On the year, Nightingale paces the Buffaloes in scoring with a 13.8 average followed by junior Britt Hartshorn at 11.4, Roulier at 10.7 and Bjorklund at 10.2. Hartshorn is the top rebounder, grabbing 6.1 boards per outing. Nightingale has team highs of 91 assists and 41 steals. Hartshorn is the top shot blocker with 48 blocks. The Buffaloes are shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 37 percent from three-point range and 76.9 percent from the free throw line.
Ceal Barry is in her 18th season at the helm of the Buffaloes, establishing a record of 345-193. She is also in her 22nd year as a head coach with an overall record of 428-235.
The Lady Raiders kept the margin between 12 and 18 most of the second half. Colorado managed to cut it to 61-52 with 6:50 left, but Tech responded with a quick seven-point run.
Colorado was led by Britt Hartshorn with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Sabrina Scott added 13 points and Mandy Nightingale had 11.
give Marsha Sharp her 454th career victory.
A Look Ahead
Texas Tech plays at Texas Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. on Fox Sports Net. The Lady Raiders will wrap up the regular-season by hosting Iowa State on Feb. 28 at 8:30 p.m. on Fox Sports Net.
Lady Raider Head Coach Marsha Sharp
One of the most respected and well-known coaches in Texas Tech history, head coach Marsha Sharp is 453-139 in her 19th year at the helm of the Lady Raiders. She has led the Lady Raiders to 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, including 11 consecutive, and six NCAA Sweet 16 and three Elite Eight appearances and the NCAA National Championship in 1993. Sharp has led the Lady Raiders to three-straight Big 12 Conference regular-season titles and two tournament crowns. 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.
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.
The Last Time Out
(AP) - Stacey Dales scored 22 points and Caton Hill added 16 as No. 10 Oklahoma defeated No. 14 Texas Tech 80-75 on Saturday.
It was the first time Oklahoma (21-4, 12-1 Big 12) beat the Lady Raiders in Lubbock and the second home loss in as many weeks for Tech. The Raiders (19-5, 10-3) led the nation in home victories until losing to Texas last Saturday.
The victory allowed the Sooners to maintain their undefeated Big 12 road record and set a new school record based on the streak.
The Sooners led through much of the game before Tech closed within one point, 51-50, with 11:24 to play.
From there, the Lady Raiders went on a 12-9 run capped by a 3-point basket by Amber Tarr with 7:11 to play that gave Tech to take its first lead, 62-60.
After opening the lead to 68-63, with 5:25 to play, the Lady Raiders began missing shots. Dales put her team back in front, 73-72, on a basket with 2:41 to play and scored five more points to seal the win.
At halftime, the Sooners led 42-33.
Tech was led in scoring by Plenette Pierson's 16 points. Jolee Ayers added another 15, Amber Tarr 12 and Katrisa O'Neal 10.
It was the first time Tech has suffered back-to-back losses at home since 1991, when the Lady Raiders lost to Arkansas on Jan. 12, and then Texas on Jan. 23.
Team Leaders
Texas Tech is led in scoring by sophomore Plenette Pierson, who is averaging 13.6 points a game. Freshman Jia Perkins is averaging 12.6 points, while senior Katrisa O'Neal and junior Amber Tarr are averaging 11.2 and 10.5 points, respectively. Pierson is the top rebounder as she is averaging 7.4 boards a game followed by junior Tanisha Ellison at 6.6. Freshman Dionne Brown has a team-high 54.8 field goal percentage, while Ellison is shooting 50.5 percent and freshman Jolee Ayers is at 49.5 percent. Perkins has a team high of 91 assists and O'Neal has a team-high 66 steals. Pierson is the top shot blocker with 29 blocks. On the year, the Lady Raiders are shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from three-point range and 68.6 percent from the free throw line.
NCAA Statistical Leaders
As of games through Feb. 12, junior Amber Tarr ranks 21st in the country in three-point field goal percentage at 42.6. As a team, the Lady Raiders rank 12th in scoring margin at 16.2, 13th in scoring defense at 58.2 and 21st in three-point field goal percentage at 38.0.
Ayers Gets First Career Double-Double and Career High Boards
Freshman Jolee Ayers recorded her first career double-double as she had 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds against Oklahoma Feb. 17. Ayers' previous career high in rebounds was nine against Kansas State.
White Gets Four Steals Against OU, Again
Junior Candi White matched her career-high four steals against Oklahoma Feb. 17 it marked the second time in her career she has snatched four steals in a game with the other time coming at Oklahoma Jan. 28.
First Time in 10 Years
Texas Tech's two-straight home losses against Texas Feb. 10 and Oklahoma Feb. 17 marked the first time in 10 years the Lady Raiders have lost back-to-back home games. The last time Tech lost two home games in row came in 1991 with losses to Arkansas, 64-62, Jan. 12 and to Texas, 66-63, Jan. 23.
First Win in Lawrence
Texas Tech's 49-45 win over Kansas Feb. 14 marked the first time the Lady Raiders had won in Lawrence, Kan. Tech is now 4-3 against the Jayhawks and 1-2 in Lawrence.
High to Low to High
After shooting a then season-high 84.2 percent from the free throw line at Baylor Feb. 7, Texas Tech then shot a season-low 47.1 percent from the charity stripe in its next game against Texas Feb. 10. The Lady Raiders then came out against Kansas in the following game Feb. 14 and shot a new season-high from the line of 85.7 percent, hitting 12-of-14 free throw attempts.
