Lady Raiders look to avenge OT loss to ‘Horns
Texas Tech women’s basketball coach Kristy Curry announced Saturday that starting center Kierra Mallard has been suspended from the team indefinitely for undisclosed reasons.
Curry declined to comment on the issue.
In a formal statement, Curry said: “Sometimes you have to make decisions that are best for your team, and I believe this is the right thing for our program at this time.”
Tech’s season has been in a tailspin ever since a 95-90 double overtime loss to Texas on Jan. 16 at United Spirit Arena. The Lady Raiders are in the midst of their worst conference start ever, dating back to 1983, when Tech first started playing in the now-defunct Southwest Conference.
The Lady Raiders (13-8, 1-6 in the Big 12) have lost five in a row and will face No. 17 Texas (15-6, 4-3) again Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Frank Erwin Center.
Mallard is Tech’s leading scorer but has struggled so far in conference play. She hasn’t scored in double figures in the last four games, including just four points against Iowa State on Wednesday.
There is no word yet on when Mallard will be reinstated, if at all.
Coupled with the announcement Tuesday that 6-foot-5 center Kaylan Talley would not return to the team this season because of her chronic knee injuries, the Lady Raiders are left in dire need of some help in the post.
Curry has been unsatisfied at times with sophomore Jordan
Barncastle’s aggressiveness under the basket. The other option is freshman Marissa Ashton, who has given Tech quality minutes off the bench. But at 6-feet tall, Ashton is undersized to be Tech’s primary post option.
On Friday, before Mallard’s suspension, assistant coach Kelly Curry spoke on the subject of Tech’s post players.
“I think that Jordan and Marissa are playing as well right now, especially on the defensive end, as they have all season,” he said.
“And as well as any of our post players are, period. I think whoever’s going to be in the game we’re not going to lose much. We might lose some height, but they’re going to make up for it in effort.”
When asked if he felt Mallard has been aggressive enough in the post, Kelly Curry said she had fallen into bad habits.
“Once she’s caught it and starts to make a move, she’s probably overcomplicating things,” he said. “We’ve been working on it; we just want a simple move to go up and score.
“I think she’s thinking too much at this point.”
The Lady Raiders squandered a six-point lead with 22 seconds left in the first overtime when they met Texas in Lubbock earlier this season. Texas tied the game up with two steals within six seconds and went on to win in the second overtime.
Chynna Brown, who made her first start since Nov. 17 on Wednesday against Iowa State, will be back in the starting lineup Sunday in place of senior Tilmila Martin.
“I felt like we needed to shift things up and make a change,” Kristy Curry said. “I was pleased with how Chynna responded to that challenge.”
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Wow I’m not surprised of the suspension. Mallard is suing terrible, she probably yelled at the coaches. Oh well. Tech loses by 14
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Wow I’m not surprised of the suspension. Mallard is playing terrible, she probably yelled at the coaches. Oh well. Tech loses by 14
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What is going on? I thought that we made a great hire in Coach Curry after Marsha Sharp retired. I am not sure what has happened, but we are 1-6 in conference play! Our recruiting classes have been good, but they need to be GREAT if we are to compete with the elite teams in the Big 12. (that use to include Texas Tech!)
I do not believe in bashing coaches because there are things that the public is not privy to that may be happening behind closed doors. I believe that Coach Curry works hard and wants to win! She has a huge task at rebuildingTexas Tech to the national power it once was.
However, Tech officials need to really evaluate this program and make some hard decisions fast. Either get rid of Coach Curry or hire an ace recruiting coach that will help Coach Curry get Texas Tech Basketball get out of the cellar.
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curry has lost the team. she is a complete disaster. eliminate her and start over. tech is an embarassment.
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Amen raiderboy
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fire her and hire Leach!!!! Is this a disturbing trend or what? Are tech players afraid to go down to the 40 acres or what? first, half of the football defense line gets hurt and does not make the trip, then two men basketball players are suspended for having a bad attitude dont go the game and now this…Hmm.
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Why should any players have a good attitude when they know bad attitude is not only protected but promoted by the Texas Tech administration?
Why would any good coaches want to coach at Tech unless they were desperate for a job like Tommy?
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She shouldnt have had to rebuild. The program was strong when she got here. So we keep losers and fire winners…..that is the texas tech way.
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Coach curry has lost this team. She has had time to recruit good players and show some results. the broadcasters on Espn are trying to cover for a bad coach. I would rather hire a high school coach who can recruit and bring in good players. this is a crapy team. RDO said it best.
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Curry needs to return her paycheck and resign immediately.
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I don’t know what is going on with this team.
I do know Curry is no slouch as her national championship will attest to.
Pursue hasn’t duplicated her success since. I was not impressed with the squad she inherited and evidently the recruiting potential hasn’t been either.
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The right thing for the team?
Curry hasn’t got the slighest clue as to what “the right thing for the TEAM would be!!!
FIRE Curry now and end the hemorraging of money and moral!!!
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The right thing for the team is to can this coaching staff and get a complete new one.
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Curry did not have a championship team. She inherited it from Carolyn Peck. The resy of the time at Purdue were with Pecks recruits.
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