Texas Tech University Athletics
Season Cut Short Still a Season to Remember for Lady Raiders
March 26, 2020 | Women's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – On the afternoon of Thursday, March 12—as the threat of COVID-19 canceled postseason college basketball tournaments around the country and sporting events around the world—the Lady Raider basketball team departed Kansas City, Mo., with unfinished business.
As the team landed in Lubbock, they found it had been announced there would be no postseason that season as a result of the pandemic. The news would put an end to the program's likely return to the postseason for the first time in seven years.
While the Lady Raiders won't get the opportunity to write the final chapter to one of the most memorable seasons for Texas Tech women's basketball in recent history, second-year head coach Marlene Stollings and her team had many accomplishments to be proud of in 2019-20. Thanks to this group, Lady Raider Nation has much to look forward to in the coming years.
SEASON MILESTONES
- First time with 18 wins in seven seasons.
- First time with seven conference wins in seven seasons.
- First time with two conference sweeps in seven seasons.
- Highest conference seed in seven years.
- Reached conference play undefeated for the first time in eight seasons.
- Largest Big 12/SEC Challenge win in history and first Big 12/SEC Challenge win in program history.
- Three 100-point games for the first time in 26 seasons.
- First triple-double in 22 years.
- First tournament win in five seasons.
- First win at TCU in seven seasons.
- First win at Oklahoma and sweep of the Sooners in 15 years.
- First win at Iowa State in 18 years
HOT START
The Lady Raiders recorded the best start to a season in nearly a decade, going 11-0 to open the 2019-20 campaign and become one of only nine teams from around the country to reach the New Year undefeated. It marked the first time a Lady Raider team has finished their non-conference schedule undefeated in eight years.
Senior Brittany Brewer set the tone for her special senior season in the 99-57 Lady Raider win over Sam Houston State in the season opener. Brewer nearly had a triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks. Brewer also reached 1,000 career points in the win, becoming the 33rd player in program history to reach that benchmark. Jo'Nah Johnson and Alexis Tucker both scored 23 points in their Lady Raider debuts.
Tech tallied convincing wins over Florida A&M and Northwestern State over its next two games. Then, the Lady Raiders hit the road for the first time in 2019-20 when they headed to San Diego, Calif., for the San Diego Thanksgiving Tournament. Following an 82-48 win over Purdue Fort Wayne in the first game of the tournament, the Lady Raiders faced a tough test against San Diego. Thanks to four clutch three-pointers from junior Andrayah Adams, as well as 16 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks from Brewer, the team picked up the 64-60 win and took home the program's first tournament win in five years.
When the team returned home, they notched another historic win—defeating Ole Miss, 84-48, for the most lopsided win in Big 12/SEC Challenge history. It was also the first Big 12/SEC Challenge victory in program history for the Lady Raiders.
Texas Tech continued its best start in eight seasons, moving to 9-0 with three more home non-conference wins—including an 82-48 win over Prairie View A&M in front of 9,000 fans on Education Day at United Supermarkets Arena. In just her second game as a Lady Raider, junior Lexi Gordon hit four three-pointers and added 16 points and five rebounds to lead six Texas Tech players in double figures.
One of the most memorable moments of the non-conference schedule was Brewer's triple double in the Dec. 22 win over Louisiana Monroe. Brewer recorded 12 points, 14 rebounds and an NCAA-record-tying 16 blocks for the first triple-double of her career and eighth in program history. Brewer's 16 blocks, not only tied the NCAA record, but shattered the previous school record for blocks, which was 10. It was the program's first triple double in 22 years and the first in program history to include blocks. The Lady Raiders would defeat the Warhawks, 82-38, in their final game before the holiday break.
The Lady Raiders finished off their nonconference schedule perfect with a historic, 115-58 rout of UTSA in Lubbock on Dec. 29. Texas Tech's 115 points in the win were the most by a Lady Raider team in 39 years—when Tech scored 125 against Central State in 1980. Additionally, the 57-point margin of victory was the most in four seasons. Gordon had a career high 31 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the win, and was named Big 12 Player of the Week for her efforts.
OVERCOMING ADVERSITY
The 2019-20 Big 12 season for the Lady Raiders brought many ups and downs—not uncommon when playing in one of the toughest conferences in the country; however, the Lady Raiders brought it every night and would never be counted out against any opponent. In fact, Texas Tech ended the conference season with the most conference wins the program has had in seven years.
