Texas Tech University Athletics
No. 12 Lady Raiders Roll Past New Mexico, 66-59
December 08, 1999 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 8, 1999
By CHAKA FERGUSON
Associated Press Writer
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Plenette Pierson scored 15 points and Aleah Johnson added 14 and 14 rebounds to lead No. 12 Texas Tech to a 66-59 win over New Mexico on Wednesday night.
After sitting out most of the first half with foul trouble, Pierson returned in the second half to give the Lady Raiders (6-0) a much-needed boost.
She scored 13 of her points in the second half and helped Texas Tech hold the Lady Lobos (4-4) to 20 percent shooting from the field. New Mexico had shot 48 percent in the first half to take a 31-30 lead at halftime.
New Mexico stayed close for most of the contest, taking its final lead on a Jordan Adams jumper to make it 45-40. But the Lady Raiders ran off seven straight points - five by Pierson - to make it 47-45. They never trailed again.
The Lobos had cut the lead to 51-50 on Sonya Bryant's layup, but Melinda Pharies knocked down a 3-pointer and Tanisha Ellison and Keitha Dickerson scored on back-to-back breakaway layups to increase the lead to 58-50.
Dickerson finished with 14 points for Texas Tech and nine rebounds and Pharies added 10 points. Adams led the Lady Lobos with 12 points, while Bryant finished with 9.