Jan. 4, 2000

Santa Clara Broncos (9-2/0-0 West Coast) vs.
#13/13 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (10-1/0-1 Big 12)
January 5, 2000 - Lubbock, Texas - 7 p.m.
United Spirit Arena (15,050)

Wednesday's Game

No. 13 Texas Tech will host Santa Clara in the Lady Raiders final non-conference game of the season at 7 p.m. in the United Spirit Arena. It will be the second meeting between the two schools.

The Lady Raiders

Texas Tech owns a 10-1 mark and 0-1 in Big 12 play. Freshman Plenette Pierson leads the Lady Raiders in scoring with a 13.3 average followed by senior Aleah Johnson at 12.7, senior Keitha Dickerson at 11.9 and junior Katrisa O'Neal at 10.8. Dickerson is Tech's top rebounder as she is averaging 10.4 boards per outing, which is first in the Big 12. Senior Melinda Schmucker-Pharies has a team-high 48 assists, while freshman Jamie Nagle owns a team-best five blocks and O'Neal has 39 steals.

The Lady Raiders are shooting 43.1 percent from the field, 31.8 percent from the three-point arc and 58.5 percent from the charity stripe.

Scouting the Opponent

Santa Clara enters the game with a 9-2 mark after losing to Oregon, 66-60, on Dec. 30. In that game, sophomore Becki Ashbaugh scored a game-high 18 points, while senior Katie Pursley was the only other Bronco to score in double figures with 13. Pursley also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, while Ashbaugh had six assists.

On the year, Ashbaugh lead Santa Clara in scoring with a 10.9 average followed by Pursley and sophomore Tammy Annas each averaging 10.5 points. Junior Annie Garrison is the top rebounder as she is averaging 5.8 boards per outing. Ashbaugh has a team-high 46 assists, while Garrison leads the team in blocks with 20 and senior Stephanie Rogers has a team-high 19 steals.

The Broncos are shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from three-point range and 68.8 percent from the free throw line.

Series Record

It is the second meeting between Texas Tech and Santa Clara with Tech holding a 1-0 advantage. The Lady Raiders were victorious, 64-58, March 21, 1992 in Lubbock in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Probable Starters

Texas Tech Lady Raiders
Head Coach: Marsha Sharp (416-130, 18th season)

Top Reserves

Santa Clara Broncos
Head Coach: Caren Horstmeyer (209-17, 12th season)

A Look Back

Angie Welle has 18 points and 13 rebounds as No. 14 Iowa State held sixth-ranked Texas Tech to its second-lowest point total in program history in a 62-37 victory Sunday.

Tech has thrived on defense this season and held Iowa State 21 points below its scoring average while forcing 25 turnovers in the Big 12 opener. But 23.8 percent shooting doomed the Lady Raiders to their worst loss since Tennessee beat them 81-44 Nov. 27, 1995.

Unable to get the ball inside, Tech was relegated to casting up outside shots that did not fall. Melinda Schmucker-Pharies missed her first 10 shots and finished 1-for-13. Tech's other starting guard, Katrisa O'Neal, was 4-for-18 and the Lady Raiders went 3-for-21 on 3-pointers.

The only time a Tech team scored fewer points in a game was in a 106-30 loss to Wayland Baptist in 1975-76, the school's first season of women's basketball.

O'Neal led Tech with 11 points and Keitha Dickerson scored 10. Freshman center Plenette Pierson, leading the Lady Raiders with a 14.6 scoring average, got only one shot and went scoreless.

Iowa State closed the first half with a 9-2 run to go up 33-20, and stretched the lead to 45-22 early in the second half with a 10-0 burst highlighted by a four-point play by Frese, who was slapped in the wrist by O'Neal as she sank a 3-pointer and then made the free throw.

Tech had just one field goal to show for the first 7:43 of the second half, then scored seven straight points to cut the lead to 45-29 as Iowa State went scoreless for five minutes. But the Lady Raiders made only three more baskets the rest of the game.

Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp

One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech history, head coach Marsha Sharp is 416-130 in her 18th year at the helm of the Lady Raiders. The 1999 Big 12 Coach of the Year, for the second consecutive year, has led the Lady Raiders to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 10 consecutive, and five NCAA Sweet 16 appearances and the NCAA National Championship in 1993. While in the SWC, coach Sharp and the Lady Raiders never finished below third, they won or shared the last five championships, and they captured three Post-Season Classic titles. Sharp claimed her 400th career victory last season in the 83-71 win at Colorado on Feb. 24, 1999.

A 1974 graduate of Wayland Baptist University, Sharp was named the National Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994. She also reaped SWC Coach of the Year honors seven times, five consecutively.