Following a tough Big 12 opener against Iowa State to open the New Year, Texas Tech went on the road to face a talented TCU team that would go on to finish second in the Big 12. The team earned its first Big 12 win of the year, defeating TCU on the road, 80-76. It marked Tech's first win over the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth in seven seasons. The Lady Raiders completed the sweep of the Horned Frogs in March, defeating then-No. 25 TCU, 87-83, in Lubbock for the program's first ranked win in three years. Texas Tech was just the second Big 12 team to sweep the second-place Horned Frogs this season, with Baylor being the only other team. Gordon was huge in the wins over TCU, averaging 22.5 points and 13 rebounds against her hometown team with double-doubles in both games.
The Lady Raiders made it two Big 12 sweeps in one season for the first time in seven years, defeating Oklahoma twice. In Lubbock, behind 29 points from Andrayah Adams and 24 points from Chrislyn Carr, Texas Tech defeated the Sooners in overtime for the program's first overtime win in four years. The Lady Raiders finished their regular season with their first win in Norman in 15 years, dropping Oklahoma, 106-94. Tech's 106 points marked the team's third 100-plus-point performance of the year and second in Big 12 play this season, marking the first time in 26 years the Lady Raiders have accomplished that feat.
The Lady Raiders' second 100-point performance of the year came in a 109-79 victory over Oklahoma State. Led by eight triples from Andrayah Adams, the Lady Raiders set a new Big 12 record with 20 made threes on the day, also shattering the previous program record of 14. Adams had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. It was the school's largest conference margin of victory in 15 years, and the Lady Raiders' 109 points were the most in a Big 12 conference game in 20 years and the second-most ever.
Three Lady Raiders posted double-doubles, led by Brittany Brewer with 26 points and 10 rebounds to go along with 4 assists and two blocks. Chrislyn Carr posted a new career high in assists with 13 with only three turnovers, while also scoring 17.
When the team headed to Hilton Coliseum to seek revenge on Iowa State for their Big 12-opening loss to the Cyclones, the Lady Raiders were able to finish the deal. Tech knocked off the Cyclones, 77-74, for the program's first win in Ames in 18 years. Brewer also broke the program single-season blocks record in the win.
Texas Tech played reigning national champs Baylor as close as anyone in Big 12 play this season. The Lady Raiders turned in an impressive performance in January, scoring the most points on No. 1 Baylor of anyone this season. The Lady Raiders hit 12 threes on the Bears--the most Baylor has allowed since their 2019 Final Four game against Oregon--and gave Baylor its closest game in Waco in three seasons. Tech was also the only Big 12 team to play Baylor within 15 points twice this season.
As the team landed in Lubbock, they found it had been announced there would be no postseason that season as a result of the pandemic. The news would put an end to the program's likely return to the postseason for the first time in seven years.
While the Lady Raiders won't get the opportunity to write the final chapter to one of the most memorable seasons for Texas Tech women's basketball in recent history, second-year head coach Marlene Stollings and her team had many accomplishments to be proud of in 2019-20. Thanks to this group, Lady Raider Nation has much to look forward to in the coming years.
SEASON MILESTONES
- First time with 18 wins in seven seasons.
- First time with seven conference wins in seven seasons.
- First time with two conference sweeps in seven seasons.
- Highest conference seed in seven years.
- Reached conference play undefeated for the first time in eight seasons.
- Largest Big 12/SEC Challenge win in history and first Big 12/SEC Challenge win in program history.
- Three 100-point games for the first time in 26 seasons.
- First triple-double in 22 years.
- First tournament win in five seasons.
- First win at TCU in seven seasons.
- First win at Oklahoma and sweep of the Sooners in 15 years.
- First win at Iowa State in 18 years
HOT START
The Lady Raiders recorded the best start to a season in nearly a decade, going 11-0 to open the 2019-20 campaign and become one of only nine teams from around the country to reach the New Year undefeated. It marked the first time a Lady Raider team has finished their non-conference schedule undefeated in eight years.
Senior Brittany Brewer set the tone for her special senior season in the 99-57 Lady Raider win over Sam Houston State in the season opener. Brewer nearly had a triple-double, finishing with 17 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks. Brewer also reached 1,000 career points in the win, becoming the 33rd player in program history to reach that benchmark. Jo'Nah Johnson and Alexis Tucker both scored 23 points in their Lady Raider debuts.
Tech tallied convincing wins over Florida A&M and Northwestern State over its next two games. Then, the Lady Raiders hit the road for the first time in 2019-20 when they headed to San Diego, Calif., for the San Diego Thanksgiving Tournament. Following an 82-48 win over Purdue Fort Wayne in the first game of the tournament, the Lady Raiders faced a tough test against San Diego. Thanks to four clutch three-pointers from junior Andrayah Adams, as well as 16 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks from Brewer, the team picked up the 64-60 win and took home the program's first tournament win in five years.
