Lady Raiders Host Fresno State Thursday
December 27, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 27, 2005
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The Games
Texas Tech (4-6) hosts Fresno State on Thurs., Dec. 29, at 7 p.m. at the United Spirit Arena. It is the final non-conference game for the Lady Raiders as they open Big 12 Conference play on Jan. 4 at Kansas State.
On the Air
There is no television coverage of this game. The game can be heard on the radio on the Texas Tech Sports Network as Ryan Hyatt (play-by-play) and Crystal Boles (color commentary) call the game.
The Lady Raiders
Texas Tech is 4-6 on the year after going 1-1 in the Caribbean Classic in Cancun, Mexico, Dec. 19-20, beating Louisville, 68-57, and losing to Virginia Tech, 69-62. On the year, senior LaToya Davis leads the team in scoring at 20.8 points per game followed by senior Erin Grant at 14.1 and junior Alesha Robertson at 10.0. Davis is also the top rebounder, grabbing 10.5 boards per outing, while Robertson is averaging 5.6 rebounds. Davis is shooting a team-high 63.8 percent from the field and Grant is shooting 63.6 percent from behind the three-point arc and 85.7 percent from the free throw line. Grant has team highs of 68 assists and 14 steals. Davis also has 14 steals. Sophomore Erin Myrick is the top shot blocker with 10 blocks. The Lady Raiders are shooting 44.2 percent from the field, 30.1 percent from three-point range and 66 percent from the charity stripe.
Scouting the Opponent
Fresno State owns a 7-3 record after winning at San Francisco, 73-53, Dec. 20. In that game, senior Mirenda Swearengin scored a game-high 22 points and senior Amy Parrish added 12 points. Swearengin also finished with game highs of six rebounds, four assists and five steals.
On the year, Swearengin paces the Bulldogs in scoring with an 18.0 average followed by Parrish at 15.1 and junior Chantella Perera at 13.7. Parrish is the top rebounder, averaging 8.0 rebounds per contest. Perera has a team-high 27 assists. Plummer leads the team in steals with 19 and in blocks with 16. Fresno State is shooting 44.1 percent from the field, 31.3 percent from three-point range and 70.3 percent from the free throw line.
Adrian Wiggins is in his first full season as head coach of the Bulldogs. Wiggins took over the team the last 11 games of the 2004-05 season. He has a record of 14-7 at Fresno State.
Series Record
It is the second meeting between Texas Tech and Fresno State as the Bulldogs won the first game between the two schools, 78-69, Nov. 25, 1989, at the Holiday Classic in Reno, Nev.
Last Time Out
Play concluded at the Caribbean Classic as the Texas Tech Lady Raiders fell to Virginia Tech, 69-62. Texas Tech dropped to 4-6 on the year, while the Hokies improved to 10-0.
Virginia Tech won the opening tip and scored the first point of the game on a free throw by Kerri Gardin. The Hokies didn't give up that lead the rest of the game. Virginia Tech got a 14-point lead twice in the first half before Texas Tech cut it to seven points twice, including the final bucket of the first half. The Hokies were up 32-25 at the half.
The Lady Raiders got within one point with 10:22 remaining in the game on a jumper by Erin Grant to put the score 44-43. But that was as close as the Lady Raiders would get.
LaToya Davis had her sixth double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Erin Grant finished with 16 points, four rebounds and seven assists. Erin Myrick added 14 points for the Lady Raiders. Brooke Baughman and Tiny Henderson both collected four assists each.
Virginia Tech was led by Dawn Chriss with 20 points.
Texas Tech shot 37.1 percent from the field, hitting 26-of-70 shot attempts. Virginia Tech connected on 27-of-46 shots for 58.1 percent, including shooting 60 percent in the first half.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech opens Big 12 Conference play on Jan. 4 at Kansas State at 7 p.m. The game at K-State will be televised on FSN Midwest. The Lady Raiders return home for two games: Jan. 7 vs. Texas A&M at 7 p.m. and Jan. 15 vs. Baylor at 2 p.m. The Texas A&M game will be televised on the Texas Tech Television Network, while the Baylor game will air on FSN. Tech hits the road for a game at Oklahoma on Jan. 18. The game is being televised on the Sooner Sports Network, which will air locally in Lubbock on UPN.
