Texas Tech Athletics
Louisiana Tech
Lady Raiders Ousted By Louisiana Tech, 81-64
March 22, 2004 | Women's Basketball
March 23, 2004
By AMY BETH HANSON
Associated Press
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - Erica Smith-Taylor had quite a weekend in the first two rounds of the Mideast Regional.
The junior guard scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds Monday night, leading Louisiana Tech to an 81-64 victory over Texas Tech and into the NCAA round of 16.
Smith-Taylor surpassed her previous career high by one point, which she set in the first round. She made 10 of 16 shots, including four 3-pointers, and had seven assists to lead the fifth-seeded Lady Techsters (29-2) to their 20th straight win.
"We honestly don't draw up stuff for Erica in our timeouts. Maybe we should," Louisiana Tech coach Kurt Budke said. "But one of our strengths is our balance. We take what's there. With everybody double- and triple-teaming our posts, it's there.
"She's just willing us to win. She's not going to let us lose," he said.
Amber Obaze added 14 points, Amisha Carter had 13 points and 14 rebounds, and Trina Frierson scored 11 of her 13 points in the second half for Louisiana Tech.
Fourth-seeded Texas Tech (25-8) pulled to 43-39 early in the second half on a basket by Chesley Dabbs, but Frierson converted a three-point play followed by a basket. Smith-Taylor then hit a 3-pointer to put Louisiana Tech up 51-39 with 16:26 remaining.
"I'm disappointed we didn't defend her better," Texas Tech coach Marsha Sharpe said, "but she's one of the best wing players in the country. She's as good as anybody in the country, just maybe not as well known."
From there, Texas Tech got no closer than 59-48 on a 3-pointer by Alesha Robertson with 12:29 remaining. Louisiana Tech led by as many as 21 points.
"I'd like to congratulate Louisiana Tech. They played great," Sharpe said. "They were certainly more athletic at every position. I'm really impressed with their basketball team. I'm disappointed we didn't hang around longer and answer the bell. I hope it was a good learning experience for our younger players to understand what it takes at this level."
Texas Tech guard Erin Grant scored all 19 of her points in the first half to keep the game close, but was held to 0-of-4 shooting in the second half.
"I think they were taking away the drive all the way to the lane a little more," Grant said. "I had some good shots, they just didn't fall. That was the difference."
Budke told his team at halftime that shutting down Grant was the key to the game.
"We had the posts stepping out and we helped from the wings," Budke said. "We tried to clog it up more and have Erin shoot 8-footers instead of 2-footers."
Neither team led by more than three points until Carter scored four straight points to put Louisiana Tech up 33-28 with 4:26 left in the first half.
Smith-Taylor hit back-to-back baskets, the second a 3-pointer, followed by a 3-pointer by Lakiste Barkus to put Louisiana Tech up 43-32 with 1:44 left in the half.
Grant scored three points in the final 1:16 to make it 43-35 at halftime.
Robertson added 13 points for Texas Tech, and Casey Jackson had 12 rebounds.
Louisiana Tech outrebounded Texas Tech 47-37.
"They were monsters on the boards," Jackson said.