NCAA Stats

As of games through Dec. 13, Texas Tech ranks first with 11 other schools in won-lost percentage at 1.000. Tech is also third in scoring defense (52.3) and 16th in scoring margin (18.0).

Senior Keitha Dickerson ranks 35th in rebounding with a 10.0 average.

Dickerson Gets Sixth and Seventh Double-Double

Senior Keitha Dickerson recorded her sixth and seventh double-double of the year at TCU Dec. 22 as she scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and at Iowa State Jan. 2 with 10 points and 10 rebounds. She has now had four double-doubles in the last five games On the year, she is averaging 11.9 points and 10.4 rebounds per contest.

Dickerson Climbs into Top 10

Senior Keitha Dickerson has climbed into Tech's top 10 list for career rebounds this season. She currently stands in eighth with 627 boards as she is averaging 10.4 rebounds a game. Standing in seventh is Stacey Siebert with 741.

Lowest Shooting of Season

Texas Tech's 23.8 percent from the field at Iowa State on Jan. 2 was the lowestest shooting percentage for the Lady Raiders on season. Tech was 15 of 63 from the field and 3 of 21 from three-point range.

Second Lowest Scoring Output

The Lady Raiders' 62-37 loss at Iowa State Jan. 3 was the second lowest scoring output by Texas Tech. Tech only scored 30 points in the loss to Wayland Baptist (106-30) in 1975-76, the school's first season of women's basketball.

Tarr Has Career Day

Sophomore Amber Tarr had a career performance at TCU Dec. 22 as she hit a career-high four three-point baskets to finish with a career-high 12 points. It was the second straight game in which she had set career highs in both categories. She scored eight points and hit two three-pointers in the win at Central Florida Dec. 19, which were career highs at the time.

Schmucker-Pharies Dishes Out

In the victory at TCU Dec. 22, senior Melinda Schmucker-Pharies dished out 10 assists and was just two points shy of a double-double as she finished with eight points in 40 minutes of action. The 10 assists were second best on the year as she had 11 assists against Southwest Texas State Nov. 26.

O'Neal Scores Career High

Junior Katrisa O'Neal scored a career-high 21 points as she was 9-for-13 from the field and 3-for-4 from the line in the victory at Central Florida Dec. 19.

Best Shooting Performance of the Season

The Lady Raiders had their best shooting performance of the season as they shot 60 percent from the field against Lamar Dec. 15. Tech connected on 33 of its 55 attempts. Tech also shot a season-high 60 percent from three-point range, going 6-for-10.

Pierson Scores 21 for Third Time

For the third time this season, freshman Plenette Pierson matched her career-high 21 points in the win over Lamar Dec. 15. She also scored 21 vs. SMU Dec. 4 and at USC Nov. 29.

Schmucker-Pharies Nails Season High

Senior Melinda Schmucker-Pharies scored a season-high 13 points in the Lady Raiders' victory over Lamar Dec. 15. All 13 of her points came in the first half, including 3-for-4 from three-point range in the first 20 minutes of action.

Johnson Gets First Double-Double

Senior Aleah Johnson picked up her first double-double of the year as she scored 14 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the triumph at New Mexico Dec. 8.

Home Court Streak

The Lady Raiders currently hold a 19-home game winning streak after its first three home games of the season. Tech's streak ranks them fifth among NCAA Division I home-court winning streaks. Grambling currently has the number one streak at 57 games.

Sellout Crowd

Texas Tech's first game of the year and the first in the United Spirit Arena against LSU Nov. 20 was a sellout crowd of 15,050. It marked the second largest crowd for a Big 12 women's basketball game. The largest crowd was 15, 303 when Texas hosted Louisiana Tech on March 27, 1987. It is also the fourth largest crowd this year in Division I basketball as of Dec. 20.

A Look Ahead

Tech will take the road for a game at Oklahoma Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. before returning to the United Spirit Arena for two games on Jan. 12 vs. Colorado at 7 p.m. and Jan. 15 vs. Oklahoma State at 2 p.m.

Lady Raiders in the Polls

Since January 20, 1992, the Lady Raiders have been ranked in the Top 25 in the Associated Press poll and/or the USA Today poll, a total of 144 weeks. That includes this week's rankings of 13th by both the AP and USA Today.

Follow the Lady Raiders on the Radio

All Lady Raider basketball games can be heard live on the All Sports Radio Network on KFYO-AM 790 and KKCL-FM 98.1 locally. Listen to play-by-play by Ryan Hyatt, with color commentary by Crystal Boles and Kent Best as they go to the court with the Lady Raiders. Other affiliates carrying Lady Raider Basketball are: KPUR-AM 1440 - Amarillo
KVRP-FM 95.5 - Haskell
KPET-AM 690 - Lamesa
KZZN-AM 1490 - Littlefield
KFYO-AM 790 - Lubbock
KKCL-FM 98.1 - Lubbock
KMND-AM 1510 - Midland
KKYN-AM 1090 - Plaineview
KRIL-AM 1410 - Odessa

Upcoming Big 12 TV Schedule

Did you know that...

