Lady Raiders get comeback win over Mississippi State

Thursday, November 20

Lubbock, Texas

6:00 PM

Texas Tech Athletics

6-0,0-0Big 12

Mississippi State

4-1,0-0SEC

Mississippi St.

Texas Tech

Lady Raiders get comeback win over Mississippi State

November 20, 2025 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Casey Montalvo

LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech held Mississippi State to just 31 points for the final three quarters as the Lady Raiders posted a comeback win over the Bulldogs, 69-62, on Thursday evening at the United Supermarkets Arena.

Mississippi State (4-1) outscored the Lady Raiders 31-16 in the first quarter, but Tech responded with gritty defense in the last three to get the win. The Lady Raiders (6-0) scored 15 to Mississippi State's two points in the second period to cut the deficit to 31-33 at the half. The Scarlet and Black also held the Bulldogs to 37.7 percent from the field (20-for-53) and forced 22 turnovers on the night. Tech added 11 steals and grabbed eight offensive boards to Mississippi State's six.

The Lady Raiders were led in scoring by Jalynn Bristow with 18 points, followed by Bailey Maupin and Snudda Collins with 17 points apiece. Bristow added five rebounds, all coming in the second half, three assists and two steals in the game. Maupin shot 54.5 percent from the field (6-for-11) and totaled three assists, two steals and a career-high and team-leading nine rebounds. Collins tallied a career-high of eight boards while picking up a block and an assist.

Jada Malone was productive on the glass, added four rebounds, and also shot 50 percent from the field (4-for-8) for nine points. Gemma Núñez led the team in assists and steals with four each, while also scoring four points and grabbing three rebounds.

The Bulldogs scored the first five points of the game, then Bristow stopped their run with a layup. Maupin scored a jumper right after to get within one, but Mississippi State got two more points on a layup. Bristow scored four of the next five points to tie things at 8-all. Collins made two free throws to even things at 10-10, then the Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run heading into the media timeout. Mississippi State kept up their lead as they held a 31-16 advantage after one.

Bristow opened the scoring in the second quarter with a layup, then Maupin hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 10. Collins helped keep the momentum for the Lady Raiders when she blocked a Bulldog shot, then Tech forced another Mississippi State turnover right after. Núñez scored a tough layup for a 6-0 run as Tech forced a Bulldog timeout with 6:26 left in the period. Tech's defense was on point as Mississippi State didn't score their first points the 3:47 mark… and that would be all they scored in the quarter. Tech closed the half on a 6-0 run thanks to buckets from Sidney Love and Malone to get within two, 31-33. The Bulldogs shot 52.6 percent from the field in the first quarter, but were held to just 7.7 percent from the field in the second quarter.

Mississippi State scored a layup in the first minute of the third, but Tech answered with a steal by Núñez and a layup from Denae Fritz. Collins tied things up at 35-35 with a reverse layup before Núñez picked up another steal on the jumpball to force a Bulldog timeout with 6:04 left in the period. Mississippi State was able to score after a three-minute drought, but Bristow answered with a three thanks to the dish from Collins. The Bulldogs went on a 6-0 run after that until Bristow made a free throw to stop it. The Bulldogs went up 45-41 with 28 seconds left, however Bristow grabbed an offensive board and made the second-chance layup to cut the deficit to two points right as the quarter ended.

Malone converted a successful and-one play to start the fourth, followed by a 10-second backcourt violation for the Bulldogs. Maupin scored a reverse layup, then Mississippi State stopped the run with two free throws. At the 7:08 mark, Maupin got an underhanded assist after dishing it to Collins for a layup thanks to a Fritz steal. After the media timeout, the Bulldogs scored two free throws, then Collins answered with a turnaround jumper. Maupin scored another layup, then Collins added one of her own for the 58-53 lead. Núñez added her fourth steal of the game, leading to a Maupin layup. Collins connected with a 3-pointer for the 63-56 lead. Mississippi State responded with a triple of its own, but Tech closed the quarter out on a 6-3 run to win it by a 69-62 score.

Up next, the Lady Raiders play in their first road game of the season as they head to Albuquerque, N.M., for a contest against New Mexico on Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. CT.

QUOTEABLES
Head Coach Krista Gerlich
On this year's team…
We've added some key pieces that certainly help us. Our chemistry, as Bailey [Maupin] said, is really good right now and we've got a lot of unselfish players. They want to share the ball, they want to compete, they want to win. We have nine seniors who want this to be the best year that they've played in the four or five years that they've gotten to play collegiate basketball. So their goal is all the same, and they're not willing to have distractions, obstacles, drama, or whatever it might be, to keep them from reaching it. I think as far as the schedule goes, this has been a work in progress. I mean, every year we've tried to schedule up a little bit more. We wanted to get some SEC schools on our home floor. We wanted to play some ACC. So, I think it's just different, but by design, because we're trying to build up to improve our resume, to give us an opportunity, but also the roster… We've just got the right kids. We recruited the right kids, we retained the right kids and I can't say enough about our staff. Our staff's energy is fantastic. Our togetherness is fantastic. We work hard as a staff at trying to get them to understand the vision, and I think they really are bought into it. I'm really excited about that and grateful."

Senior guard Bailey Maupin
On what is different from this year's team to previous teams…
"It looks different. It feels different. We're playing together more. When we are on the court, we don't have many miscues... We have really good chemistry. It's nice to be able to play with people who know where you're going to be at before maybe you even know yourself. That all starts with Gemma [Núñez] being at the point. She's an excellent facilitator and puts us in really good spots to be successful."

Junior guard/forward Jalynn Bristow
On her approach going into the game…
"The coaches always tell us the best look to score, and they texted me before the game and told me exactly where those looks were going to be. It's really good to hear that, practice it and then execute it."