Lady Raiders Host North Texas Sunday
December 01, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 1, 2001
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#8/9 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (2-2)
vs.
North Texas Lady Eagles (4-2)
December 2, 2001
Lubbock, Texas
2:15 p.m.
United Spirit Arena (15,050)
Sunday's Game
No. 8/9 Texas Tech (2-2) will take on North Texas (4-2) Sunday with tip-off at 2:15 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. It is the 13th meeting between the two schools.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 2-2 on the year after losing at New Mexico, 74-65, last Friday night. The Lady Raiders are led in scoring by sophomore Natalie Ritchie at 15.3 points per game. Sophomore Jia Perkins is averaging 11.8 points and sophomore Casey Jackson at 7.0. Jackson is also averaging 6.3 rebounds per outing, while Perkins is averaging 5.8. Perkins has team highs of 19 assists and 14 steals. Sophomore Jolee Ayers is the top shot blocker with six blocks. Senior Tanisha Ellison is shooting a team-high 60 percent from the field, while Ritchie is shooting 44.7 percent and 50 percent from three-point range. On the year, the Lady Raiders are shooting 41 percent from the field, 34 percent from the three-point arc and 65 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
North Texas enters the game with a 4-2 record after beating Texas-Arlington, 85-58, Nov. 27. In that game, senior Karen Lee had a game-high 15 points, while senior Nicole Thomas added 14 and sophomore Kim Blanton chipped in 11. Also scoring in double figures were seniors Jalie Mitchell and Shannan Stephenson with 10 points apiece. Mitchell also had a game-high nine rebounds. On the year, Mitchell leads the Lady Eagles in scoring with a 17.8 average. She is also the top rebounder, averaging six rebounds a game. Senior Rosalyn Reades has team highs of 26 assists and 13 steals. North Texas is shooting 43.3 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 71.1 percent from the free throw line.
Tina Slinker is in her 13th year as head coach of the Lady Eagles with a record of 145-185.
Series Record
Texas Tech holds a 10-2 advantage over North Texas. In their last meeting, the Lady Raiders defeated the Lady Eagles, 82-39, Dec. 2, 1996 in Denton. Tech has won eight-straight games against North Texas. The last time the Lady Eagles beat Tech was March 8, 1979 in a 67-63 victory in Denton.
Home Openers
The Lady Raiders own a 24-2 mark in home openers and an 18-1 record under head coach Marsha Sharp. Texas Tech's only home-opening loss in the Sharp era was a 67-64 defeat to Grambling State Dec. 1, 1989. Last year Tech beat Texas-Arlington, 78-40, on Nov. 20 in its first game in Lubbock.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will play two more contests at home against Rice Dec. 5 and Southern Miss Dec. 16. Tech will then hit the road again for games at Saint Peter's College Dec. 19 and Rutgers Dec. 21. The Lady Raiders will conclude 2001 by hosting Vanderbilt in the Triple Crown Classic Dec. 29. Colorado will play LSU in the first game of the classic in Lubbock on Dec. 29.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech history, head coach Marsha Sharp is 461-143 in her 20th year at the helm of the Lady Raiders. Entering the 2001-02 season, Sharp was the seventh active winningest coach among Division I coaches. She has led the Lady Raiders to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 12 consecutive, and eight NCAA Sweet 16 and three Elite Eight appearances and the NCAA National Championship in 1993. Sharp led the Lady Raiders to three-straight Big 12 Conference regular-season titles (1998-2000) and two tournament crowns (1998, 1999). While in the SWC, coach Sharp and the Lady Raiders never finished below third, they won or shared the last five championships, and they captured three Post-Season Classic titles.
A 1974 graduate of Wayland Baptist University, Sharp was named the National Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994. She also reaped SWC Coach of the Year honors seven times, five consecutively.
Last Time Out
(AP) - Jordan Adams overcame early foul trouble to score 21 points to lead New Mexico to a 74-65 victory over No. 9 Texas Tech on Friday night.
Mandi Moore scored 18 points for the Lobos (5-1). Lindsey Arndt added 12 points and six rebounds and Molly McKinnon scored 11.
Amber Tarr led Texas Tech (2-2) with 19 points. Natalie Ritchie added 13 and Tanisha Ellison 11.
Adams committed her third foul midway through the first half and sat out the rest of the half. But she played all of the second half without committing any additional fouls.