Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
14-11,3-9Big 12
Utah
17-5,8-3Big 12
Four in double-figures, Tech falls to RV Utah
February 05, 2025 | Women's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas – Four Lady Raiders were in double figures on Wednesday night, but Texas Tech fell to the Utah Utes by a score of 70-64 at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Texas Tech (14-11, 3-9 Big 12) was led in scoring by junior Jasmine Shavers, who posted 15 points on 50 percent shooting (6-for-12). Recording her team-best 21st double-digit performance this season against Utah (17-5, 8-3 Big 12), Shavers went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc for her seventh straight game with a triple, while also adding three rebounds, an assist and a steal.
Redshirt junior Denae Fritz was on fire from the three after going for a career-best 4-for-5 from behind the arc to total a season high of 12 points. Fritz tied a career high in steals with four and also posted her seventh consecutive game with a 3-pointer. In addition, Fritz' four steals marked her sixth-straight game with two or more steals. Second on the team in points was junior Bailey Maupin, who recorded 13 points for her 18th double-figure game this year.
The last Lady Raider in double figures was Sarengbe Sanogo, who shot 57.1 percent from the field (4-for-7) for 11 points on the night. Sanogo was also the leading rebounder and assist leader after totaling six and a career-best four, respectively, while adding a team-high two blocks. This marks Sanogo's fifth double-figure scoring game, 10th game with five or more rebounds and 11th game with two or more blocks. Maya Peat also put in some work in 11 minutes of play – tallying five points, three boards, two blocks and two assists.
Texas Tech shot 24-for-49 from the field (49 percent) as well as 9-for-17 from three-point range (52.9 percent) in the game. This was the team's best field goal shooting since December 22 against Houston as well as the team's season-high in three-point percentage. The first time shooting over 50 percent from beyond the arc, the Lady Raiders were able to tally four double-figure scorers in the game for the fourth time this season and first time since against the Cougars in December to open conference play. Texas Tech forced 23 Utah turnovers and grabbed 10 steals in the game, while holding the Utes' leading scorer to just six points, which is 12.6 points below her season average.
Texas Tech got the scoring started after Shavers made a tough layup for an early 2-0 lead. Utah answered immediately with a 5-0 run before Fritz knocked down back-to-back threes. Utah got another triple and a layup, but Jada Wynn hit her first three since January 29 to give the Lady Raiders an 11-10 advantage. Out of the media timeout, Wynn made a free throw and Shavers nailed a 3-pointer to extend a 10-run for Tech. But, the Utes scored five-consecutive points to tie it up at 15-15. Maupin responded with a layup for a 17-15 lead, then Kilah Freelon blocked a 3-pointer attempt from Utah at the buzzer to maintain that lead. This was the first time since January 14 against Iowa State that Tech held a lead after one.
Sanogo began the second quarter with a successful and-one play, increasing the lead to five. Utah was able to grab a steal, then get a fastbreak layup right after. However, Shavers scored the next five Lady Raider points with a three and a layup for the 25-19 advantage. Utah got five points right back, but Fritz nailed her third three in as many attempts to give Tech a six-point lead. The Utes went on a 5-0 run to take a 31-30 lead, but Maupin scored a 3-pointer as Tech regained the 33-31 lead heading into the half.
Utah came into the third period retaking the momentum after going on a 5-0 run to force a Texas Tech timeout. The Utes went ahead 38-33 before Maya Peat followed with a layup to cut the deficit to three. Utah outscored Texas Tech 12-2 heading into the media timeout for the 43-25 advantage. Peat scored Tech's first five points of the period as she made it 43-38 with a jumper. Utah and Tech went back-and-forth to follow – highlighted by a three from Shavers and layups from Sanogo and Maupin to spark a 5-0 run after. Utah, however, nailed a 3-pointer at the 1:03 mark, but Shavers responded with a layup as the Utes led by four going into the fourth.
The Lady Raiders scored six of the first eight points in the final quarter to tie the game at 56-56 thanks to two baskets from Sanogo and two free throws by Loghan Johnson. The Utes scored four-straight to retake the lead before Fritz hit her career-high tying fourth triple to cut their lead to one. Maupin was able to make a layup at the 2:31 mark for a 62-61 score before the Utes went ahead by three with two minutes left. The score would stay that way as Tech called a timeout with 24 seconds left after Utah missed two free throws. Then, with 13 seconds left, Utah made two free throws before Maupin answered with a layup to make it 66-63. Both teams connected with free throws at the end, but Utah kept the lead as the Utes won the game by a 70-64 score.
Up next, the Lady Raiders travel to Fort Worth, Texas to take on the No. 9-ranked TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday, February 8 at 4 p.m.
Quoteables
Head Coach Krista Gerlich
On taking three-pointers…
"We definitely were trying to get some good reads off of our penetrations and that was the read, was the three ball. We did tell our shooters not to hesitate. They had to be great shooters tonight and I thought they all really stepped up and shot the ball well."
