LADY RAIDER RECAP: Kansas State 75, Texas Tech 65

Thursday, March 11

Kansas City, MO

8 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

10-15,5-13Big 12

Kansas State

9-17,3-15Big 12

Kansas St.

Texas Tech

Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship, March 11, 2021

Photo by: Big 12 Conference

LADY RAIDER RECAP: Kansas State 75, Texas Tech 65

March 11, 2021 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Harry Endicott

KANSAS CITY – The Texas Tech Lady Raider basketball team fell short in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday night, dropping a tough one to Kansas State, 75-65.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Bryn Gerlich had a career night, recording career bests of 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Lexi Gordon added 19 points to lead the Lady Raiders in scoring, while also swiping a career high five steals and recording one block. Vivian Gray finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

The Lady Raiders had a strong effort on the boards, outrebounding the Wildcats, 41-36, including 16 on the offensive end.

Texas Tech led after the opening quarter, thanks in part to a 12-0 run that stretched the Lady Raider lead to as large as seven early. Five Tech players scored in the frame, led by Gray and Tucker with four apiece. The Lady Raiders were huge on the glass in the first 10 minutes, outrebounding the Wildcats, 14-7.

The teams went back and forth in the second quarter, with Kansas State stretching its lead to as large as 10 before Gordon took off to get the Lady Raiders back in it. The senior had 10 points in the back half of the second period to evaporate the double-digit Wildcat advantage back to zero in minutes. Kansas State would lead, 33-31, at the break, but Tech hit five of its last seven shots in the quarter, including a Maka Jackson buzzer-beating lay-in on the fast break in the closing seconds, to grab some momentum heading into the second half.

Five points apiece from Gerlich and Gordon in the third quarter helped Texas Tech take the lead into the fourth quarter. The Lady Raiders held the Wildcats to 6-of-16 shooting in the period to lead by two at the end of the third.

The Wildcats made plays down the stretch of the fourth quarter, however, and were able to pull away late to snag the win and put an end to Tech's run in Kansas City.