Friday, November 13
Lubbock, Texas
6 p.m.
Texas Tech Athletics
vs
Auburn University
November 12, 2026 | Women's Basketball
Texas Tech welcomes the Tigers to United Supermarkets Arena for a 6 p.m. tipoff on Friday.
LUBBOCK, Texas โ The Lady Raiders are set for a Friday night matchup, welcoming the Auburn Tigers to United Supermarkets Arena on Nov. 13.
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Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT, with the game airing live on ESPN+. Friday's contest marks just the third all-time meeting between the two programs, with the series currently knotted at 1-1. Texas Tech will look to take the all-time series lead with a victory over the Tigers.
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Lady Raider Lockdown
A suffocating defensive identity has long been a trademark of Lady Raider basketball under head coach Krista Gerlich, and this season's squad is continuing to elevate that standard. Last season, Texas Tech ranked 29th nationally and second in the Big 12 in scoring defense, holding opponents to 57.9 points per game. Through the opening two weeks of this season, the Lady Raiders have taken that defensive mentality to another level, establishing themselves among the nation's elite defensive teams. Tech currently leads the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing just 32.5 points per game, more than 10 points fewer than the next closest conference opponent, Oklahoma State (44.3). The Lady Raiders also lead the conference with 8.0 blocks per game and hold opponents to just 21.17 percent shooting from the field. The numbers place Texas Tech among the nation's best in all three categories, ranking second nationally in scoring defense, third in opponent field goal percentage and seventh in blocked shots per game.
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Veteran Rookie
Ambrosia "Bro Bro" Cole logged her first career double-double on Monday, Nov. 9 vs Lamar tallying 10 points and 11 rebounds. This makes her one of just two Big 12 freshmen to record a double-double this early in the season and one of only ten major conference freshmen nationally. She is the ninth Lady Raider in program history to record a double-double during her freshman season. Cole reached the milestone in just her second collegiate game, making her the second-fastest freshman to accomplish the feat. Only two Lady Raiders have recorded double-doubles in their collegiate debuts: Dayo Olabode (10 points, 14 rebounds) on Nov. 14, 2014, and Alexis Tucker (23 points, 13 rebounds) on Nov. 14, 2019.
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One to Watch: Okechukwu
Stephanie Okechukwu made her long-awaited collegiate debut on Nov. 5 against Charlotte, making an immediate impact with 10 rebounds, three blocks and six points. Just one game later, Okechukwu showcased another dimension of her game, leading the Lady Raiders with a team-high 21 points in Tech's 50-point victory over Lamar on Nov. 9. In just her second collegiate appearance, the 7-foot-1 center demonstrated her ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor, with her confidence continuing to grow with each outing.
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Bristow Generating Buzz
Coming off a standout junior season that helped lead the Lady Raiders back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, Jalynn Bristow continues to build an impressive resume. The Holiday, Texas, native earned a spot on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Cheryl Miller Award preseason watch list, recognizing the nation's top small forwards. Bristow led the Big 12 with 69 blocks last season while adding 42 3-pointers and a team-high 189 rebounds. Bristow has carried that momentum into her senior campaign, wasting little time showcasing her all-around impact. Against Lamar on Nov. 9, she recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds, five steals, five assists and two blocks, filling the stat sheet in Tech's 50-point victory. Bristow is one of just three players from a major conference to lead her team in rebounds, assists and steals.
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Turnaround in West Texas
After being picked 13th in the preseason Big 12 poll, Gerlich led Texas Tech to a historic 2025-26 campaign, opening the year with a program-best 19-0 start. The Lady Raiders finished fourth in the conference with a 26-8 overall record and 12-6 mark in Big 12 play, earning their highest conference finish since 2012-13. The 26 victories marked the program's most since 2002-03, while the 12 conference wins were its most since 2004-05. Gerlich's efforts earned her Big 12 Coach of the Year honors, making her just the second head coach in program history to receive the distinction, joining Hall of Famer Marsha Sharp. Gerlich also became a Naismith Coach of the Year semifinalist as Tech returned to the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2012.
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Hook, Line and Scorer
A fifth-year transfer from New Mexico, Destinee Hooks wasted no time making her presence felt in a Lady Raider uniform. In Tech's 2026-27 season opener against Charlotte, Hooks set the offensive tone, leading the team with 16 points. She followed that performance with another double-digit outing against Lamar, adding 10 points to mark her 54th career collegiate game with double figures. A versatile three-level scorer, Hooks is shooting 57.89 percent from the field and 42.86 percent from beyond the arc.
