Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Prepares to Take on No. 4 Texas
January 16, 2015 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 16, 2015
LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech women's basketball team will play the second of its two-game road trip this weekend when the Lady Raiders take on No. 4/5 Texas at 12 p.m., Saturday at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin.
The game will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network (Uverse 609/1609HD, Suddenlink 91/291HD, Dish 407) with former Texas player Fran Harris and former Auburn coach Nell Fortner on the call along with Jane Slater courtside.
Tech (12-4, 2-2 Big 12) is coming off its first road win in the last two seasons after taking a 55-45 win at West Virginia on Wednesday. The Lady Raiders came back from their second-largest deficit of the season after falling behind by nine points in the first half. Tech outscored the Mountaineers 30-6 over the next 16 minutes to take a 15-point lead and never looked back.
Senior Amber Battle scored 20 points for her second consecutive game of 20 points or more after putting up 23 against Oklahoma. She is averaging 15.5 points per game in Big 12 Conference play.
Texas (13-2, 2-2) finds itself in two-game slide after conference losses at Iowa State (59-57) and at Oklahoma (70-59). But the Longhorns are a perfect 10-0 at home this season and have lost only two home games the last two seasons.
Senior forward Nneka Enemkpali leads the Horns in points with 13.4 per game and leads the Big 12 in rebounding (10.8 rpg) and double-doubles (9). She has recorded three blocks in the last five games and grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 10 straight contests, including a double-double in eight of the last nine games.
GAME 17: TEXAS TECH at NO. 4/5 TEXAS
12:00 p.m. CT - Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015
Frank Erwin Center - Austin, Texas
Texas Tech (12-4, 2-2), No. 4/5 Texas (13-2, 2-2)
93rd Meeting (Texas leads 63-29)
Last Meeting: Texas 67, Texas Tech 64 - March 1, 2013 - Lubbock, Texas
Radio: Texas Tech Sports Network - 97.3 FM Lubbock
Talent: Ryan Hyatt (Play-by-Play)
TV: Longhorn Network
Talent: Fran Harris (Play-by-Play), Nell Fortner (Color) and Jane Slater (Reporter)
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP (CAREER STARTS)
G- Minta Spears (46 Starts); G-Amber Battle (41 Starts); G-Rayven Brooks (16 Starts); F-Kelsi Baker (64 Starts); F-Dayo Olabode (16 Starts)
INSIDE THE TEXAS SERIES
Texas Tech and Texas are meeting for the 93rd time overall in the series and 38th time in Austin, dating back to 1977. Texas leads the overall series 65-27 and 30-7 at home against the Lady Raiders. The two teams have split the last eight meetings but Texas has held the home court advantage well over the last 10 years, losing only twice to Tech with the last coming in 2013.
STREAK OVER
Texas Tech's 55-45 win over West Virginia on Wednesday snapped an 17-game losing streak on the road for the Lady Raiders. Tech's last road win came on Feb. 24, 2013 at Kansas (72-70). It also marks the first road win for head coach Candi Whitaker at Tech.
OVERCOMING THE DEFICIT
Texas Tech's comeback from being down nine points in the opening minutes of the game on Wednesday was the second-largest deficit it has overcome this season. The Lady Raiders came back from being down 11 against Texas State on Nov. 18.
BATTLE NUMBERS
Texas Tech senior guard Amber Battle scored a game-high 20 points in Tech's win over West Virginia on Wednesday. It was the first time this season Battle had back-to-back games of 20 points or more. She scored a season-high 23 against Oklahoma on Saturday. Battle has scored in double figures in 9 of 10 games this season and is averaging 15.5 points per game in Big 12 Conference play (four games).
SPEARS HIGH
Texas Tech sophomore guard Minta Spears scored 10 points in Wednesday night's win over West Virginia - her highest total in a Big 12 Conference game since scoring 14 at Kansas State on Feb. 15 of last season.
HALFTIME LEAD
Texas Tech's 22-21 lead at halftime on Wednesday was its first halftime lead in a Big 12 road game since March 2, 2013 at Kansas State.
LARGEST LEAD
Texas Tech took a 47-29 lead against West Virginia at the 6:45 mark of the second half on Wednesday. Tech's 18-point lead was its largest against a Big 12 Conference opponent on the road since leading TCU by 18 in Fort Worth on Feb. 9, 2013.
