Texas Tech Athletics
14-8,3-6Big 12
Oklahoma State
17-3,7-2Big 12
Lady Raiders almost surmount a comeback, fall to Cowgirls
January 25, 2025 | Women's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech Lady Raiders almost came back from a 16-point deficit, but fell to the RV Oklahoma State Cowgirls, 71-68, on Saturday afternoon at the United Supermarkets Arena.
The Lady Raiders (14-8, 3-6 Big 12) were down 61-45 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and outscored the Cowgirls (17-3, 7-2 Big 12) 23 to 10 in the remainder of the game, but lost by three. This comeback was led by junior Bailey Maupin, who scored a team-best 24 points for her seventh 20-plus point game of the season. Shooting 50 percent from the field (9-for-18), Maupin led the team with four assists and three steals.
Picking up her third double-figure performance of the season was Denae Fritz, who totaled a season-high of 11 points with a team-leading three 3-pointers, three steals and two blocks. Also scoring 11 points in the game was Sarengbe Sanogo after going a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line for a career best in free throws, while also shooting 75 percent from the field (3-for-4). Both Kilah Freelon and Jasmine Shavers tallied a team-leading five rebounds against the Cowgirls as Shavers also recorded seven points with three assists.
Both teams went back-and-forth to begin the game as Shavers started the scoring with a turnaround jumper. Oklahoma State scored a layup right after, but the Lady Raiders answered with a Fritz 3-pointer. The teams traded points until the Cowgirls went on a 6-0 run to lead 10-7 halfway through the quarter. Out of the media timeout, Fritz grabbed an offensive rebound and made a layup followed by a Maya Peat bucket. Then, the Cowgirls made two threes for the 16-11 lead at the end of the period.
Oklahoma State kept up the scoring with a layup to begin the second quarter. But, Tech answered with a 3-pointer by Shavers with 0.8 second left on the shot clock to make it 18-14. The Cowgirls again made a jumper before Maupin nailed a three. Oklahoma State went on an 8-2 run before Sanogo stopped it with a couple of free throws. The Cowgirls scored six of the last 10 points as they took a 34-25 lead heading into the half.
Oklahoma State got a free throw to open scoring in the third, before Fritz made her second three of the game. Sanogo successfully converted the and-one play after, followed by some more free throws by the Cowgirls. Loghan Johnson got a three-point play to cut the deficit to six, but the Cowgirls scored the next seven points. Maupin was able to nail a 3-pointer out of the media timeout, but Oklahoma State immediately scored on the other end to lead, 49-37. With two minutes left, Tech went on a 6-3 run thanks to buckets from Shavers, Sanogo and Maupin, but the Cowgirls scored the last four points for the 59-45 advantage.
Oklahoma State made the first basket of the final quarter, before Freelon made two free throws, followed by Johnson converting another and-one play for three points. Freelon added a steal and a bucket right after to force a timeout by the Cowgirls, who led 61-52. Fritz sparked a 9-0 Texas Tech run after hitting a 3-pointer, followed by a jumper from Maupin and then a four-point play from the Gruver, Texas native as she hit a three then got fouled on the play to make it 63-61 in the Cowgirls' favor. The Lady Raiders kept chipping away at the Cowgirls, but Oklahoma State was able to pull away with some free throws to win it by a score of 71-68.
Up next, the Lady Raiders head to Lawrence, Kan., for a game against the Kansas Jayhawks on Wednesday, January 29 at 6:30 p.m.
Quoteables
Head Coach Krista Gerlich
On the near comeback against Oklahoma State…
"I thought our fight was good. I thought we had some really valiant efforts from some individuals, but at the end of the day it's a loss and you know, that's where we are."
On how the team will adjust…
"Well, we just have to keep fighting. I mean we have to watch film and we have to do every defensive rebounding drill in America and continue to make an effort, but you know at the end of the day, it's about fight and heart and guts, and coming up with it."
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