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Youth Wave in Lubbock
The Lady Raiders feature six freshmen on this season's roster: Cole (Monterey), Douglass (John Burroughs), G. Jordan, M. Jordan and N. Jordan (Kingdom Collegiate), and Kearney (Caney Creek), making them the youngest team in the Big 12. All six are true freshmen coming directly out of high school, marking the youngest roster of the Krista Gerlich era and the youngest Lady Raider squad in more than two decades.
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Last Time Out
The Texas Tech Lady Raiders improved to 2-0 Monday evening with a dominant 78-28 victory over Lamar inside United Supermarkets Arena. The 28 points allowed marked the fewest by an opponent in the Gerlich era and the lowest total surrendered by Tech since 2010. Four Lady Raiders reached double figures, led by Stephanie Okechukwu with 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting in just her second collegiate game. Jalynn Bristow added 15 points, while Ambrosia Cole and Destinee Hooks chipped in 10 apiece. Bristow and Cole each recorded double-doubles, with Bristow finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the third of her career. Cole secured her first collegiate double-double with 10 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, becoming one of just four freshmen nationally to record a double-double this season. Tech's defensive dominance set the tone, holding Lamar to eight points in each of the first two quarters before limiting the Cardinals to just 10 points in the second half. The Lady Raiders forced 20 turnovers, outrebounded Lamar 50-35 and held the Cardinals to 18.3 percent shooting from the floor to secure the 50-point victory.
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Gerlich vs the SEC
Head Coach Krista Gerlich has posted a 3-6 overall record against SEC opponents in her tenure at Texas Tech, including a 2-3 mark in regular-season matchups. The Lady Raiders have not dropped a regular-season contest to an SEC opponent since December 2021, when they fell 74-60 to then-No. 21 LSU. Tech's most recent meeting with an SEC foe came in the second round of last season's NCAA Tournament, where the Lady Raiders once again faced then-No. 5 LSU.
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The Energizer
Senior guard/forward Jalayah Ingram made an emphatic first impression in her Lady Raider debut against Charlotte, embodying the toughness and tenacity that define Lady Raider basketball. The UTRGV transfer made her presence felt across the stat sheet, finishing with nine points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Affectionately known as "Bunny," Ingram brought energy to every corner of the floor on Thursday evening, sparking the Lady Raiders on both ends of the court and showcasing the versatility and grit she brings to the squad.
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Roster Reinforcements
Under the NCAA's new 5-for-5 ruling, Gerlich secured two key late additions to the 2026-27 roster in Martina Anyango and Mya Petticord. Bringing a wealth of international and professional experience, Anyango adds a unique dimension to the Lady Raiders after competing for the UCU Lady Canons and Uganda's National Team. She helped lead UCU to the 2026 National Basketball League (NBL) Championship, earning Playoffs Most Valuable Player honors after averaging a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double throughout the postseason. Anyango also claimed NBL Best Center honors, led the league in rebounding and earned a spot on the NBL Best Five Team.
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Scouting the Tigers
Auburn enters the 2026-27 season with a mix of returning experience and new talent as head coach Larry Vickers begins his second season on the Plains. The Tigers return six players from last year's roster, led by graduate guard Kaitlyn Duhon, who averaged 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while recording more than 100 steals, becoming just the second player in program history to reach the milestone in a single season. Senior guard Ja'Mia Harris also returns after averaging 7.5 points and 3.2 rebounds, while Auburn adds eight newcomers, including six transfers and two freshmen. The incoming class features several Power Four transfers, highlighted by former Seton Hall guard Zahara Bishop, who earned BIG EAST All-Freshman honors after averaging 8.4 points and 3.3 rebounds, and graduate forward Jessica Peterson, who averaged 10.3 points and 12.0 rebounds at SMU in 2024-25. Auburn also welcomes two ESPN Top-100 freshmen in Ashley Knox and Zaniyah Williams. In his first season at the helm, Vickers guided the Tigers to a 15-17 overall record, highlighted by victories over Florida and No. 21 Alabama, along with a second-round appearance in the SEC Tournament. Prior to Auburn, Vickers spent 10 seasons at Norfolk State, compiling a 177-99 record and leading the Spartans to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and four straight MEAC regular-season titles.
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Auburn is currently 3-0 on the season, last defeating Furman, 74-56, behind a game-high 20 points from Phoenix Stotijn. The Tigers dominated the glass, outrebounding the Paladins 50-27, including 19 offensive rebounds, while holding Furman to 31.5 percent shooting. Auburn also used a pivotal 19-0 run in the third quarter to take control.
