Lady Raider Basketball Welcomes Lamar for Monday Evening Match-Up

Monday, November 9

Lubbock, Texas

6 p.m.

Texas Tech Athletics

Lamar University

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Photo by: Rane Paulson/Texas Tech Athletics

November 08, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Buy Tickets Game Notes vs Lamar

The Lady Raiders look to advance to 2-0

By: Aiden Kocol

LUBBOCK, Texas – The Texas Tech Lady Raiders return to the court Monday evening for their second game of the 2026-27 season, welcoming the Lamar Cardinals to United Supermarkets Arena.

Texas Tech looks to build on its season-opening victory over Charlotte and move to 2-0 on the year while maintaining its perfect 12-0 all-time record against the Cardinals.

Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT, with the game streaming live on ESPN+ and available on the radio on 92.3 The Hub.

Last Time Out
The Lady Raiders opened the 2026-27 campaign in dominant fashion Thursday, cruising to a 64-37 victory over Charlotte inside United Supermarkets Arena. The 27-point win extended head coach Krista Gerlich's perfect record in season openers at Texas Tech. Destinee Hooks led all scorers with 16 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Ambrosia "Bro Bro" Cole added 12 points and a team-high four steals in her collegiate debut. Defensively, Tech forced 20 turnovers and held Charlotte to just 25.5 percent shooting from the floor. The Lady Raiders also controlled the glass, outrebounding the 49ers 44-36, led by Stephanie Okechukwu's 10 rebounds and three blocks in her collegiate debut. Jalayah Ingram contributed nine points, eight rebounds and four blocks, while Jalynn Bristow went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. Tech held Charlotte scoreless over the final eight minutes of the first half, taking a 32-11 advantage into the break before closing out the 27-point victory.

One to Watch: Hooks
A fifth-year transfer from New Mexico, Destinee Hooks wasted no time announcing her arrival in a Lady Raider uniform. Making an immediate impact in Tech's 2026-27 season opener against Charlotte, Hooks set the tone offensively, leading the way with a team-high 16 points on an impressive 53.8 percent shooting from the floor. Her impact extended well beyond the scoring column, as she added seven rebounds and two steals to deliver a statement performance on both ends of the court and help fuel Tech's season-opening victory.

Hitting New Heights
One of just two familiar faces returning to the Lady Raiders, Stephanie Okechukwu made her long-awaited collegiate debut Nov. 5 against Charlotte. After joining the program in January 2026, the 7-foot-1 center spent last season awaiting initial eligibility clearance from the NCAA. Now cleared to compete, and with four years of eligibility remaining, has put the college basketball world on watch, making history as the tallest player in women's college basketball history. In her collegiate debut, Okechukwu tallied double-digit rebounds (10) while adding in three blocks and six points.
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 add to her growing resume. The Holiday, Texas, native was named to the Naismith 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. One of just two returners from Tech's 26-win squad, Bristow picked up right where she left off, posting a team-high 26 points and nine rebounds in the team's exhibition win over Angelo State.

Hometown Hero
A Lubbock native, Ambrosia "Bro Bro" Cole chose to stay home and continue her basketball career as a Lady Raider after establishing herself as one of the premier prospects in the state. A four-star recruit out of Monterey High School, Cole ranked among the top 10 players in Texas and No. 92 nationally. She capped off a decorated prep career by helping lead the Lady Plainsmen to the 2025 Class 5A State Championship, finishing as the team's second-leading scorer and delivering a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in the title game. Now wearing the scarlet and black, Cole wasted no time translating that success to the collegiate level. In her first career outing against Charlotte, she made an immediate impact on both ends of the floor, recording a team-high four steals while pouring in 12 points to reach double figures in her collegiate debut.

Scouting the Cardinals
Solenne Olenga is currently leading the way for the Cardinals, she established new career highs with 16 points and four steals Monday, shooting an efficient 5-for-6 from the field. Kennedi Alexander poured in 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting, including 16 in the second half. Her 24-point effort marked the most points by a Cardinal newcomer in a season debut since Amber Vidal scored 26 at Oklahoma State on Nov. 8.

The Cardinals (1-1) fell to UT Arlington, 79-64, Thursday evening after the Mavericks turned in a hot shooting performance. Shaila Forman led Lamar with 19 points and 11 rebounds, recording a double-double, while Olenga added 12 points and 12 rebounds for her own double-double. Alexander chipped in 12 points off the bench. Forman tied her career high with 19 points, connecting on six field goals, including three 3-pointers, while going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Coincidentally, her previous 19-point performance also came in Lamar's second game of the 2026-27 season at Kansas State, where she recorded identical shooting numbers with six field goals, three 3-pointers and four free throws.

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.

100 Wins & Counting
Coach Krista Gerlich secured her 100th victory at the helm of the Lady Raiders on Feb. 10, 2026 against Kansas, marking a significant milestone in her coaching career. Gerlich now boasts 391 career wins as a head coach, surpassing the 101 victories she recorded as a player at Texas Tech (1989-93) under legendary head coach Marsha Sharp.

Non-Con Success
The Lady Raiders own a 63-13 record in nonconference play under head coach Krista Gerlich and enter the season riding a 15-game nonconference winning streak. The streak includes last season's perfect 13-0 nonconference campaign, marking Gerlich's first undefeated nonconference slate as a head coach and the program's first since 2019-20, when Texas Tech went 11-0 under head coach Marlene Stollings.

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.

Lady Raider season tickets are still available for the 2026-27 season by visiting TexasTech.com/tickets. Or you can purchase single game tickets at TexasTech.com/WBBSINGLE.