Jordan Murphree planted her foot against the baseline, reached to touch it before pivoting and sprinting the opposite direction, then collapsed on the United Spirit Arena court.

All the Texas Tech senior wanted was to play in Thursday’s Women’s National Invitation Tournament game. But with the motion of simultaneously bending over and pushing off during Wednesday’s practice, Murphree’s chances at playing fell alongside her.

For almost two full seasons, Murphree has battled persistent back pain. Some days, it’s a simple annoyance lingering in the background. Some days, it hinders her motion, making her movements stiffer than she’d like.

On Thursday, it kept her off the court for what almost became the final game of her career.

“You manage it, but being an athlete you’re going to have bumps and bruises and you’re going to fight through that,” Murphree said. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do.”

Texas Tech’s 80-77 win against Houston bought Murphree another opportunity to hit the court. The Lady Raiders will play again early next week, and Murphree hopes to suit up rather than watching the game while wearing street clothes and sitting on the far end of the bench.

Murphree’s career has been as erratic as her pain. She came to Tech as a McDonald’s All-American, and if she never scores another point will leave as the school’s 15th all-time scoring leader. Until Thursday, she’d started every game of her senior season.

Yet coach Kristy Curry has called her out after games as needing to contribute more on the court. Murphree followed a career-high 29-point night against Texas on Jan. 16 by going scoreless at Texas A&M a week later. She averages 12.3 points per game but has totaled just 13 in her last two games, not the kind of numbers any player wants to put up as they end a career.

Part of that can be blamed on her back. She injured it in November 2009 and says she’s been a little cautious ever since, knowing the wrong move could lead to a career-ending injury.

Sometimes the pain is tolerable. Sometimes it’s excruciating.

“It’s every type of pain you can think of,” Murphree said. “It’s in my back, and you use your back for most of your core stability, bending over, pushing off, landing, every type of activity. You don’t realize how much you use your back.”

But is it as painful as watching your last college game from the bench? Murphree said after the game that she put faith in her teammates, knowing they’d pull off the win to help her continue her career. That’s a nice thing to say, particularly after it happens. But how hard must it be to stand on the sidelines, knowing four years could end with a first-round loss in a second-tier tournament, all because the pain became too much to bear?

No rec league player likes that prospect. Think how much harder it is in Big 12 Conference basketball.

Freshman Christine Hyde, who led Tech with 16 points, said after the game that she feared Murphree would feel guilty if the Lady Raiders lost without her on the court.

“I didn’t want her to sit out and feel like we lost the game because she wasn’t there to help us,” Hyde said. “It wasn’t just me. Everybody stepped up and said, ‘Jordan’s out. Let’s play for her and win this game.’”
Which, of course, is what they did. And now, with enough time and a little luck, the pain could subside enough for Murphree to return before the second round starts.

“You definitely want to be on that court,” Murphree said, “but you’ve got to think your team has your back.”
Even when your back doesn’t.

To comment on this story:
courtney.linehan@lubbockonline.com l 766-8735
terry.greenberg@lubbockonline.com l 766-8700