Lady Raiders Drop Final Possession Heartbreaker to UT

Wednesday, February 9

Lubbock, Texas

7:00 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

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Texas Tech

Lady Raiders Drop Final Possession Heartbreaker to UT

February 09, 2022 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

On Texas Tech’s celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the Lady Raiders fell 61-56

By: Andrew Stern

LUBBOCK, Texas -- In a game that featured no double-digit leads and nine lead changes, the Texas Tech Lady Raiders fell to No. 16 Texas Longhorns 61-56 Wednesday night at United Supermarkets Arena.

Texas Tech (9-12, 2-9 Big 12) used a 9-2 run to trim at 54-45 Texas (16-6, 6-5 Big 12) advantage to just 58-56 with 51 seconds to play.

On the ensuing UT possession, the Lady Raiders forced an errant layup that clanked off the rim. Rori Harmon tracked down the long miss however and was fouled.

Harmon stepped to the line with 13 ticks remaining, and after missing the first, sunk the second shot, giving Texas a 59-56 lead.

With possession of the ball and inbounding in front of her bench after a timeout, Bryn Gerlich found Lexy Hightower in the corner, but the NCAA's active leader in 3-point percentage saw her attempt blocked.

Texas secured the rebound and made a pair from the line to avenge the 74-61 loss that Tech handed them in Austin back on Jan. 5

In defeat Vivian Gray scored a game high-21 points while Gerlich added another 11 points and six assists. With her six-assist performance the guard eclipsed 100 assists for the season.

Joanne Allen-Taylor added a team-high 14 points, while Audrey Warren scored 12 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Tech got off to a fast start Wednesday, using six quick points from Gray to take an early 6-3 lead with 7:09 to play in the opening quarter.

After Texas responded with eight of the next 10 to take a 12-8 advantage with 4:12 left in the quarter, Tech responded with a 10-2 run to take an 18-14 lead with 1:49 to play in the first.

The two teams traded baskets on the next three possessions, as the Lady Raiders enjoyed a 22-18 lead over the Longhorns after 10 minutes.

Tech shot 11-of-19 in the opening quarter and turned the ball over just once. Over the next three quarters combined, the Lady Raiders would turn the ball over 17 times.

In the second, a second-chance layup by Taylah Thomas gave Tech its largest lead of the night, 24-18 with 9:04 to play. Thomas finished with eight points and 10 rebounds narrowly missing out on her fifth double-double of the season.

Following the bucket, Tech would go on to miss its next six shots, as UT used a pair of free throws to jumpstart a 10-3 run that gave them a 28-27 lead with 4:30 to play.

A Chantae Embry jumper gave the Lady Raiders a brief 30-29 lead with 3:06 to play, but UT scored four of the final six to enjoy a slim 32-31 lead after 20.

In the second period eight of UT's 14 points came off turnovers.

Following the break Texas scored eight of the first 12 points of the period to take a 40-35 lead with 2:10 to go.

An Embry triple with 1:57 was the final basket by either side the remainder of the quarter, as UT enjoyed a 40-38 lead after three.

Gray quickly tied the score at 40 with 9:31 to play, as the two teams continued to trade baskets and stops.

Down two with 6:47 to play, Thomas was fouled. The forward made one of two free throws, cutting the Texas lead to just 44-43 with 6:47 to play.

On the ensuing UT possession, the Longhorns missed a 3-pointer, but another offensive rebound ultimately led to an Allen-Taylor three that sparked an 10-2 UT run.

The spurt increased Texas' lead from 44-43 to 54-45 with 3:32 to play.

A pair of Gerlich free-throws sparked the 11-4 run that brough Tech to within 58-56 with 1:19 to play. The run was capped by a clutch triple from the guard.

After Texas answered with a layup, the Lady Raiders turned to their All-American, Gray, who hit a 16-foot jumper that brought her team to within 58-56 with 51 seconds to go.

Texas used the second chance free throw, the blocked shot and two more from the line to escape with a 61-56 victory.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE:
• Texas outscored Tech 23-8 on points off turnovers and 20-9 on second chance points
• Thomas finished with eight points and 10 rebounds. The senior now has eight games with at least 10 boards.
• Gray has now scored 126 points in the last five games. The 20-point performance was her eighth this season (14 games).
• The forward has now scored 1952 points in her Division-I career and over 750 points (752) at Texas Tech.
• Gerlich recorded her fifth consecutive game with at least five helpers and now has 41 assists over the last eight games (5.1/game).
• Embry scored nine points tonight and now has scored 27 the last three games.
• She has made a 3-pointer in four straight.
• Hightower returned to the lineup after missing the last two contests due to injury.
• Tonight's contest was the fourth straight game against an opponent ranked inside the AP Top-25.

COACH SPEAK (HC KRISTA GERLICH):
"I will never get tired of saying that I'm super proud of my kids and the fight they have, but I'm really tired of them not getting rewarded. We've had so much adversity thrown at us this year. We're not making excuses and they are battling their tails off. They show up every single game and they give all they have. It's just upsetting that we can't figure out a way to get over the hump. There are little things that we'll get better at, that we'll continue to learn from when we watch film. These kids are doing everything we ask them to do and more and they keep showing up and that's all I can ask of them. What a great basketball game, what a physical basketball game. That is February and March basketball. They had a little stretch in the fourth when they hit back-to-back threes. That was the difference for us because we couldn't get over the hump. But I am really, really proud of these kids."

ON NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY/EMPOWERING YOUNG GIRLS:
"There's no doubt that the reason we're filling the stands up, particularly with young girls, is because of the outstanding role models that we have on the court representing Lady Raider Basketball and Texas Tech. It's awesome that so many people and young girls especially came out tonight. We had a great pre-game clinic that featured great participation from all of the female sports at Texas Tech. I want to really thank [Executive Senior Associate AD/SWA] Brandi Stuart for organizing it and really encouraging all of our sports to be represented. It's not just about basketball and I think that was a fantastic idea. You know sports are so important for these young women. It is an avenue that they can use to become courageous and confident. It teaches them how to become successful and how to fight. It also teaches them to learn how to persevere and to be empowered. What I love about our program is that we empower women. From the little girls that come to our games, to the girls that are on our bench. Both the players and my staff."

UP NEXT:
The Lady Raiders open a two-game road swing on Saturday when they travel to Stillwater to face Oklahoma State. Tip-off from Gallagher-IBA Arena is set for 7 p.m.