NCAA Stats
As of games through Dec. 19, Texas Tech ranks 21st in turnovers per game at 13.9, among all NCAA Division I teams. Senior LaToya Davis ranks seventh in field goal percentage at 65.1, eighth in points per game at 21.3 and 23rd in rebounds per game at 10.3 and senior Erin Grant ranks eighth in assists per game at 6.8, among all NCAA Division I players.
Senior CLASS Finalists
Seniors LaToya Davis and Erin Grant have been named one of 30 finalists for the 2006 Senior CLASS Award, which is presented annually to the nation's senior player of the year. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was launched during the 2001-02 season in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving college early to turn professional. A national media committee will select the 10 finalists in February.
More Double-Doubles for Davis
Senior LaToya Davis registered her fifth and sixth double-doubles of the season as she had 24 points and tied her season-high 13 rebounds against Louisville, and 16 points and 12 rebounds versus Virginia Tech in the Caribbean Classic. Davis has 16 double-doubles in her career. In the Caribbean Classic, Davis averaged 20 points and 12.5 rebounds, both tournament highs.
Myrick Putting Up Points
Sophomore Erin Myrick has scored in double figures in the last three games, including a career-high 17 points against Oral Roberts. Myrick scored 16 points against Louisville and 14 points versus Virginia Tech.
Biggest Win of the Season
Texas Tech got its biggest win of the season in a 41-point victory as it beat Oral Roberts 99-58 last week.
Davis Keeps on Going
Senior LaToya Davis scored a career-high 33 points in just 25 minutes of play against the ORU, including 25 first-half points. Her previous career high was 26 on two occasions.
First Double-Double of the Year for Grant
Senior Erin Grant recorded her first double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 assists against the Golden Eagles. The 11 assists tied her season high.
Career Highs for Myrick and Baughman
Sophomore Erin Myrick poured in a career-high 17 points against ORU, while junior Brooke Baughman dished out a career-high nine assists.
Starters Score in Double Digits
All five of Tech's starters scored in double figures led by Davis with 33, Grant and Myrick with 17 apiece and junior Alesha Robertson and freshman Tiny Henderson with 11 each.
Season-High Field Goal Percentage
The Lady Raiders shot a season-high 62.5 percent from the field (40-64) versus ORU. They shot 74.2 percent in the second half (23-31).
Grant Pours in Career High Points
Senior Erin Grant poured in a career-high 28 points in Tech's double overtime loss to Penn State. Her previous high was 27 against Kansas in 2004. She also hit a season-high two three-pointers against the Lady Lions.
Fourth Double-Double for Davis
Senior LaToya Davis had her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds at Penn State. The 13 rebounds tied her season high.
Block Buster
Junior Alesha Robertson tallied four blocks at Penn State for a new career high. Robertson's previous high was two blocks on three occasions. She also recorded season highs of 19 points and nine rebounds.
Davis Rallies in Second Half
Senior LaToya Davis scored just three points in the first half against Sacramento State as she played only eight minutes before picking up two fouls. Davis came back in the second half to spark the Lady Raiders as she scored 21 of her 24 points playing the final 20 minutes of the game. She was 10-for-12 on the night and collected nine rebounds.
Grant First to 700
Senior Erin Grant became the first player in Texas Tech history to collect 700 assists in her career. Grant got her 700th-career assist on a dish inside to senior LaToya Davis in the game against Sacramento State. Grant currently has 729 career assists.
Another 40-Minute Game
Senior Erin Grant played all 40 minutes against Sac State, marking her third game this season without a rest. Grant is averaging 36.30 minutes a game, which is second best among Big 12 players.
Another Henderson in the Making
The football team may have standout running back Taurean Henderson, but the Lady Raiders have another Henderson who is making her presence known on the basketball court - Tiny Henderson. Even though the two are not related both play an important role in their respective sports. Tiny Henderson, a Lubbock native, has started all eight games this season and scored in double figures in four of the eight games this year. She has also made a defensive presence, guarding some of the best players in the country. Against Sac State, she had career highs of five assists and four rebounds and scored 10 points in 34 minutes. In the prior game against Stanford, Henderson scored a career-high 16 points as she played a career-high 38 minutes.
