Texas Tech University Athletics
WNIT First Round Preview: Eastern Illinois at Texas Tech
March 15, 2012 | Women's Basketball
Texas Tech takes on Eastern Illinois in the opening round of the WNIT.
March 15, 2012
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech head coach Kristy Curry said she knows her team is capable of winning a championship this season.
And now the Lady Raiders will have one final crack at it when they begin their quest for a WNIT title in their first round bout with Eastern Illinois.
"This is a great opportunity for us," Curry said. "It's a chance for us to finish the month of March in a great way and play some games at home."
Tech makes its third consecutive postseason and fourth in five years. The Lady Raiders first appeared in the WNIT in 2008, then again in 2010 before their first trip back to the NCAA Tournament in six years last season.
Although the goal was to make the NCAA Tournament again and try to win the school's second national title, Tech senior forward Jordan Barncastle said there's no let down around the team.
"We've kind of dictated how we want to play this postseason by the way we've come out in practice this week," she said. "Intensity has been great, attitude has been great and we're just ready to take the next opportunity that we have."
The opportunity to play in a postseason tournament means the chance to win more games and gain momentum heading into next season. Barnacastle and Kierra Mallard are the only two seniors leaving the team with four talented freshmen coming to campus in the fall, including Minta Spears - one of the top five scorers in the country, averaging 33.7 points per game.
Tech's last trip to the WNIT ended with some snowy weather and a long bus ride back to Lubbock from Laramie, Wyoming following a 68-57 loss in overtime to Wyoming.
Junior guard Casey Morris, who was not on the ride back because she was sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules, said she doesn't plan on having that same feeling.
"I know how they felt and I don't want to feel the same way," Morris said. "We just want to win and keep on winning and do the best that we can. We plan on winning until we have a championship."
2012 Women's National Invitation Tournament
First Round
Eastern Illinois Panthers (22-8) at Texas Tech Lady Raiders (19-13)
When: 7 p.m., Thursday, March 15, 2012
Where: United Spirit Arena, Lubbock, Texas (15,098)
TV: None
Online: TexasTech.com/allaccess
Radio: Texas Tech Sports Network, 97.3 FM (Lubbock)
Play-by-Play: Steve Strain
Analyst: Crystal Boles
TEXAS TECH LADY RAIDERS (19-13, 6-12 BIG 12)
Coach: Kristy Curry
Overall: 286-137 (13)
at Tech: 107-86 (6)
vs. EIU: 1-0
at WNIT: 2-2
NO. NAME HT YR STATS
23 Monique Smalls 5-6 G JR 8.7 pts/game
15 Casey Morris 5-9 G JR 9.8 pts/game
00 Chynna Brown 5-8 G JR 8.7 pts/game
1 Jordan Barncastle 6-2 F SR 5.3 pts/game
33 Shauntal Nobles 6-3 F SO 6.3 pts/game
EASTERN ILLINOIS PANTHERS (22-8, 13-3 Ohio Valley Conference)
Coach: Brady Sallee
Overall: 136-109 (8)
at Baylor: 136-109 (8)
vs. Tech: 0-0
at WNIT: 0-1
NO. NAME HT P YR STATS
4 Kelsey Wyss 5-10 G JR 7.9 pts/game
15 Ta'Kenya Nixon 5-8 G JR 16.0 pts/game
33 Sydney Mitchell 6-1 F JR 11.2 pts/game
44 Chantelle Pressley 6-1 F SR 7.1 pts/game
51 Mariah King 6-2 F JR 12.7 pts/game
TEXAS TECH - EASTERN ILLINOIS MATCHUP
This will be the first meeting between the two programs. Texas Tech is making its third appearance overall in the WNIT and third in five years. Tech is 2-2 in the WNIT overall and under Kristy Curry. Eastern Illinois is making its second appearance overall in the WNIT and second in three years. The Panthers are 0-1 in the WNIT.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP VS EASTERN ILLINOIS
- This is the first meeting between the two programs.
- This is the second meeting for Kristy Curry against Eastern Illinois. Purdue beat Eastern Illinois, 89-33, on Nov. 18, 2001.
- Eastern Illinois is 0-1 all-time in the WNIT
Year Result Round
2010 Marquette 85, Eastern Illinois 56 First Round
- Texas Tech is 2-2 all-time in the WNIT.
Year Result Round
2010 Wyoming 68, Texas Tech 57 (OT) Second Round
2010 Texas Tech 80, Houston 77 First Round
2008 TCU 81, Texas Tech 74 Second Round
2008 Texas Tech 82, Texas State First Round
BY THE NUMBERS
TTU EIU
Points Per Game...................................66.9 ............ 71.8
Opponents Points Per Game................59.4 ............ 60.6
Scoring Margin.....................................+7.5 ........... +11.2
Field Goal Percentage..........................38.6% ......... 42.5%
3-Point Field Goal Percentage.............31.4% .......... 30.6%
Free Throw Percentage........................67.4% ......... 72.4%
Rebounds Per Game............................41.6 ............ 43.0
Rebound Margin...................................+5.4 ............ +8.1
Assists Per Game.................................12.6 ............ 14.2
Turnovers Per Game............................15.8 ............ 15.8
Steals Per Game..................................10.6 .............. 8.4
Blocks Per Game...................................3.9 .............. 3.5
Field Goal Percentage Defense...........38.7% .......... 37.0%
NO SMALL FEAT
Texas Tech junior guard Monique Smalls now has 135 assists and just 59 turnovers for a 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio, leading all Big 12 Conference players and is ninth nationally. She also has a team-leading 87 steals on the year, second in the Big 12 Conference. Smalls has 239 steals for her career and is 5th all-time at Texas Tech. Her 389 assists is now 8th all-time at Texas Tech.
TEXAS TECH STARTERS (GAMES STARTED THIS YEAR)
G Monique Smalls (32), G Casey Morris (32), G Christine Hyde (23), F Kierra Mallard (20), F Kelsi Baker (17), F Shauntal Nobles (14), F Jordan Barncastle (13), Chynna Brown (9).
CAREER HIGHS
Junior guard Monique Smalls tied a career-high with 15 points in the win over Kansas State on Saturday. That's the third time this season and fifth time in her career that she's scored 15 points. Texas Tech is 4-1 when Smalls scores 15 points.
Smalls 15-point Games
Date Opponent Result
3/8/11 Oklahoma State* W, 57-48
3/9/11 Oklahoma* L, 69-71
12/3/11 Penn State W, 70-66
1/28/12 Texas W, 75-71
3/3/12 Kansas State W, 64-63
* Big 12 Championship Games
RUNNING AWAY
Texas Tech trailed Kansas State 33-16 with 6:53 remaining in the first half before going on a run that shifted the game for good. The Lady Raiders went on a 40-11 run over the next 18 minutes into the second half to take 56-44 lead - Tech's largest of the game.
CAUGHT STEALING
Texas Tech leads the Big 12 Conference with 339 steals in 28 games (10.6/game).
LOW RATE
Texas Tech had just seven turnovers against Oklahoma on Feb. 29 - the second time it had seven or fewer turnovers this season (Iowa State on Feb. 12). Tech and had only eight against Missouri (Feb. 5) and Baylor (Jan. 18).
THREES COMPANY
Texas Tech senior forward Jordan Barncastle has 25 total 3-pointers made on the season. Her 69 threes puts her in the top 15 all-time at Texas Tech.
TOUGH ON THE BOARDS
Texas Tech continues to be one of the Big 12 leaders on the boards. Tech leads the conference with 16.3 offensive rebounds per game and is third in conference play with a 69.2 defensive rebound percentage and 39.5 offensive rebound percentage.
