LADY RAIDER BASKETBALL PREVIEW: at No. 7 Baylor

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech Lady Raider basketball team opens up Big 12 play on Monday night when it travels to Waco, Texas, to face No. 7 Baylor on national TV. The Lady Raiders and Lady Bears tip off at 6 p.m. from the Ferrell Center on ESPNU.

GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Ferrell Center
Place: Waco, Texas
Opponent: No. 7 Baylor
Date: Monday, Dec. 14
Tip-off Time: 6 p.m. CT
Stream: ESPNU
TV Talent: Eric Frede and Carolyn Peck
Radio: 107.7 FM
Radio Talent: Mark Finkner and Chuck Heinz

EARLY BIG 12 START
When Tech and Baylor collide on Monday night, it will be the first time the Lady Raiders have tipped off Big 12 play in December since 2017. In all, the Lady Raiders have only played six conference games before the turn of the New Year in program history. Monday's game will be the earliest conference start since 1981-82 when Tech played Texas in a Southwest Conference game on Dec. 9.

LIMITING TURNOVERS
Texas Tech has been excellent at limiting turnovers through four games, averaging only 9.2 per game and having yet to record over 13 turnovers in a single game so far this year.

The Lady Raiders sit tops in the Big 12 and fourth nationally in turnovers per game, and their assist turnover ratio of 1.70 is No. 1 in the conference and No. 8 in the country, led by Vivian Gray's ATO of 2.8--currently No. 2 among Big 12 players. Texas Tech is averaging 16.5 forced turnovers per game and rank No. 2 in the Big 12 and No. 18 nationally with a +7.25 turnover margin so far this season.

Against Angelo State, the Lady Raiders tied a program record with only two turnovers in the win, compared to a season-high 23 assists.

EYEING THE OPPONENT
The seventh-ranked Baylor Lady Bears come into Monday's game at 3-1 with a Big 12 game already under their belt--a 65-45 win at West Virginia on Thursday to open their conference schedule. Baylor's lone loss of the season was an 83-78 loss at No. 14 Arkansas on Dec. 6 The Lady Bears are led by Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year NaLyssa Smith, who is averaging 14.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, as well as Preseason Newcomer of the Year DiJonai Carrington, the team leader in scoring a 14.5 points per contest. The reigning NCAA Champions are led by Kim Mulkey, who has accumulated a 607-102 record at Baylor, now in her 21st season at the helm of the Lady Bear program.

THE SERIES
- The Lady Raiders and Lady Bears will be meeting for the 95th time in the two programs' histories when they clash on Monday.
- The series is deadlocked at 47 wins apiece, including being a 20-20 split in the 40 games played in Waco.
- The series dates back to 1976, and while Tech dominated the series early on, Baylor has come back over the last 15 years or so to even the series score.
- The Lady Raiders own the longest wins streak in the series at 39 games from 1984 to 2002, but Baylor has won 22 straight.
- Last season, Tech was the only team to keep within 15 points of the Lady Bears twice. The Lady Raiders played Baylor as close as anyone last season in Waco, falling 87-79.

LAST TIME OUT
The Texas Tech Lady Raider basketball team got back on track on Wednesday afternoon, taking care of business against Angelo State, 87-42, at United Supermarkets Arena.

The Lady Raiders (3-1) mounted a balanced offensive effort against the Rambelles, with nine of the 11 players that got minutes in the win scoring, and eight scoring five or more.

Texas Tech led from wire to wire in the victory, scoring 20 or more points in the first three quarters while holding Angelo State to 12 points or less in all four frames.

Four Lady Raiders ended up in double figures with Vivian Gray leading the way with 19 points, along with seven rebounds and four assists in only 23 minutes. Lexi Gordon added 14 points, six rebounds and three assists as well.

Tech only had two turnovers in the win over the Rambelles, which tied a school record set in 2010 against Savannah State. The Lady Raiders also had 23 assists to set a new season high, led by Bryn Gerlich who dished off eight.

Texas Tech University Athletics

LADY RAIDER BASKETBALL PREVIEW: at No. 7 Baylor

Players Mentioned

Bryn Gerlich

Lexi Gordon

Vivian Gray

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