Thursday, November 5
Lubbock, Texas
5 p.m.
Texas Tech Athletics
vs
Charlotte
November 04, 2026 | Women's Basketball
The season tips off Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. against the 49ers inside United Supermarkets Arena.
LUBBOCK, Texas โ The Texas Tech Lady Raiders officially tip off the 2026-27 season Thursday, Nov. 5 welcoming the Charlotte 49ers to United Supermarkets Arena for the season opener at 5 p.m.
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"We have a chance to build something really special this year," said Head Coach Krista Gerlich.ย "Lady Raider Nation and our fans have the chance to be a part of something really special; we're going to see a lot of young kids grow and blossom on the court this year."
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Turnaround in West Texas
Coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history, head coach Krista Gerlich and the Lady Raiders look to build on the momentum of a historic 2025-26 campaign. Despite being picked 13th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, Texas Tech finished fourth in the conference with a 26-8 overall record and a 12-6 mark in Big 12 play, earning its highest conference finish since 2012-13. The 26 victories marked the program's most since 2002-03, while its 12 conference wins were the most since 2004-05. Tech also established a program-best 19-0 start and returned to the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2012. Gerlich's efforts earned her Big 12 Coach of the Year honors, making her just the second coach in program history to receive the distinction, joining Hall of Famer Marsha Sharp. She was also named a Naismith Coach of the Year semifinalist.
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Hitting New Heights
With just two players returning from last season's squad, the Lady Raiders will feature several new faces, including the long-awaited collegiate debut of Stephanie Okechukwu. The 7-foot-1 center joined the program in January 2026 but spent the remainder of last season awaiting initial eligibility clearance from the NCAA. Now cleared to compete, Okechukwu will make her first appearance in a Lady Raider uniform Thursday, becoming the tallest player in women's college basketball history. Originally from Nigeria, she attended Fukuchiyama Seibi High School in Kyoto, Japan, before beginning her collegiate career in Lubbock.
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One to Watch: Bristow
Jalynn Bristow headlines the returning group after a standout junior campaign that helped lead Texas Tech back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. The Holiday, Texas, native earned a spot on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame preseason top-20 Cheryl Miller Award 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. She picked up right where she left off in the exhibition opener against Angelo State, pouring in a game-high 26 points and grabbing nine rebounds.
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Youth Wave in Lubbock
The Lady Raiders enter the season with one of the youngest rosters in the Big 12, featuring six true freshmen who are all making the jump directly from high school. The group includes Ambrosia Cole (Monterey), Moriyah Douglass (John Burroughs), Gianna "GiGi" Jordan, Milania "MiMi" Jordan and Natalia Jordan (Kingdom Collegiate), and Kearney (Caney Creek). The six newcomers make this the youngest roster of the Gerlich era and the youngest Lady Raider squad in more than two decades.
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Hometown Hero
Among the highly touted newcomers is Lubbock native Ambrosia "Bro Bro" Cole, who elected to stay home and continue her basketball career as a Lady Raider. A four-star prospect, Cole ranked among the top 10 recruits in Texas and No. 92 nationally out of Monterey High School. She capped her prep career by helping lead the Lady Plainsmen to the 2025 Class 5A State Championship, finishing as the team's second-leading scorer during the title run. Cole recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game and earned TABC and TGCA All-State honors.
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Last Time Out: Exhibition Dub vs Angelo State
Texas Tech enters Thursday's opener following a dominant exhibition performance, rolling past Angelo State, 81-40, inside United Supermarkets Arena. Bristow led all scorers with 26 points and nine rebounds, while four Lady Raiders reached double figures. Okechukwu added 18 points in her exhibition debut, followed by Martina Anyango with 14 and Cole with 12. Anyango also grabbed six rebounds and went a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, while Cole paced the offense with six assists. As a team, Tech controlled the glass, 44-24, and converted 26 Angelo State turnovers into 34 points, building a 25-point halftime advantage before extending its lead to as many as 40.
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Scouting the 49ers
Charlotte enters the 2026-27 campaign following a 14-18 season in 2025-26, finishing 8-10 in American Conference play during head coach Reed's second season. The 49ers earned the No. 8 seed in the American Conference Championship before falling to No. 9 Florida Atlantic by four points in the opening round. Among Charlotte's notable victories last season were wins over UCF and Davidson, the latter securing the 704 Cup.
The 49ers return five players from last year's roster, including Zoe Best, Taliah Cornish, Ja'Navia Gage, Caroline Thiel and McKenzie Graves. Best started all but one contest last season, averaging 9.2 points per game while ranking third on the team with 14 blocks. Charlotte will also welcome nine newcomers to complement its returning group, including Da'Brya Clark, Audia Young, Mariah Sain, Isis Johnson-Musah, Jazlyn Harris, Alana Rouser, Destinee Salgado, Venus Emusi and Charish Thompson.
