Go Lady Raiders!!!
RAIDER !!!! POWER !!!!
Game: Lady Raiders vs #25 Texas Longhorns
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2015
Time: 3:30pm CST
Location: "The United Spirit Arena" Lubbock, TX
Radio: TexasTech Sports Network (97.3 FM Lubbock) and 1300 AM The Zone (Austin, TX)
Stats: Gametracker
TV: FOX Sports Southwest (FSN)
Listen: TexasTechTV.com
The Lady Raiders (15-11, 5-9 Big12) came oh so close to beating the #3 team in the country, the Baylor Bears on Wednesday night. Tech hung close tying the game three times in a game where the lead switched six times. At the 1:27 minute, Amber Battle scored a layup and made the score 59-61, but the Bears sunk a layup in response and then made 4 free-throws to put the game away. Final Score Tech 60, Baylor 67. Ivonne CookTaylor scored 17 points and Amber Battle scored 16 points and Dayo Oalbode added 9 points and made 6 rebounds. All of the Lady Raiders stepped up their game and played solid. This squad has matured and improved tremendously this season. The Lady Raiders held Baylor to a 43.6% FG% and limited their Assists and Blocks to half of their average. Tech limited Baylor's Nina Davis, the Big 12's leading scorer who averages 21 ppg to only 12 points. I am proud of this team and have hopes that they finish strong in their final four games before the Big12 Tournament.
Head Coach Candi Whitaker on her opening statement in the post-game presser:
"Obviously disappointed when you don't win a game but extremely proud of how hard our group play. Definitely trying to do what we wanted to do as far as our game plan. I thought they really followed that well and fought hard. Tried to win the game and wanted to win the game. Obviously wish we had an opportunity at the end. Getting that last rebound to see if we could tie it and send us into over time.
Better. I think we're sharing the ball well, we're having more people step up and hit shots, and understanding just concepts in general. I think we're really growing in our basketball IQ."
Today the Lady Raiders take on the #25 Texas Longhorns (17-8, 6-8 Big12) at 3:30pm CST at "The USA" in Lubbock, TX. This game will also be the "Play-4-Kay" game so the unis will have pink and their will be funds raised for the Kay Yow Foundation. The annual Play 4 Kay Pink Game helps bring awareness each season to breast cancer and raise money for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. This will be the 94th meeting with UT leading the series 64-29. Tech played the Longhorns in Austin a month ago and played them tight. Since that game UT has lost their power-house player, Senior Forward #3 Nneka Enemkpali to injury and have struggled in their games. The Longhorns are currently lead by Junior Guard #32 Brady Sanders who adds an average of 8 ppg and 3.2 rpg and is 80.4% FT%. Sophomore Center # 40 Kelsey Lang averages 10.9 ppg and 6.4 rpg. Freshman Guard # 11 Brooke McCarty averages 7.4 ppg and 2.8 rpg and 78.6% FT% and is a strong 3-pt shooter. Freshman Guard # 24 Ariel Atkins averages 10.3 ppg and 3.6 rpg and makes over 82% of her free-throw shots. Sophomore Guard #20 Brianna Taylor averages 6.2 ppg and 4.1 rpg.
Texas is currently 2nd in the Big12 in Field Goal% Defense at 36.3%. UT is also in 2nd place in Rebounding Offense averaging 43.2/game and are in 1st spot in Rebounding Defense (32.2/game).
The Lady Raiders have the outside game down and have improved tremendously in shooting from beyond the arc and defending that area too. To win this game Tech has to push to get into the paint and get the 2nd chance points as well. I have confidence that Tech learned from their first round against the Longhorns and have improved enough to beat them at "The USA".
The Starters for today's game are: Sophomore Guard #2 Ivonne CookTaylor is averaging 8.8 ppg and 4.2 rpg; Junior Guard #11 Rayven Brooks had 7.8 points and 3.4 rebounds and is currently ranked 12th and 10th respectively in the Big12 standings for Blocked Shots and Steals with 22 blocks and 41 Steals this season; Senior Forward #41 Kelsi Baker averages 8.6 ppg and 5.1 rebounds and is ranked 14th in the Big12 standing in Offensive Rebounds (2.1 game) and 8th in FT% at 70.4% (69-98). Junior Forward #35 Jamie Roe averages 3.7 ppg and 3.5 rebounds; Senior Guard #12 Amber Battle who averages 16.2 ppg and 6 rebounds and is 76.2% accurate from the free-throw line. Battle is currently 1st in the Big12 in 3-pt FG% (42.3%), 4th in the Big 12 in scoring, 5th in FT percentage and in Defensive Rebounds (4.70 rpg).
Focus on the game at hand
Get the Win ..... Wreck'Em !!!!
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The game will be televised on FOX Southwest (FSN)
The game can be heard on the radio 93.7 FM (Lubbock and on the Texas Tech Sports Network )
Live stats will be available on Gametracker