKERSFIELD PROBABLE STARTERS
NO. NAME HT P YR STATS
3 Amber Williams 5-7 G JR 14.5 pts/game
21 Kristine Herman 5-11 G R-FR 13.3 pts/game
24 Madison McKenney 5-6 G SO 5.9 pts/game
11 Brooklyn Hinkens 5-5 G FR 5.5 pts/game
31 Lauren Carter 6-1 F R-JR 12.7 pts/game
NOTES
STARTS THIS SEASON: Monique Smalls (10), Christine Hyde (10), Casey Morris (10), Kierra Mallard (10), Kelsi Baker (8), Shauntal Nobles (2).
WIN, WIN, WIN
Texas Tech has a 40-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents following its 75-58 win over Western Kentucky last week. Tech has not lost a non-conference game at home since Dec. 4, 2007. The Lady Raiders are currently on a 10-game home winning streak overall, dating back to Feb. 16.
Texas Tech has an 10-game active win streak which is tied for fifth nationally as the longest active win streak. The Lady Raiders have not lost at home since Feb. 5, giving them a 10-game winning streak at United Spirit Arena.
IN ATTENDANCE
The Texas Tech - Penn State game on Dec. 3 was the 11th-highest attended game this season for all NCAA Division I women's basketball games. There were 8,932 fans that packed United Spirit Arena to watch Tech beat Penn State, 70-66.
UNDEFEATED
Texas Tech is only one of three undefeated teams in the Big 12 (Baylor, Oklahoma State) and only one of nine teams nationally.
RECORD NIGHT
Junior guard Casey Morris scored a career-high 24 points and had a career-high six 3-pointers to lead Texas Tech on Wednesday night. Morris beat her previous high of 23 points in last season's loss against Texas A&M on Feb. 5, She hit five 3-pointers twice last season at home against Sam Houston State (Nov. 28, 2010) and Oklahoma State (Feb. 26). She's set five career-highs this season for points, 3-pointers, rebounds, assists and steals.
800 AND COUNTING
Texas Tech won its 800th game on Nov. 26, 2011 with a 76-43 win over Central Arkansas. With the win, Tech became only the 15th NCAA women's basketball program to win at least 800 games in program history.
All-Time Winningest Programs (By Wins, Updated Dec. 28)
Rank Team First Season Wins Losses
1. Tennessee 1903 1,171 259
2. Louisiana Tech 1975 1,007 219
3. Old Dominion 1970 932 334
4. James Madison 1921 913 490
5. Stephen F. Austin 1969 913 377
6. Texas 1977 876 297
7. Ohio St. 1966 873 363
8. Tennessee Tech 1971 841 422
9. Stanford 1977 840 276
10. Georgia 1974 820 346
11. Penn St 1965 815 375
12. Kansas St 1969 811 481
13. Connecticut 1983 807 181
14. Texas Tech 1975 806 373
14. Long Beach St 1964 806 461
16. Auburn 1972 803 365
COACHING WINS
Kristy Curry is also now two wins away from her 100th win at Texas Tech, second only to hall of fame coach Marsha Sharp. Here is how the all-time wins at Texas Tech break down by each head coach and era:
YEARS COACH RECORD
2006-now Kristy Curry 98-73
1982-2006 Marsha Sharp 572-175
1980-1982 Donna Wick 30-29
1977-1980 Gay Benson 73-47
1975-77 Susie Lynch 33-35
806-373
FIRST TO 10
Texas Tech head coach Kristy Curry is 10-0 for the first time in her 13 years as a head coach. Tech is off to its best start since the 2004-05 season when the Lady Raiders got off to a 15-0 start.
RECORD NIGHT
Texas Tech shot a season-best 53.3 percent from the field (24 of 45) and eight or more 3-pointers for the fourth time this season (8 at Houston, 9 vs. Penn State, 10 vs. Texas-Arlington).
DEFENSE HOLDS DOWN WKU
Texas Tech held Western Kentucky to just 22 percent shooting on the floor (13 of 59) - the lowest field goal percentage by a Tech opponent this season. The 13 field goals ties an opponent low for 2011 (Central Arkansas). The 38 points scored are also the lowest by a Tech opponent.
NATIONAL LEADER
Texas Tech junior point guard Monique Smalls had a career-high 11 assists on Dec. 7 against UTA. She also did not have a turnover for the third-consecutive game. Smalls is currently leading the country with a 5.88-to-1 assist to turnover ratio, totaling 50 assists and only nine turnovers.
SWIPING CLEAN
Texas Tech leads the Big 12 Conference and is No. 4 nationally with 15.8 steals per game this season. The Lady Raiders have 18 or more steals against four opponents this season (UTA, Texas State, UMKC and New Mexico).
SCORING BIG
Texas Tech is second in the Big 12 in scoring margin (27.9) and sixth overall in the country. The Lady Raiders are also second in conference in scoring with 81.6 points per game, 8th nationally.
OFF THE BOARDS
The Lady Raiders lead the Big 12 Conference in offensive rebounds with 20.1 per gmae and are second in the conference in rebounding defense (33.1) and are third in rebounding offense (47.9). They also are second in the conference in rebounding margin (+14.8) which is also fifth-best among all NCAA Division I teams. Kierra Mallard (3.6 offensive rebs/game), Shauntal Nobles (3.5) and Kelsi Baker (2.8) are in the Top 15 in the Big 12 for offensive rebounds per game.