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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.
ย
ย
"We have a chance to build something really special this year," said Head Coach Krista Gerlich.ย "Lady Raider Nation and our fans have the chance to be a part of something really special; we're going to see a lot of young kids grow and blossom on the court this year."
ย
Turnaround in West Texas
Coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history, head coach Krista Gerlich and the Lady Raiders look to build on the momentum of a historic 2025-26 campaign. Despite being picked 13th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, Texas Tech finished fourth in the conference with a 26-8 overall record and a 12-6 mark in Big 12 play, earning its highest conference finish since 2012-13. The 26 victories marked the program's most since 2002-03, while its 12 conference wins were the most since 2004-05. Tech also established a program-best 19-0 start and returned to the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2012. Gerlich's efforts earned her Big 12 Coach of the Year honors, making her just the second coach in program history to receive the distinction, joining Hall of Famer Marsha Sharp. She was also named a Naismith Coach of the Year semifinalist.
ย
Hitting New Heights
With just two players returning from last season's squad, the Lady Raiders will feature several new faces, including the long-awaited collegiate debut of Stephanie Okechukwu. The 7-foot-1 center joined the program in January 2026 but spent the remainder of last season awaiting initial eligibility clearance from the NCAA. Now cleared to compete, Okechukwu will make her first appearance in a Lady Raider uniform Thursday, becoming the tallest player in women's college basketball history. Originally from Nigeria, she attended Fukuchiyama Seibi High School in Kyoto, Japan, before beginning her collegiate career in Lubbock.
ย
One to Watch: Bristow
Jalynn Bristow headlines the returning group after a standout junior campaign that helped lead Texas Tech back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. The Holiday, Texas, native earned a spot on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame preseason top-20 Cheryl Miller Award 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. She picked up right where she left off in the exhibition opener against Angelo State, pouring in a game-high 26 points and grabbing nine rebounds.
ย
Youth Wave in Lubbock
The Lady Raiders enter the season with one of the youngest rosters in the Big 12, featuring six true freshmen who are all making the jump directly from high school. The group includes Ambrosia Cole (Monterey), Moriyah Douglass (John Burroughs), Gianna "GiGi" Jordan, Milania "MiMi" Jordan and Natalia Jordan (Kingdom Collegiate), and Kearney (Caney Creek). The six newcomers make this the youngest roster of the Gerlich era and the youngest Lady Raider squad in more than two decades.
ย
Hometown Hero
Among the highly touted newcomers is Lubbock native Ambrosia "Bro Bro" Cole, who elected to stay home and continue her basketball career as a Lady Raider. A four-star prospect, Cole ranked among the top 10 recruits in Texas and No. 92 nationally out of Monterey High School. She capped her prep career by helping lead the Lady Plainsmen to the 2025 Class 5A State Championship, finishing as the team's second-leading scorer during the title run. Cole recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game and earned TABC and TGCA All-State honors.
ย
Last Time Out: Exhibition Dub vs Angelo State
Texas Tech enters Thursday's opener following a dominant exhibition performance, rolling past Angelo State, 81-40, inside United Supermarkets Arena. Bristow led all scorers with 26 points and nine rebounds, while four Lady Raiders reached double figures. Okechukwu added 18 points in her exhibition debut, followed by Martina Anyango with 14 and Cole with 12. Anyango also grabbed six rebounds and went a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, while Cole paced the offense with six assists. As a team, Tech controlled the glass, 44-24, and converted 26 Angelo State turnovers into 34 points, building a 25-point halftime advantage before extending its lead to as many as 40.
ย
Scouting the 49ers
Charlotte enters the 2026-27 campaign following a 14-18 season in 2025-26, finishing 8-10 in American Conference play during head coach Reed's second season. The 49ers earned the No. 8 seed in the American Conference Championship before falling to No. 9 Florida Atlantic by four points in the opening round. Among Charlotte's notable victories last season were wins over UCF and Davidson, the latter securing the 704 Cup.
The 49ers return five players from last year's roster, including Zoe Best, Taliah Cornish, Ja'Navia Gage, Caroline Thiel and McKenzie Graves. Best started all but one contest last season, averaging 9.2 points per game while ranking third on the team with 14 blocks. Charlotte will also welcome nine newcomers to complement its returning group, including Da'Brya Clark, Audia Young, Mariah Sain, Isis Johnson-Musah, Jazlyn Harris, Alana Rouser, Destinee Salgado, Venus Emusi and Charish Thompson.
ย
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
ย
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.
ย
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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