Game: Lady Raiders vs Iowa State Cyclones
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Time: 7:00pm CST
Location: Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa
Radio: Texas Tech Sports Network (97.3 FM Lubbock) and KCCQ-FM 105.1 (Ames, IA)
Stats: LiveStats
Video: CycloneTV.com (for a fee)
Listen: TexasTechTV.com
Go Lady Raiders!!!
RAIDER !!!! POWER !!!!
The Lady Raiders (15-12, 5-10 Big12) had the most frustrating game of the season on Saturday, Feb 21st. Even though Kelsi Baker scored a career high of 19 points, the rest of the team just seemed to flounder and not make any points against the Longhorns. The UT squad did not take any ownership of this game either and both teams struggled to get points. But in the end the Longhorns made three more points than Tech with a Final Score of 62-59. The Lady Raiders seemed to finally wake-up around the 3 minute mark but it was too late and they just could not make up the difference of 12 points down and win the game. The game came close to going into overtime with a buzzer shot from Ivonne CookTaylor, that would have been a 3-Pointer but it hit the rim and rolled away and the game ended. I am not sure why the Lady Raiders seemed to lack any spunk and focus in this game but they had a shot to take down UT and they just failed. Tech only shot 37.7% FG% and only 20% of the 3-pt shots made it. They did make 10 Steals and scored 22 points off turnovers and made more points-in-the paint and 2nd chance points but failed to defend the 3-pt shots and allowed the UT Bench to outscore them 22 to 5.
Head Coach Candi Whitaker on her opening statement in the post-game presser:
“Tough game. Obviously you can’t start like we did, and you can’t get beat to loose balls like we did. I thought we rallied there in the second half to give ourselves a chance. Too many plays added up throughout the game that put us in that situation. You know they’re big and they’re a good team. I think you’ve got to give Texas credit on making plays but I thought a lot of it was on us. Our lack of awareness, who was guarding us, what we wanted out of the possession, getting the ball with two hands, handling the ball, attacking the rim. I mean there was just a lot of things we just weren’t doing offensively and obviously not making shots.”
Tonight the Lady Raiders take on the Iowa State Cyclones (16-10, 7-8 Big12) at 7pm CST at Hilton Coliseum – Ames, Iowa. This will be the 26th meeting with the Cyclones leading the series 14-11. The Cyclone women’s basketball is one of, if not, the best in the conference as well as the nation in regards to knocking down three-point shots averaging 8.85/game. Iowa State has attempted 665 3-pt shots this season and have made 230 (34.6%) of them with the closest team being OU making 190. That being said, Tech has attempted 426 3-ptrs and made 147 for a 3-pt percentage of 34.5%. Also, Tech does a better job at defending against the 3-ptr (131-417, 31.4%) compared to the Cyclones (157-480, 32.7%). Tech does a much stronger job in Steals (8.3/game) than Iowa State (5.12/game).
The main two players to watch on the Cyclones team are Sophomore Guard #12 Seanna Johnson and Senior Guard #4 Nikki Moody. Johnson averages 11.4 ppg and 9.2 and makes over 75% of her free-throws. Moody averages 14 ppg, makes 77.1% FT%, has a 37.2% 3-pt% and is 2nd in the Big12 with 176 Assists (6.77/game). Senior Forward #22 Brynn Williamson averages 11.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg and has a 80.7 FT%. Junior Guard #15 Kidd Blaskowsky makes 8 ppg, 3.8 rpg and 84.2% FT%. Senior Forward #32 Fallon Ellis averages 4.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg and makes over 34% of her 3-pt rs and 75.6% FT%. The Cyclones are currently in 1st in the Big12 standings in free-throws and 3-Pt FG Made. They are third in the Big12 in Scoring Offense (70.3%) and Assists (16.04/game).
I am hoping the Lady Raiders can get the win in Ames tonight. They are on the bubble on getting into any postseason invites and need to get as many wins out of these last three games. But they have a very hard road with Iowa State tonight then the final home game against Oklahoma State on Saturday and then a game against Baylor in Waco on the following Monday. Tech beat Iowa State soundly in Lubbock on Feb 11th (so I have confidence they can beat them tonight if they play a very defensive game and play with focus and cohesively. Emphasis tonight for the Lady Raiders will be to shut down the Cyclones ability to shoot the 3-Pt and limit the personal fouls so the Cyclones do not rack up points at the charity-stripe. A solid and very physical game from all of the Lady Raiders will be needed tonight.
The Starters for today’s game are: Sophomore Guard #2 Ivonne CookTaylor is averaging 8.5 ppg and 4.2 rpg. Junior Guard #11 Rayven Brooks had 8 points and 3.4 rebounds and is currently ranked 12th and 11threspectively in the Big12 standings for Blocked Shots and Steals with 24 blocks and 42 Steals this season. Senior Forward #41 Kelsi Baker averages 9 ppg and 5.2 rebounds and is ranked 13th in the Big12 standing in Offensive Rebounds (2.27/game) and 8th in FT% at 71.2% (74-104). Junior Forward #35 Jamie Roe averages 3.7 ppg and 3.4 rebounds. Senior Guard #12 Amber Battle who averages 16.2 ppg and 5.9 rebounds and is 75.6% accurate from the free-throw line. Battle is currently 4th in the Big 12 in scoring, 5th in FT percentage and in Defensive Rebounds (4.67 rpg).
Focus on the game at hand
Get the Win ….. Wreck’Em !!!!
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The Big 12 remains ranked No. 1 in Conference RPI by the Collegiate Basketball News. Seventy percent of teams are ranked in the top 69 of NCAA RPI.
Every Big 12 school is ranked in the top 65 of NCAA strength of schedule.
Big 12 teams have played a combined 170 opponents ranked in the top 100 of NCAA RPI, with 82 of those in the top 50.
The Big 12 is the only power conference in which every team has to play league opponents twice.
Due to the balance in the Big 12, there is a three-way tie for fourth and a tie for eighth. Teams 3-10 are separated by four games.
The Big 12 is one of just two conferences in which every team has double-digit wins and also one of two in which every team has at least four conference wins.
Of 75 conference games played, 39 have been decided by 10-or-fewer points and 20 by five-or-less points.
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The game can be heard on the radio 93.7 FM (Lubbock and on the Texas Tech Sports Network )
Live stats will be available on www.cyclones.com/livestats