Box Score
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech scored the first 27 points of the game en route to a 73-36 victory over visiting HBU Monday evening at United Spirit Arena.
Jamie Spriggs started her second-straight game of the season and scored a game-high 14 points on 7-of-13 shooting for the Huskies (2-13). Her six rebounds were second-most on the team, behind Destini Texada's eight. Texada finished the game with eight points, seven of which came in the second half. Brittany Barton had four rebounds, three assists and two steals. The Huskies shot a season-low 26 percent from the floor.
Kierra Mallard recorded her second-straight – and fourth overall – double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. She also added two assists, three blocks and one steal for the Lady Raiders (13-1). Casey Morris finished second on the squad with 10 points. Christine Hyde scored eight points and added seven assists.
“We had a slow start where we had some good looks but couldn't get that first bucket to ease ourselves into the game,” said head coach Mary Gleason. “I challenged the team in the second half with three keys. I told them to stop the transition buckets, get offensive discipline and to talk and communicate on the court. We did a good job of that in the second half.”
Texas Tech started the game on a 27-0 run, started by a three-pointer by Morris. Morris scored a basket and had an ensuing free throw for a three-point play as the Lady Raiders led the Huskies 9-0 in the first four minutes of the game. Casey Morris had eight of the team's 18 points midway through the first half.
The Huskies got on the board with a Texada free throw at the 8:29 mark, followed by a jumper by Spriggs.
Texas Tech used a smaller run – a 6-0 run – to go ahead 35-3 with six minutes remaining in the opening half. The Lady Raiders led by 30 points with four minutes left, but the Huskies battled back and got it down to 26 – 38-12 – on a pair of buckets by Spriggs. TTU got the final basket of the first half, as Mallard hit a jumper with one minute remaining.
Texas Tech led the Huskies at the break, 42-12, as the Huskies shot just 18 percent from the floor compared to 46 percent for TTU. Spriggs was tied for the half-high with eight points, with TTU's Morris. Spriggs led the Huskies with five rebounds while the Lady Raiders' Mallard grabbed nine boards. Despite the first-half deficit, HBU only had 10 turnovers.
Texas Tech scored a quick basket to start the second half and led by 30 on a jumper by Mallard. The Huskies tried to get more shots in the paint, as Texada hit a jumper in the paint, followed by a shot by Mele Leasau at the 13:33-mark of the second half.
Texada had five straight points for HBU, concluded by a jumper in the paint at 5:11 to make the Texas Tech lead 63-29. After a missed Lady Raider jumper, Ernesta Griciunaite hit a three-pointer in the corner at 4:29 to cut the lead to 31. The Huskies forced eight second-half turnovers, 13 in all.
“We are looking forward to conference play,” said Gleason. “It will give us an opportunity to continue being a better team.”
The Huskies are off for 10 days before starting Great West Conference play at Chicago State on Jan. 13 followed by a match-up at NJIT on Jan. 15.
