Texas Tech University Athletics
Game Preview: No. 17 Texas Tech at Iowa State
January 21, 2012 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 21, 2012
No. 17/20 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (14-3, 2-3) at Iowa State Cyclones (9-7, 0-5)
When: 1:30 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012
Where: Hilton Coliseum (14.356), Ames, Iowa
TV: FOX Sports Net, (Suddenlink 20/120 - Lubbock)
Play-by-Play: Brenda VanLengen
Analyst: Cindy Stein
Radio: Texas Tech Sports Network, 97.3 FM (Lubbock)
Play-by-play: Steve Strain
TEXAS TECH LADY RAIDERS (14-3, 2-3 Big 12)
Coach: Kristy Curry
Overall: 281-127 (13)
at Tech: 102-76 (6)
vs. Iowa State: 1-4
NO. NAME HT P YR STATS
23 Monique Smalls 5-6 G JR 7.9 pts/game
15 Casey Morris 5-9 G JR 9.9 pts/game
5 Christine Hyde 5-10 G JR 8.9 pts/game
41 Kelsi Baker 6-0 F SO 7.3 pts/game
20 Kierra Mallard 6-3 F SR 14.0 pts/game
IOWA STATE CYCLONES (9-7, 0-5)
Coach: Bill Fennelly
Overall: 529-220 (24)
at ISU: 363-167 (17)
vs. Tech: 9-9
NO. NAME HT P YR STATS
4 Nikki Moody 5-8 G FR 9.3 pts/game
10 Lauren Mansfield 5-7 G SR 5.6 pts/game
22 Brynn Williamson 5-11 G/F FR 7.6 pts/game
33 Chelsea Poppens 6-2 F JR 13.7 pts/game
55 Anna Prins 6-7 C JR 7.9 pts/game
TEXAS TECH - IOWA STATE SERIES
This will be the 19th meeting between the two programs with the all-time series tied at 9-9. Texas Tech won last year's only meeting between the two teams, 61-50 in Lubbock. Tech is 1-6 in Ames with its only win coming in 2002 (78-66). Texas Tech is looking for its second road win in Big 12 Conference play. The Lady Raiders beat Missouri, 69-63 on Jan. 7.
GETTING STARTED
Texas Tech became confortable with its starting lineup after just the first two games of the season. Sophomore Shauntal Nobles started the first two games against New Mexico and at Houston before sophomore Kelsi Baker slid into that role and remains there after 15 starts. Nobles has not disappeared, receiving valuable minutes off the bench.
STARTS THIS SEASON: Monique Smalls (17), Christine Hyde (17), Casey Morris (17), Kierra Mallard (17), Kelsi Baker (15), Shauntal Nobles (2).
LAST TIME OUT
NO. 1 BAYLOR 72, NO. 17 TEXAS TECH 64
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Brittney Griner scored 21 points to lead No. 1 Baylor over Texas Tech 72-64 on Wednesday.
Texas Tech cut the lead to 69-63 when Monique Smalls stole the ball from Odyssey Sims in the backcourt and made a layup with 1:12 remaining.
But Griner, who finished 7 of 16 from the field with eight blocks, hit a short jumper from the left side to put the Lady Bears back up by eight 71-63 and seal the win.
Baylor worked the ball inside to the 6-foot-8 Griner, who was able to pass the ball out or work her way in for easy layups.
Destiny Williams scored 16 points and got a career-high 16 rebounds for Baylor.
Christine Hyde scored 15 points to lead the Lady Raiders (14-3, 2-3), who dropped their third straight conference game.
R-WORD CAMPAIGN
Texas Tech, the Big 12 Conference and Special Olympics are teaming up this week to encourage fans to end the use of the word "retarded." Help us Spread the Word to End the Word by visiting R-word.org and digitally pledging to eliminate using the R-word.
SWIPING CLEAN
Texas Tech leads the Big 12 Conference and is No. 12 nationally with 12.9 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 Conference in scoring margin (18.0) and 14th overall in the country. The Lady Raiders are also third in conference in scoring with 74.6 points per game - 22nd nationally.
OFF THE BOARDS
The Lady Raiders are second the Big 12 Conference in offensive rebounds with 18.1 per game and are third in the conference in rebounding offense (44.3%) and fourth in rebounding defense (34.9%). They are also second in the conference in rebounding margin (+9.4) which is also 13th-best among all NCAA Division I teams.
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 3.86 assist-to-turnover ratio, totaling 81 assists and only 21 turnovers.
MALLARD CLIMBS RECORD BOOK
Senior forward Kierra Mallard has 20 blocks in her last seven games. She is now second all-time at Texas Tech with 196 blocks. Mallard passed Crystal Boles (191) and is behind all-time leader Cisti Greenwalt who had 300 blocks in her Lady Raider career. Mallard had a season-high five blocks in Texas Tech's 58-53 win over Oklahoma State on Jan. 4.
HYDE HIGH
Junior guard Christine Hyde scored a career-high 21 points on Wednesday night in the loss to Oklahoma. Hyde scored 16 of her 21 in the second half, hitting 6 of 10 from the field. She's the fourth player to score more than 20 points in a game this year (Morris 24, Mallard 22, Brown 21).
WIN STREAK SNAPPED
Texas Tech ended its winning streak at 14 games with a 71-68 loss to Oklahoma. The Lady Raiders 14-0 start prior to the loss is the second-best start in program history, second only to the 2003-04 squad that started that season 15-0. The 14-0 start is also the best for any team under Kristy Curry in her 13 years of coaching.
IN THE RANKS
Texas Tech matched its highest Associated Press Poll and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll rankings in six years with a No. 10 ranking in The AP Poll and No. 14 in the Coaches Poll on Jan. 9. Tech has been ranked for nine consecutive weeks now in The AP Poll and seven weeks in the Coaches Poll.