Streak Stopped
Texas Tech's 41-game home court winning streak came to a halt as the Lady Raiders lost at home against Texas, 63-57, Feb. 10. It also marked their first loss in the United Spirit Arena since it opened in Nov. 1999.
Second Big 12 Loss at Home
The Lady Raiders suffered their second ever Big 12 loss at home against Texas Feb. 10. The only other Big 12 game Tech has lost in Lubbock was against Oklahoma State, 78-56, Jan. 8, 1997.
Largest Crowd of the Season
Texas Tech had 14,852 fans in attendance for the game against Texas Feb. 10. It was the largest home crowd of the season and the third largest crowd ever at the United Spirit Arena.
TV Jinx?
Texas Tech is 1-4 this year for games played on television. The only win came at Nebraska in which the game was broadcasted in Lincoln, Neb. and Lubbock by NETV. Tech has lost three games on Fox Sports Net: vs. NC State in Austin, Texas Dec. 9, at Oklahoma Jan. 28 and at home against Oklahoma Feb. 17. The Lady Raiders' other television loss came on espn2 against Texas Feb. 10. Two of the remaining three regular-season games will be broadcasted by Fox Sports Net (at Texas Feb. 24 and Iowa State Feb. 28).
Perkins Named Big 12 Rookie of the Week, Again
Freshman Jia Perkins was named the Big 12 Conference Rookie of the Week Feb. 5. In the week prior, she averaged 23.5 points and 3.5 rebounds. She scored a career-high 27 points against Kansas State Jan. 31 and then poured in 20 points against Texas A&M Feb. 3. On the week, she shot 64.2 percent from the field, 66.7 percent from three-point range and 83.3 percent from the free throw line. Perkins was also named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week Jan. 15.
Fifth Double-Double for Pierson
Sophomore Plenette Pierson recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 25 points and 14 rebounds against Texas A&M Feb. 3. It was her second double-double in three games and her second double-double against Texas A&M this year.
Jackson, Ayers Step It Up
Freshmen Casey Jackson and Jolee Ayers each scored a career-high 17 points in the victory over Texas A&M Feb. 3. Jackson also played a career-high 30 minutes.
Underclassmen Lead the Way
In the win over Texas A&M Feb. 3, sophomore Plenette Pierson and the five freshmen, Jolee Ayers, Dionne Brown, Casey Jackson, Jia Perkins and Natalie Ritchie combined to scored 83 of the 92 points Tech scored in the game. Pierson led the way with 25 followed by Perkins with 20 and Ayers and Jackson with 17 apiece.
Season High Shooting
Texas Tech's 53.2 field goal percent against Texas A&M Feb. 3 marked a season high for the Lady Raiders. Tech went 33-of-62 from the field. The Lady Raiders also made a season-high 26 free throws.
No. 450
Head coach Marsha Sharp recorded her 450th career victory with a 72-41 win over Kansas State on Jan. 31.
Perkins Pours in Career High
Freshman Jia Perkins poured in a career-high 27 points as she sank a career-high six three-point baskets in the Tech's 72-41 triumph over Kansas State Jan. 31. Perkins' previous career high was 23 points which she had against Baylor on Jan. 10.
The Future's So Bright...
The freshman did it again for the Lady Raiders as four of five freshman combined for 52 of Tech's 72 points against Kansas State Jan. 31. Jia Perkins led the way with 27 points followed by Natalie Ritchie with 10, Jolee Ayers with eight and Dionne Brown with seven.
Big Boards for Ayers
Freshman Jolee Ayers pulled down a career-high nine rebounds in Tech's win over Kansas State Jan. 31. Her previous career high was seven which she had done twice this season.
Katrisa `O'Steal' Breaks Record
Senior Katrisa O'Neal is now Texas Tech's all-time career leader in steals with 335. She matched her career high of seven steals in the win at Nebraska Jan. 17 to surpass Camille Franklin's 303 steals to become the all-time leader.
Giving Up Points
Oklahoma's 84 points in Texas Tech's 84-66 loss at OU Jan. 28, marks the most points the Lady Raiders have given up in a loss since the 85-64 defeat to Old Dominion Nov. 21, 1998.
Ritchie Scores Career High
Freshman Natalie Ritchie came off the bench at Oklahoma on Jan. 28 to score a career-high 15 points in 12 minutes of play. Ritchie also nailed a career-high three three-point baskets.
Another Double-Double for Pierson
Sophomore Plenette Pierson recorded her fourth double-double of the season as she scored 12 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds at Oklahoma Jan. 28.
Second Lowest Point Allowed
In Texas Tech's 82-29 win over Oklahoma State Jan. 21, the 29 points allowed marked the second-lowest points allowed in school history and the lowest ever in the Marsha Sharp era. The lowest points ever given up by Tech is 26 by McMurry on Feb. 24, 1978.
51 Boards
The Lady Raiders' 51 rebounds against Oklahoma State Jan. 21 matched their season high. Tech also recorded 51 boards against Baylor Jan. 10.
Tech vs. the Top 25
Texas Tech is now 4-4 against teams ranked in the top 25 after losing to No. 10 Oklahoma Feb. 17. The Lady Raiders were victorious over No. 8 Penn State, No. 16 Southwest Missouri State, No. 13 Oregon and No. 23 Baylor, while losing to No. 19 North Carolina State, No. 12 Oklahoma (Jan. 28) and No. 20 Texas.
Lady Raiders in the Polls
Since January 20, 1992, the Lady Raiders have been ranked in the Top 25 in Associated Press and/or the USA Today poll a total of 170 weeks. That includes the Feb. 19 rankings of 13th by USA Today/ESPN poll and 15th by the AP.
Did You Know...
