Texas Tech University Athletics
Lady Raiders Host Rutgers
December 31, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 31, 2002
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Thursday's Game
No. 8/9 Texas Tech (9-1) hosts Rutgers (6-2) Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. It is the third meeting between the two schools. The game can be heard on the All Sports Radio Network with Ryan Hyatt and Crystal Boles calling the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 9-1 on the year after beating Rice, 70-66, last Monday. On the year, junior Jia Perkins leads the team in scoring with a 17.5 average followed by junior Plenette Pierson at 17.1 and sophomore Cisti Greenwalt at 10.7. Greenwalt is the top rebounder, grabbing 6.6 boards per outing. Greenwalt is shooting a team-high 59.5 percent from the field. Junior Miklannet Tennal is shooting 40 percent from three-point range, while junior Natalie Ritchie is shooting 36 percent. Grant has a team high of 74 assists, while Perkins leads the team in steals with 25. Greenwalt is the top shot blocker with 40 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 47.5 percent from the field, 35.5 percent from three-point range and 65.8 percent from the free throw line.
Scouting the Opponent
Rutgers enters the game with a 6-2 record after beating George Washington, 87-72, last Sunday. In that game, junior Dawn McCullouch scored a game-high 24 points followed by sophomore Chelsea Newton with 18, sophomore Cappie Pondexter with 14 and freshman Michelle Campbell with 10. Senior Mauri Horton and sophomore Amber Petillon each had five rebounds, while Pondexter dished out nine assists. Newton tallied five steals.
On the year, Pondexter leads the Scarlet Knights in scoring with a 13.5 average followed by Horton at 12.4, McCullouch at 11.8 and Newton at 11.3. Newton is the top rebounder as she is averaging 6.1 boards per contest. Pondexter has a team-high 50 assists, while Newton leads the team in steals with 23. Sophomore Rebecca Richman is the top shot blocker with eight blocks. Rutgers is shooting 44.5 percent from the field, 33.7 percent from the three-point line and 68.9 percent from the charity stripe.
C. Vivian Stringer is in her eighth season at the helm of the Scarlet Knights establishing a record of 139-86. She is also in her 31st season as a head coach with a career record of 659-221.
Series Record
The series between Texas Tech and Rutgers is tied 1-1 after the Lady Raiders defeated the Scarlet Knights, 62-49, Dec. 21, 2001 in New Brunswick, N.J. Rutgers won the first meeting, 53-42, on March 20, 1999 in the NCAA Sweet 16 in Normal, Ill.
Last Time vs. Rutgers
Dec. 21, 2001 - Jia Perkins scored 19 points and Amber Tarr added 11 as No. 12 Texas Tech beat Rutgers 62-49, extending its winning streak to five games.
The Lady Raiders pulled away with a 13-0 early in the second half, with Natalie Ritchie hitting a 3-pointer to give Texas Tech the lead with 15:30 to play.
Davalyn Cunningham led Rutgers with 20 points, and Dawn McCullouch added 13 points and 13 rebounds. Rutgers has lost four straight.
A Win on Thursday Would...
...give head coach Marsha Sharp her 489th career victory - just 11 shy of her 500th career win
...give Tech a 2-1 record against Rutgers
...give Tech a 10-game winning streak
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech will host Pacific Jan. 5 at 2 p.m. and open Big 12 play Jan. 8 at Texas A&M at 7 p.m. The Lady Raiders return home for a game with Baylor Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. On Jan. 11, Tech will be honoring the 1993 National Championship team.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech history, head coach Marsha Sharp is 488-154 in her 21st year at the helm of the Lady Raiders. Entering the 2002-03 season, Sharp was the seventh active winningest coach among Division I coaches. She has led the Lady Raiders to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 13 consecutive, and nine 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.
Sharp was also the head coach of the 2002 USA Basketball World Championship For Young Women Qualifying Team, which won the gold medal in Brazil.
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.
Grant Just Shy of Triple-Double and Plays First 40-Minute Game
Freshman Erin Grant was just shy of a triple-double at Rice as she had 11 points, nine assists and a career-high eight rebounds. Grant also added career highs of three steals and one block while playing her first 40-minute game at Texas Tech.
First Double-Double of Season for Greenwalt
Sophomore Cisti Greenwalt recorded her first double-double of the season with 21 points and a season-high 11 rebounds at Southern Miss. It also marked her fifth double-double of her career.
Tennal Scores Career High
Junior Miklannet Tennal came off the bench to score a career-high seven points, while tying her career highs of two rebounds and five assists at Southern Miss.
Assisting Ritchie
Junior Natalie Ritchie tallied a career-high five assists at Southern Miss. Ritchie's previous career high was three assists on five occasions.