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Follow the Lady Raiders: Keep up with Texas Tech women's basketball news at TexasTech.com and at team's social media on Instagram, X and Facebook. ย
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Lady Raider season tickets are still available for the 2026-27 season by visitingย TexasTech.com/tickets. Or you can purchase single game tickets at TexasTech.com/WBBSINGLE.
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Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT, with the game airing live on ESPN+. Friday's contest marks just the third all-time meeting between the two programs, with the series currently knotted at 1-1. Texas Tech will look to take the all-time series lead with a victory over the Tigers.
ย
Lady Raider Lockdown
A suffocating defensive identity has long been a trademark of Lady Raider basketball under head coach Krista Gerlich, and this season's squad is continuing to elevate that standard. Last season, Texas Tech ranked 29th nationally and second in the Big 12 in scoring defense, holding opponents to 57.9 points per game. Through the opening two weeks of this season, the Lady Raiders have taken that defensive mentality to another level, establishing themselves among the nation's elite defensive teams. Tech currently leads the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing just 32.5 points per game, more than 10 points fewer than the next closest conference opponent, Oklahoma State (44.3). The Lady Raiders also lead the conference with 8.0 blocks per game and hold opponents to just 21.17 percent shooting from the field. The numbers place Texas Tech among the nation's best in all three categories, ranking second nationally in scoring defense, third in opponent field goal percentage and seventh in blocked shots per game.
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Veteran Rookie
Ambrosia "Bro Bro" Cole logged her first career double-double on Monday, Nov. 9 vs Lamar tallying 10 points and 11 rebounds. This makes her one of just two Big 12 freshmen to record a double-double this early in the season and one of only ten major conference freshmen nationally. She is the ninth Lady Raider in program history to record a double-double during her freshman season. Cole reached the milestone in just her second collegiate game, making her the second-fastest freshman to accomplish the feat. Only two Lady Raiders have recorded double-doubles in their collegiate debuts: Dayo Olabode (10 points, 14 rebounds) on Nov. 14, 2014, and Alexis Tucker (23 points, 13 rebounds) on Nov. 14, 2019.
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One to Watch: Okechukwu
Stephanie Okechukwu made her long-awaited collegiate debut on Nov. 5 against Charlotte, making an immediate impact with 10 rebounds, three blocks and six points. Just one game later, Okechukwu showcased another dimension of her game, leading the Lady Raiders with a team-high 21 points in Tech's 50-point victory over Lamar on Nov. 9. In just her second collegiate appearance, the 7-foot-1 center demonstrated her ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor, with her confidence continuing to grow with each outing.
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Bristow Generating Buzz
Coming off a standout junior season that helped lead the Lady Raiders back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013, Jalynn Bristow continues to build an impressive resume. The Holiday, Texas, native earned a spot on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Cheryl Miller Award preseason watch list, recognizing the nation's top small forwards. Bristow led the Big 12 with 69 blocks last season while adding 42 3-pointers and a team-high 189 rebounds. Bristow has carried that momentum into her senior campaign, wasting little time showcasing her all-around impact. Against Lamar on Nov. 9, she recorded 15 points, 10 rebounds, five steals, five assists and two blocks, filling the stat sheet in Tech's 50-point victory. Bristow is one of just three players from a major conference to lead her team in rebounds, assists and steals.
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Turnaround in West Texas
After being picked 13th in the preseason Big 12 poll, Gerlich led Texas Tech to a historic 2025-26 campaign, opening the year with a program-best 19-0 start. The Lady Raiders finished fourth in the conference with a 26-8 overall record and 12-6 mark in Big 12 play, earning their highest conference finish since 2012-13. The 26 victories marked the program's most since 2002-03, while the 12 conference wins were its most since 2004-05. Gerlich's efforts earned her Big 12 Coach of the Year honors, making her just the second head coach in program history to receive the distinction, joining Hall of Famer Marsha Sharp. Gerlich also became a Naismith Coach of the Year semifinalist as Tech returned to the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2012.
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Hook, Line and Scorer
A fifth-year transfer from New Mexico, Destinee Hooks wasted no time making her presence felt in a Lady Raider uniform. In Tech's 2026-27 season opener against Charlotte, Hooks set the offensive tone, leading the team with 16 points. She followed that performance with another double-digit outing against Lamar, adding 10 points to mark her 54th career collegiate game with double figures. A versatile three-level scorer, Hooks is shooting 57.89 percent from the field and 42.86 percent from beyond the arc.
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Youth Wave in Lubbock
The Lady Raiders feature six freshmen on this season's roster: Cole (Monterey), Douglass (John Burroughs), G. Jordan, M. Jordan and N. Jordan (Kingdom Collegiate), and Kearney (Caney Creek), making them the youngest team in the Big 12. All six are true freshmen coming directly out of high school, marking the youngest roster of the Krista Gerlich era and the youngest Lady Raider squad in more than two decades.
