Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Oregon St
No. 9 Texas Tech Knocks Off Oregon State, 67-51
December 17, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Dec 17, 2002
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -Texas Tech's Plenette Pierson found what she needed while sitting on the bench Tuesday night after scoring only six points and committing five turnovers while playing 17 minutes.
"I was sitting there trying to find a way to get my team going," said Pierson, who finished with 19 points to lead Texas Tech to a 67-51 victory over Oregon State. "I didn't have a great first half and I needed to get out there and help my team."
It was the Lady Raiders' fifth straight win and their lowest point total of the season.
Tech (5-1) held Oregon State (5-3) scoreless for about five minutes in each half and only trailed briefly in the early going.
Tech allowed the Beavers to get as close as 36-32 with 16:13 remaining in the game. But Tech went on an 8-2 run to take a 44-34 lead.
Tech got off to a slow start, shooting as poorly as 25 percent early in the game. But as their shots began to fall, the Red Raiders went on an 12-2 run to lead 16-10.
"I think a lot of what we weren't able to execute tonight was because of their efforts," Tech coach Marsha Sharp said. "I think in some cases we did what Oregon State wanted us to do.
"We have to make sure we're looking for the best opportunity to shoot it."
Tech led 30-22 at halftime.
"We just kept telling our players just to keep playing hard and fight to keep it close," Beavers coach Judy Spoelstra said. "The good news at halftime was they only had 30 points. That's where we wanted to keep them."
But it was not to be. Tech held on and built its largest lead - 17 points - on a free throw by Pierson with 3:47 remaining in the game.
Hollye Chapman scored 18 points and Leilana Estavan added 12 to lead the Beavers.
Jia Perkins, who added 14 points for Tech, has scored in double figures in all six games this season.
Coming into the game, Tech had won its last four games by margins of at least 20 points.
The Lady Raiders lost their season opener to Louisiana Tech 76-85.