Morris and Smith Get First Starts
Sophomore center Megan Morris and sophomore guard Judith Smith got their first-career starts against Sacramento State. Morris replaced sophomore Erin Myrick at the five, while Smith started in place of junior Alesha Robertson at the three.
Davis Doing Double Duty
Senior LaToya Davis recorded her third double-double of the year as she had 15 points and 13 rebounds versus Stanford.
Another Double-Double
Senior LaToya Davis registered her second double-double of the season and the 12th of her career as she finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds against Rice.
Smith Matches High Point Total
Sophomore Judith Smith came off the bench to tie her career high of 14 points at Rice and at Ole Miss. She also matched her career high of two three-pointers in both games.
Grant Dishes Double Digits
Senior Erin Grant dished out 11 assists at Rice, marking her first double-digit assist game this season. She also had 11 assists versus Oral Roberts. She has had 19 games of 10+ assists in her career.
Myrick Grabs High
Sophomore Erin Myrick grabbed a career-high eight rebounds at Rice. Her previous career-high was seven against Texas last season. She also scored a season-high eight points at Ole Miss.
Flowers Big on the Boards
Sophomore Tawanna Flowers grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against SEMO and tied her career-high seven points.
Davis Sets Tip-Off Classic Record
Senior LaToya Davis set a new State Farm Women's Tip-Off Classic record for field goal percentage as she was 10-for-13 for 76.9 percent against LSU. The old mark was 72.8 percent held by three players.
Getting the Start
Sophomore Erin Myrick and freshman Tiny Henderson got their first career starts against LSU. Myrick finished the game with four points, three rebounds and tied her career-high four blocks. Henderson, who played 34 minutes against the Lady Tigers, scored 11 points and added four steals and two assists. The last freshman to get her first start in the opening game was Erin Grant in 2002, which was also in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic against Louisiana Tech held in Knoxville, Tenn., that year.
Great Fan Support
Texas Tech had 14,641 fans in attendance for the State Farm Women's Tip-Off Classic, marking the 10th-largest crowd at the United Spirit Arena for a women's basketball game.
Grant Closing in on Big 12 Record
Senior Erin Grant holds the Texas Tech career assists record with 729 assists. Grant's 729 assists are second all-time in the Big 12 Conference. Standing in first is Stacey Dales (Oklahoma 1998-02) with 764 assists. Grant has averaged 220.3 assists per year in her first three seasons.
Robertson on the Move
Junior Alesha Robertson has 898 career points and is looking to crack the 1,000-point mark this season. Robertson currently stands seventh all-time in three-point field goal attempts (294) and ninth in three-point field goals made (109).
Home Sweet Home
Texas Tech has won 91 of its 101 games it has played at the United Spirit Arena for a .901 winning percentage. In the Sharp era, the Lady Raiders have won 281 of their 325 home contests (.865 percent). Tech has produced five perfect seasons at home 1999-00 (16-0), 1998-99 (14-0), 1995-96 (16-0), 1992-93 (15-0) and 1991-92 (11-0).
Sharp the Best in the Big 12
Texas Tech head coach Marsha Sharp has produced the most wins of any coach in Big 12 play. Sharp had led the Lady Raiders to a Big 12-leading 109 conference wins since 1997.
Diploma in Hand
Senior Erin Grant is not only a standout on the court, but also in the classroom. Grant graduated from Texas Tech last May with degrees in marketing and general business in just three years. She is currently working on her MBA.
Winning Percentage By Class
The senior class is 82-28 (.745) mark and 35-13 (.729) in the conference. The junior class posts a record of 53-22 (.707) and 22-10 (.688). The sophomore class is 28-14 (.667) and 12-4 (.750) in the league, while the freshmen are 4-6 (.400).
Sister Act
The Lady Raiders welcome their first pair of sisters to their roster this season in sophomore Darrice Griffin and freshman Teddy Griffin. They are also the first second generation players to play for head coach Marsha Sharp. The Griffins' mother, Tami Wilson, played for Texas Tech in 1990-92.