...junior Kristi Washington has something that none of her teammates have yet and that is a college degree. Washington earned her bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science this past semester in three and a half years. Washington will begin graduate work next semester.

...there is a brother and sister who play Division I basketball and both play for teams that are ranked in the top 10. That's right, Lady Raider freshman Courtney Pastner and Arizona's senior guard Josh Pastner are brother and sister.

1999-2000 MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS

Starting Lineups

Johnson, Dickerson, Pierson, Schmucker-Pharies, O'Neal: 10-1

Double-Figure Scoring Games: Dickerson 10, Johnson 8, Pierson 7, O'Neal 5, Ellison 2, Schmucker-Pharies 2, Nagle 1, Tarr 1

Double-Figure Rebounding Games: Dickerson 7, Pierson 2, Johnson 1

Games Leading Tech in Scoring: Pierson 4, Johnson 3, O'Neal 3, Dickerson 1

Games Leading Tech in Rebounding: Dickerson 8, Pierson 3, Johnson 1

Games Leading Tech in Assists: Schmucker-Pharies 6, Dickerson 4, O'Neal 3, Johnson 2, Tarr 1

TECH FREE THROW SHOOTING IN FINAL 2 MINUTES

TECH RECORD WHEN

Big12 Standings (as of Jan. 4)

Poll Position

The Texas Tech Lady Raiders are 13th in both the Associated Press Top 25 poll and the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 for the week of Jan. 3

Career Assists

Schmucker-Pharies on the move

Career Rebounds

Dickerson climbing up the list

Where the Lady Raiders Stand (as of Jan. 3)

Big 12 Team Stats
Scoring Offense - 11th - 67.6
Scoring Defense - 1st - 51.0
Scoring Margin - 4th - +16.6
Free Throw Pct. - 12th - .585
Field Goal Pct. -9th - .431
Field Goal Pct. Defense - 4th - .372
3-Point Field Goal Pct. - 8th - .318
3-Point Field Goal Pct. Defense - 3rd - .292
Rebounding Offense - 10th - 39.5
Rebounding Defense - 6th -35.6
Rebounding Margin - 7th - +3.9
Assist/Turnover Ratio - 7th - 0.90
Blocked Shots - 11th - 1.73
Assists - 9th - 15.82
Steals - 7th - 10.55
Turnover Margin - 2nd - +6.45
Offensive Rebounds - 8th - 14.36
Defensive Rebounds - 9th - 25.18
3-Point Field Goals Made - 10th - 3.18

Big 12 Individual Stats (must appear in 75% of games)

Scoring

Plenette Pierson - 20th - 13.3

Aleah Johnson - 24th - 12.7

Keitha Dickerson - 30th - 11.9

Rebounding

Keitha Dickerson - 1st - 10.4

Plenette Pierosn - 17th - 7.1

Assist/Turnover Ratio

Melinda Schmucker-Pharies - 2nd - 2.40

Field Goal Percentage

Plenette Pierson - 7th - .564

Keitha Dickerson - 13th - .525

Assists

Melinda Schmucker-Pharies - 9th - 4.36

Steals

Katrisa O'Neal - 2nd - 3.55

3-Point Field Goal Percentage

Amber Tarr - 2nd - .517

3-Point Field Goals Made

Amber Tarr - 14th - 1.36

Offensive Rebounds

Plenette Pierson - 10th - 3.00

Defensive Rebounds

Keitha Dickerson - 1st - 7.82

Player Notes

#1 Courtney Pastner
Has played in eight games...scored career-high six points vs. Southwest Texas State Nov. 26 as she hit two three-point baskets...grabbed two rebounds and had a steal against SWT...scored five points vs. Lamar Dec. 15, while adding two assists...had a career-high two steal at Central Florida Dec. 19...also had two assists at UCF.

#3 Melinda Schmucker-Pharies
Has started all 11 games...leads the team in assists with 48...dished out 10 assists at TCU Dec. 22...scored a season-high 13 points vs. Lamar Dec. 15, also hit three three-pointers...scored 10 points, while hitting two three-point baskets at New Mexico Dec. 8...scored nine points vs. SMU Dec. 4...played all 45 minutes in win at USC Nov. 29... played all 40 minutes in the win over LSU Nov. 20...dished out a team-high 11 assists against Southwest Texas State Nov. 26...had a season-high five steals against Rice Nov. 23.

