LADY RAIDER BASKETBALL PREVIEW: Texas

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech Lady Raider basketball team returns to United Supermarkets Arena this weekend to open a quick, two-game homestand against Texas at 1 p.m. on ESPNU. The game marks the team's annual Play4Kay Pink Game.

GAME INFORMATION
Venue: United Supermarkets Arena
Place: Lubbock, Texas
Opponent: Texas
Date: Sunday, Feb. 9
Tip-off Time: 1 p.m. CT
TV: ESPNU
TV Talent: Tyler Denning, Holly Warlick
Radio: 107.7 FM
Radio Talent: Mark Finkner, Chuck Heinz

PROMOTIONS
As part of the Play 4 Kay game, the first 500 fans at United Supermarkets Arena will receive a free pink t-shirt, pom pom and glow stick. Additionally, fans that wear pink and buy tickets at the door will receive a discounted $6 ticket.

ABOUT PLAY 4 KAY
The vision for Play4Kay came directly from Coach Kay Yow. Through Play4Kay, she saw a vision to bring communities together and honor survivors in the fight against ALL cancers affecting women. It was basically a simple idea — take a game in your schedule and use it to fundraise for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. As Play4Kay evolved, the mechanisms for fundraising have expanded and so have the initiatives. Schools nationwide are finding ways to "Play4Kay" on and off the basketball court. The Kay Yow Cancer fund has awarded $7.78 million to cancer research and serving the underserved.

LADY RAIDER STORYLINES
- The Lady Raiders have a number of personal connections to cancer that they'll "Play4" on Sunday. Each player and coach will be wearing custom pink Under Armour shoes during Sunday's game to honor family members, friends and others in their lives affected by cancer.

- Junior Jada Walton won't be playing in Sunday's game due to redshirt, but will be honoring her late mother, who passed away after a battle with cancer when Walton was 14. Additionally, Texas Tech's mascot, Raider Red, will be donning Walton's jersey--No. 14--during the game.

- Coach Marlene is one of six active coaches to have five or more WNBA draft picks in the last five seasons.

- Lady Raider legend and member of the 1993 NCAA Championship Noel Johnson was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer in April 2019 and remains fighting. The team--who wears wristbands that read "Strong for Noel"--will be honoring her Sunday as well, although Johnson will not be able to make it.

- After posting the second-biggest turnaround among Power Five schools a season ago and doubling their win total to 14, the Lady Raiders matched that win total this season in just 19 games. The Lady Raiders will look to surpass that total with a win on Sunday.

- The Lady Raiders are 14-6 through their first 20 games for the first time in seven seasons. Texas Tech was one of nine teams in the entire country to reach the New Year undefeated.

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Players Mentioned

Jada Walton

Texas Tech University Athletics