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Last Time Out
The Texas Tech Lady Raiders improved to 2-0 Monday evening with a dominant 78-28 victory over Lamar inside United Supermarkets Arena. The 28 points allowed marked the fewest by an opponent in the Gerlich era and the lowest total surrendered by Tech since 2010. Four Lady Raiders reached double figures, led by Stephanie Okechukwu with 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting in just her second collegiate game. Jalynn Bristow added 15 points, while Ambrosia Cole and Destinee Hooks chipped in 10 apiece. Bristow and Cole each recorded double-doubles, with Bristow finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the third of her career. Cole secured her first collegiate double-double with 10 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, becoming one of just four freshmen nationally to record a double-double this season. Tech's defensive dominance set the tone, holding Lamar to eight points in each of the first two quarters before limiting the Cardinals to just 10 points in the second half. The Lady Raiders forced 20 turnovers, outrebounded Lamar 50-35 and held the Cardinals to 18.3 percent shooting from the floor to secure the 50-point victory.
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Gerlich vs the SEC
Head Coach Krista Gerlich has posted a 3-6 overall record against SEC opponents in her tenure at Texas Tech, including a 2-3 mark in regular-season matchups. The Lady Raiders have not dropped a regular-season contest to an SEC opponent since December 2021, when they fell 74-60 to then-No. 21 LSU. Tech's most recent meeting with an SEC foe came in the second round of last season's NCAA Tournament, where the Lady Raiders once again faced then-No. 5 LSU.
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The Energizer
Senior guard/forward Jalayah Ingram made an emphatic first impression in her Lady Raider debut against Charlotte, embodying the toughness and tenacity that define Lady Raider basketball. The UTRGV transfer made her presence felt across the stat sheet, finishing with nine points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Affectionately known as "Bunny," Ingram brought energy to every corner of the floor on Thursday evening, sparking the Lady Raiders on both ends of the court and showcasing the versatility and grit she brings to the squad.
ย
Roster Reinforcements
Under the NCAA's new 5-for-5 ruling, Gerlich secured two key late additions to the 2026-27 roster in Martina Anyango and Mya Petticord. Bringing a wealth of international and professional experience, Anyango adds a unique dimension to the Lady Raiders after competing for the UCU Lady Canons and Uganda's National Team. She helped lead UCU to the 2026 National Basketball League (NBL) Championship, earning Playoffs Most Valuable Player honors after averaging a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double throughout the postseason. Anyango also claimed NBL Best Center honors, led the league in rebounding and earned a spot on the NBL Best Five Team.
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Scouting the Tigers
Auburn enters the 2026-27 season with a mix of returning experience and new talent as head coach Larry Vickers begins his second season on the Plains. The Tigers return six players from last year's roster, led by graduate guard Kaitlyn Duhon, who averaged 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while recording more than 100 steals, becoming just the second player in program history to reach the milestone in a single season. Senior guard Ja'Mia Harris also returns after averaging 7.5 points and 3.2 rebounds, while Auburn adds eight newcomers, including six transfers and two freshmen. The incoming class features several Power Four transfers, highlighted by former Seton Hall guard Zahara Bishop, who earned BIG EAST All-Freshman honors after averaging 8.4 points and 3.3 rebounds, and graduate forward Jessica Peterson, who averaged 10.3 points and 12.0 rebounds at SMU in 2024-25. Auburn also welcomes two ESPN Top-100 freshmen in Ashley Knox and Zaniyah Williams. In his first season at the helm, Vickers guided the Tigers to a 15-17 overall record, highlighted by victories over Florida and No. 21 Alabama, along with a second-round appearance in the SEC Tournament. Prior to Auburn, Vickers spent 10 seasons at Norfolk State, compiling a 177-99 record and leading the Spartans to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and four straight MEAC regular-season titles.
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Auburn is currently 3-0 on the season, last defeating Furman, 74-56, behind a game-high 20 points from Phoenix Stotijn. The Tigers dominated the glass, outrebounding the Paladins 50-27, including 19 offensive rebounds, while holding Furman to 31.5 percent shooting. Auburn also used a pivotal 19-0 run in the third quarter to take control.
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Follow the Lady Raiders: Keep up with Texas Tech women's basketball news at TexasTech.com and at team's social media on Instagram, X and Facebook. ย
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Lady Raider season tickets are still available for the 2026-27 season by visitingย TexasTech.com/tickets. Or you can purchase single game tickets at TexasTech.com/WBBSINGLE.
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Players Mentioned
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