Texas Tech Athletics
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Kansas
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Gray’s Big Night not Enough, as Lady Raiders Fall at KU
January 22, 2022 | Women's Basketball
Senior Vivian Gray poured in 32 in a loss
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Despite receiving 32 points from senior All-American Vivian Gray, the Texas Tech Lady Raiders fell to the Kansas Jayhawks 71-57 Saturday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.
After being limited to just eight points on Wednesday against TCU, Gray exploded in the first quarter Saturday, scoring Texas Tech's (9-9, 2-5 Big 12) first nine points and 15 of 19 first quarter points. At the break Gray had 21 points.
The difference in the ballgame was the third quarter where KU outscored Tech 20-10, turning seven turnovers into 12 key points.
SMU transfer Rhyle McKinney added seven points for Tech in her 13 minutes of action, while Khadija Faye had four points and nine rebounds.
Kansas (12-4, 3-3 Big 12) placed three in double-figures led by Chandler Prater who scored 18 points in just under 30 minutes.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Led by Gray who made her first three shots from the field, the Lady Raiders raced out to an early 6-1 at the 7:23 mark.
After KU answered with an 11-1 run to take a 12-7 lead with just over five minutes to play, Tech answered with a 4-0 run to pull to within 12-11.
KU scored the next four to go up 16-11, before the Lady Raiders closed the first period on an 8-2 run to lead 19-18 after one.
Gray made five of her seven first quarter shots and five of six free throws in the opening quarter of action.
In the second period, Tech used a triple from McKinney to take a 22-18 lead with 9:35 to play in the second.
As they did all night, KU would respond using a 14-4 run to grab a 32-26 advantage at the under-five media timeout.
The Lady Raiders used a pair of Gray free throws to cap a 6-0 run that tied the game at 32 with 51 seconds to play.
After KU hit a pair of free throws with five seconds to play, Taylah Thomas was fouled with one-tenth of a second to play. Thomas hit one of two, cutting the Lady Raider deficit to just 34-33 at the break.
In the third, Tech struck first, using a jumper from Bryn Gerlich to take a 35-34 lead with 9:25 to play. The lead would be Tech's final of the ballgame, as KU scored the next eight points to take a 42-35 lead with 7:31 to play.
After a timeout, the Lady Raiders responded with a 4-0 run to get to within 42-39 at the media timeout, but KU used one last 8-0 run to go up 5t0-39 with 2:32 to play in the third.
A pair of Gray free throws capped a 4-0 run that brough the Lady Raiders to within seven (50-43), but a pair of free throws and a jumper with 13 seconds to play gave KU a 54-43 lead heading into the fourth.
Needing a run, Tech opened the fourth with the first six points to cut the KU lead to 54-49, but Kansas went on a 14-3 lead to seal the 71-57 victory.
COACH SPEAK (HC KRISTA GERLICH):
"We couldn't get into a rhythm in the second half and we had too many negative possessions in-a-row where we didn't score the basketball. Then we started putting them on the free throw line way too early in the second half, particularly the third quarter. Our live ball turnovers led to easy transition buckets for them in the first and third quarters. We just can't have that. They didn't have to work for their buckets and we had to expend all of our energy to score, which is a bad combination. Vivian came out and really played well. She played very confident and was consistent throughout the game, but we need to help her. We have other people who can score, and we just didn't get that extra scoring tonight. We missed some easy shots, turned the ball over and couldn't get in a good rhythm. But give Kansas credit. They're very quick and aggressive."
UP NEXT:
The Lady Raiders return home to United Supermarkets Arena on Wednesday when No. 15 Baylor comes to Lubbock. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+/Big 12 Now.