#10 Kristi Washington
Has played in six games...had her right knee scoped on Dec. 6 and missed five games...scored two points against LSU Nov. 20, Southwest Texas State Nov. 26 and SMU Dec. 4 ...grabbed a career-high six rebounds against SMU...had two assists against SWT and Rice Nov. 23.

#15 Aleah Johnson
Has started all 11 games...had her first double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-high 14 rebounds at New Mexico Dec. 8...scored a career-high 21 points against Southwest Texas State Nov. 26 in just 15 minutes of play...had a career-high seven assists vs. Lamar Dec. 15...scored 16 points against LSU Nov. 20...had 15 points against Rice Nov. 23...grabbed six rebounds vs. LSU...also had a block vs. LSU...scored 11 points at USC Nov. 29...had a career-high four steals at USC...had a season-high three assists against SMU Dec. 4 and at South Florida Dec. 17.

#24 Katrisa O'Neal
Has started all 11 games...scored a career-high 21 points at Central Florida Dec. 19 and matched her season highs of six rebounds and five steals...scored 17 points vs. Rice Nov. 23 and matched that at USC Nov. 29...hit her first three-pointer at South Florida Dec. 17...dished out a season-high five assists vs. Lamar Dec. 15...grabbed a season-high six rebounds vs. LSU Nov. 20 and Southwest Texas State Nov. 26...finished with four assists against Rice and SWT...had four steals against LSU and SMU Dec. 4...recorded a block vs. Lamar Dec. 15 and at USF.

#25 Keitha Dickerson
Has started all 11 games...has recorded seven double-doubles this season...scored a season-high 16 points while grabbing a season-high 15 rebounds against Rice Nov. 23...had 11 points and 11 rebounds vs. Southwest Texas State Nov. 26...finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds vs. SMU Dec. 4...had 11 points and 13 rebounds vs. Lamar Dec. 15...matched season-high 16 points and had 14 rebounds at South Florida Dec. 17...scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds at TCU Dec. 22...had 10 points and 10 rebounds at Iowa State Jan. 2...scored 14 points at New Mexico Dec. 8...matched a career-high six assists vs. SMU...had a block against SMU...tallied four steals against Rice and at USC Nov. 29.

#32 Amber Tarr
Has played in all 11 games...had a career high 12 points, hitting a career-high four three-pointers at TCU Dec. 22...scored eight points, while hitting two three-pointers and recorded her first block of her career...scored six points vs. Lamar Dec. 15 and at South Florida Dec. 17...hit two three-pointers vs. Lamar and at USF, while tying her career-high four rebounds vs. Lamar...scored six points against Southwest Texas State Nov. 26...has hit one three-point basket in games against LSU Nov. 20 and SWT...dished out a career-high seven assists vs. Southwest Texas State...had two steals vs. LSU.

#34 Tanisha Ellison
Has played in all 11 games...scored a career-high 12 points in the victory over Southwest Texas State Nov. 26...also grabbed a career-high six rebounds vs. SWT...scored 10 points in 14 minutes vs. SMU Dec. 4...had a block against SMU and Lamar on Dec. 15...had an assist against SWT, SMU and Lamar...recorded a steal vs. LSU Nov. 20, at USC Nov. 29, vs. Lamar and South Florida Dec. 17.

#50 Nikki Hendrix
Made collegiate debut against Southwest Texas State Nov. 26...has played in three games...scored four points and grabbed three rebounds...also had a block vs. SWT...made an appearance vs. Lamar Dec. 15 and recorded an assist...hit a three-pointer in win at Central Florida Dec. 19.

#52 Alison Cudnoski
Has not played this season...tore her ACL in her right knee for the second-straight year...will have surgery in January.

#54 Plenette Pierson
Has started all 11 games as a freshman...has mad an immediate impact as she has scored in double figures in seven games...named Big 12 Rookie of the Week Dec. 6...scored a career-high 21 points at USC Nov. 29 and tied her career high of 10 rebounds in her second double-double...scored 21 points again vs. SMU Dec. 4 and Lamar Dec. 15...scored 20 points vs. Southwest Texas State Nov. 26...scored 15 points, 13 in the second half at New Mexico Dec. 8...scored 14 points against Rice Nov. 23...had 12 points in collegiate debut against LSU Nov. 20...recorded a double-double against Rice with 14 points and 10 rebounds...had two steals against SWT...has four blocks on the year...dished out a career-high two assists at Central Florida Dec. 19...matched her career-high 10 rebounds at TCU Dec. 22.

#55 Jamie Nagle
Has played in five games...made collegiate debut against Southwest Texas State Nov. 26...came off the bench and scored 12 points vs. SWT in 18 minutes of action...also had three blocked shots, six boards and an assist vs. SWT...scored three points against SMU Dec. 4...had an assist vs. SMU...had career-high two assists at Central Florida Dec. 19.