On the Tube
Texas Tech will have 17 regular-season games televised this season. Tech will appear on ESPN2 three times: LSU (L, 68-76), at Penn State (L 2OT, 72-78) and at Texas Feb. 26; and on ESPNU once: Texas Feb. 1. The Lady Raiders will play on FSN six times: Stanford (L, 63-66), Baylor Jan. 15, Nebraska Jan. 21, at Missouri Jan. 28, at Texas A&M Feb. 5 and at Baylor Feb. 19. Tech will play on FSN Midwest at Kansas State Jan. 4. The Texas Tech Television Network will air the following games: Sac State (W, 63-53), Oral Roberts (W, 99-58), Texas A&M Jan. 7, Colorado Feb. 11 and Oklahoma March 1. Tech's game at Oklahoma Jan. 18 will be on the Sooner Sports Network and broadcast back to Lubbock.
Preseason Honors
Senior Erin Grant has been named a preseason Player of the Year Candidate for The State Farm Wade Trophy and the Wooden Award as well as preseason All-Big 12. Grant was also named preseason first team All-America by Women's Basketball News Service and high honorable mention by Street & Smith's . Senior LaToya Davis was named honorable mention by Street & Smith's. Davis, senior Chesley Dabbs and junior Alesha Robertson were selected preseason honorable mention All-Big 12.
ESPN Experts Like Grant
ESPN.com grilled its panel of experts - bracket Charlie Creme, columnist Mechelle Voepel and ESPN's Nancy Lieberman and Beth Mowins on their picks for the 2005-06 season. Texas Tech's Erin Grant was picked the best passer in the country by Creme, Lieberman and Voepel, while Voepel chose Grant as the best ball handler in the nation. Creme and Lieberman also picked the Lady Raiders to win the Big 12 Championship.
Dabbs to Redshirt
Senior Chesley Dabbs will redshirt the 2005-06 season after having surgery to her left knee on Nov. 10 to repair a torn ACL and meniscus. Dabbs suffered the injury during preseason workouts.
Follow the Lady Raiders
All Lady Raider basketball games can be heard live on the Texas Tech Sports Network on KFYO-AM 790 and KKCL-FM 98.1 locally. Listen to play-by-play by Ryan Hyatt as he takes the court with the Lady Raiders. The following radio stations will air the Lady Raider basketball games this season:
Amarillo - KIXZ-AM (940)
Haskell - KVRP-FM (97.1)
Hereford - KPAN-AM/FM (860/106.3)
Lamesa - KPET-AM (690)
Lubbock - KFYO-AM/KKCL-FM (790/98.1)
Midland - KMMD/KRIL-AM (1510/1410)
Plainview - KVOP-AM (1090)
Lady Raider Basketball with Marsha Sharp
Marsha Sharp's weekly television show, Lady Raider Basketball with Marsha Sharp, is televised every Sunday on FOX34 at 10 p.m. and UPN Lubbock at 10:30 p.m.
The Marsha Sharp Radio Show
The Marsha Sharp Radio Show will be held each Monday starting Jan. 9 from 6-7 p.m. The show will air on KFYO-AM 790 and KKCL-FM 98.1 locally. The site for the show will be announced at a later date.
Lady Raiders Ink Two to National Letters of Intent
Texas Tech signed two standout student-athletes to National Letters of Intent: Raquel Christian (Midland, Texas) and Jordan Murphree (Brock, Texas). Christian is a 5-7 guard from Midland High School and Murphree is a 5-11 guard from Brock High School.
Lubbock - The Place to Live
The first-ever Coldwell Banker® College Market Home Price Comparison Index (HPCI) found that fans and alumni of Texas Tech should stand and cheer. Lubbock, Texas, ranks as the most affordable college town in the study, with an average home price of $164,133. The College Market HPCI evaluated average home values for a single-family dwelling in a middle-management community measuring approximately 2,200 square feet with four bedrooms, two and one-half baths, a family room (or equivalent) and two-car garage. The snapshot study examined 59 markets that are home to the premier college football programs in the country. Palo Alto, Calif., home of Stanford, topped the charts as the most expensive college town in the index at $1,550,000.