When the team returned home, they notched another historic win—defeating Ole Miss, 84-48, for the most lopsided win in Big 12/SEC Challenge history. It was also the first Big 12/SEC Challenge victory in program history for the Lady Raiders.
Texas Tech continued its best start in eight seasons, moving to 9-0 with three more home non-conference wins—including an 82-48 win over Prairie View A&M in front of 9,000 fans on Education Day at United Supermarkets Arena. In just her second game as a Lady Raider, junior Lexi Gordon hit four three-pointers and added 16 points and five rebounds to lead six Texas Tech players in double figures.
One of the most memorable moments of the non-conference schedule was Brewer's triple double in the Dec. 22 win over Louisiana Monroe. Brewer recorded 12 points, 14 rebounds and an NCAA-record-tying 16 blocks for the first triple-double of her career and eighth in program history. Brewer's 16 blocks, not only tied the NCAA record, but shattered the previous school record for blocks, which was 10. It was the program's first triple double in 22 years and the first in program history to include blocks. The Lady Raiders would defeat the Warhawks, 82-38, in their final game before the holiday break.
The Lady Raiders finished off their nonconference schedule perfect with a historic, 115-58 rout of UTSA in Lubbock on Dec. 29. Texas Tech's 115 points in the win were the most by a Lady Raider team in 39 years—when Tech scored 125 against Central State in 1980. Additionally, the 57-point margin of victory was the most in four seasons. Gordon had a career high 31 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the win, and was named Big 12 Player of the Week for her efforts.
OVERCOMING ADVERSITY
The 2019-20 Big 12 season for the Lady Raiders brought many ups and downs—not uncommon when playing in one of the toughest conferences in the country; however, the Lady Raiders brought it every night and would never be counted out against any opponent. In fact, Texas Tech ended the conference season with the most conference wins the program has had in seven years.
Following a tough Big 12 opener against Iowa State to open the New Year, Texas Tech went on the road to face a talented TCU team that would go on to finish second in the Big 12. The team earned its first Big 12 win of the year, defeating TCU on the road, 80-76. It marked Tech's first win over the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth in seven seasons. The Lady Raiders completed the sweep of the Horned Frogs in March, defeating then-No. 25 TCU, 87-83, in Lubbock for the program's first ranked win in three years. Texas Tech was just the second Big 12 team to sweep the second-place Horned Frogs this season, with Baylor being the only other team. Gordon was huge in the wins over TCU, averaging 22.5 points and 13 rebounds against her hometown team with double-doubles in both games.
The Lady Raiders made it two Big 12 sweeps in one season for the first time in seven years, defeating Oklahoma twice. In Lubbock, behind 29 points from Andrayah Adams and 24 points from Chrislyn Carr, Texas Tech defeated the Sooners in overtime for the program's first overtime win in four years. The Lady Raiders finished their regular season with their first win in Norman in 15 years, dropping Oklahoma, 106-94. Tech's 106 points marked the team's third 100-plus-point performance of the year and second in Big 12 play this season, marking the first time in 26 years the Lady Raiders have accomplished that feat.
The Lady Raiders' second 100-point performance of the year came in a 109-79 victory over Oklahoma State. Led by eight triples from Andrayah Adams, the Lady Raiders set a new Big 12 record with 20 made threes on the day, also shattering the previous program record of 14. Adams had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. It was the school's largest conference margin of victory in 15 years, and the Lady Raiders' 109 points were the most in a Big 12 conference game in 20 years and the second-most ever.
Three Lady Raiders posted double-doubles, led by Brittany Brewer with 26 points and 10 rebounds to go along with 4 assists and two blocks. Chrislyn Carr posted a new career high in assists with 13 with only three turnovers, while also scoring 17.
When the team headed to Hilton Coliseum to seek revenge on Iowa State for their Big 12-opening loss to the Cyclones, the Lady Raiders were able to finish the deal. Tech knocked off the Cyclones, 77-74, for the program's first win in Ames in 18 years. Brewer also broke the program single-season blocks record in the win.
Texas Tech played reigning national champs Baylor as close as anyone in Big 12 play this season. The Lady Raiders turned in an impressive performance in January, scoring the most points on No. 1 Baylor of anyone this season. The Lady Raiders hit 12 threes on the Bears--the most Baylor has allowed since their 2019 Final Four game against Oregon--and gave Baylor its closest game in Waco in three seasons. Tech was also the only Big 12 team to play Baylor within 15 points twice this season.
Players Mentioned
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