Tech women maintain winning streak against Texas State
The Texas Tech women’s basketball team continued its run of home success on Wednesday night at the United Spirit Arena, defeating Texas State 75-71 to secure a fifth-consecutive victory.
After a hard-fought opening half, the Lady Raiders (6-1) opened a 12-point lead early in the second half and never looked back.
Texas Tech's Monique Smalls (23) drives past the defense of Texas State's Aimee Hilburn (34) during their game Wednesday at United Spirit Arena in Lubbock. (Merissa Ferguson/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
The Bobcats (2-3) went on a 13-0 run in the final three minutes, but it still wasn’t enough to overcome the Raiders.
Sophomore center Kierra Mallard once again paced Tech, scoring a career-high 25 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 15 points in the second half.
Mallard, who entered the game averaging 14.7 points, was joined in double figures by Jordan Murphree (13), Ashlee Roberson (12) and Monique Smalls (10).
Tech head coach Kristy Curry had previously called out the starting senior guard Murphree for failing to score in the first half in four of the teams’ first six games.
Murphree seemed to have gotten the message, scoring seven points in the first half on 3-of-7 shooting, including a 3-pointer with 1:24
remaining. She finished with 13 points, two shy of her season high, and five assists.
Murphree was also a sparkplug on defense with five of the team’s 16 steals.
Out of the Southland Conference, the Bobcats have now lost all 11 meetings against the Lady Raiders, including three since Curry took over as head coach.
The first half was significantly closer than the 41-34 score would seem to indicate.
Tech managed to control the pace despite being outshot by Texas State. The Bobcats were significantly better with a 60 percent (15-for-25) field-goal percentage, compared to the Lady Raiders 45.5 percent (15-of-33).
Tech took a 5-4 lead with 17:17 left in the half and never relinquished it. When Mallard hit a jumper five minutes later, Tech had accumulated an eight-point lead.
From that point on, though, the Bobcats began to take advantage of some sloppy play by the Lady Raiders, who committed 10 first-half turnovers.
Texas State clawed its way back into the game, coming within one point when senior forward Aimee Hilburn sank a pair of free throws with just less than three-and-a-half minutes left.
The Lady Raiders managed to finish the half strong, thanks in part to the Bobcats’ inability to stay out of foul trouble. Tech did what it was supposed to do, going 10-for-14 (71.4 percent) from the charity stripe in the half. The Lady Raiders finished 19-for-27 (70.4 percent).
To Tech’s credit, the Lady Raiders committed only six fouls in the first half, giving the Bobcats only four chances from the free-throw line.
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This ugly win, combined with ugly wins over Prairie View, only confirm that this team is not ready to compete in the Big 12. Baylor clobbered Prairie View tonight, whereas Tech barely squeaked by. I hope the Lady Raiders can continue to improve and grow up fast. Murphee doesn’t look as if she is going to provide any leadership…a senior who CAN”T score in the first half? I understand occasionally this might happen but in two thirds of the games they have played…against crummy opponents? We are headed for a long season I fear, and then we can have a great bon voyage party for Kristy Curry. She worried that she would not be able to live up to Sharpe’s legacy, and it’s pretty obvious that she dang sure hasn’t!!!!
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scracth the Baylor v. Prairie View sentence, and then keep the rest. Maybe Curry should follow Knight’s advice about NOT scheduling a cream puff preseason so that your team understand what quality competition on the road. HMMMM, how many games did the Lady Raider’s win last year on the road?????
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i watched the whole game and i thought we did pretty well, the posts for texas state made every single shot, it was unbelievable, it could have been much worse, we also missed at least 10 free throws, so the game could have been worse for texas state
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Wayland beat LCU
LCU beat Tech
Tech is No. 3 on the South Plains
Probably No. 4 (Panhandle) if they played West Texas A&M
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Jim I think you are right. Abilene Christian beat LCU. St. Mary’s beat Abilene Christian and WT crushed St. Mary’s. I hope Tech will continue to win and improve. I want Jim and I to be wrong, but I don’t think I am. Well good luck to the Lady Raiders and please prove me wrong this season!
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Um, Jim, in case you need a reminder, that Lcu game was an exibition. Means absolutely nothing.
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I thought that the LRs played ok last night. I see some good things happening on the court. Great hustle on the defensive end. Monique Smalls reminds me a little of Erin Grant, but I think she is more aggressive on the defensive end. Everyone remember, Smalls, along with 5 others are Freshmen. Every team has to start somewhere. I know other teams rebuild and it doesn’t take 4 years, but it has in Lubbock. Hopefully these six freshmen will be the new foundation for the next generation of Lady Raider champions. I think Ashlee Roberson is playing her best ball since she has been in Lubbock, and I have seen the senior leadership out of her that she is needing to provide.
I understand the team not being as good as it has in the past. I understand having an easy schedule. I undestand how this does not help attendance. If there is anything this year that I am most disappointed in is the lack of support the “LADY RAIDER NATION” is showing this team and the three previous teams since Marsha Sharp left. The announced attendance last night was 6,300 something, when in all actuallity the attendance was probably in the 1,200 to 1,300 range. Where are the other numbers coming from. Ticket Sales. If there are over 6,000 tickets sold, then why don’t those other fans come to the game.
If we as a Lady Raider Nation want to once again be an “ELITE” program then we have to be able to get the “TOP” recruits in the country to come to Lubbock. One of the imporant parts of recruiting is “FAN SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!” We need to fill the USA and show the support to the Lady Raiders, WIN OR LOSE!!!!!!!!!
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True. Students should be going to the games. Go to the bars afterwards.
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SO true LR fan! monique smalls is gonna be one heck of a player, her passes are just like erin grant’s, amazing. Also, yes if people would stop complaining about how we’re so bad and dont get any good recruits, then look at this page, http://insider.espn.go.com/ncw/recruiting/tracker/school?schoolId=2641&season=2010&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncw%2frecruiting%2ftracker%2fschool%3fschoolId%3d2641%26season%3d2010
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I agree with you LR fan, and even though I have not been sparing in my criticism of the Lady Raiders during Curry’s tenure as coach, I think we all should go to the games. I no longer live in Lubbock, in fact, I lived in Europe for several years. However, every holiday break, win or lose, I go the the games when in town. Lady Raider basketball kept Texas Tech on the sport map when football and men’s basketball were faltering not to mention an almost non-existent track team. The people of West Texas owe it the those young ladies to come out and support them for several reasons. First, it inspires them and lets them know that we believe in them and in their future. Second, it helps recruiting to know that the fan base is consistent come rain or come shine. Finally, if you want to have an elite team you got to act like you want it—this happens by showing up and cheering the girls on! It’s true that they are a very young team, but they may be the start of something very great at Tech. I have always wanted to believe in Curry, because I know her heart is in the right place. As students, alumni, and members of the communitiy we need to get excited again about the little sprouts that may become the Big 12 giant killers in a year or two.
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