Lady Raiders Notch First Conference Win

Jay Langley - Special to KLBK.com LUBBOCK, TEXAS -Behind a 10-0 run to close the first half the Lady Raiders went on to a 75-49 win over the Oklahoma State Cowgirls Saturday night at the United Spirit Arena. "Our crowd was huge theres no way were go in up 15 at half if theyre not into the last couple of minutes," Tech coach Kristy Curry said. "I thought our bench did a good job and our staff was trying to get everybody into it. Our crowd was like our sixth man." OSU coach Kurt Burke said his team did not react well to the 12,000-plus fans at the USA. "We are a very young team," Burke said. "I thought the biggest difference in the game was the way we did not react to the crowd. We had a dear in the headlight look on our faces tonight. You saw an inexperienced team on the road for the first time in the Big 12." Tech (10-6, 1-1) was led in scoring by Alesha Robertson who recorded 18 points including four of five from beyond 3-point range. Tech also got a season high effort off of the bench from freshman Raquel Christian who scored 13 points in just 14 minutes played. "Raquel was awesome tonight," Robertson said. "I was telling her out in the hall that thats just what weve gotta have from her from here on out, just try to keep on doing what she did tonight." Curry said Christians success on the court is about effort. "With her shes learned how to tie her two shoes right," Curry said. "Shes learning how to get up right every day and do everything that it takes. She had a decision she had to make a couple of weeks ago and she turned the corner. Some kids turn the corner and some kids never figure it out. She needs to be consistent. She needs to make this more important to her." OSUs leading scorer was fellow freshman guard Andrea Riley who recorded 13 points. For the game the Cowgirls (12-2, 0-1) turned the ball over 20 times and shot just 34 percent from the floor. "Shes going to be a great player," Burke said of his young guard. "With her, because she is so young, you have to take the good with the bad. Tonight was some of the bad, but I wouldnt trade her for anyone in the country." The Lady Raiders next host Texas A&M Wednesday night at the USA. "We just continue to coach and continue to learn," Curry said. "We are getting better but we still have a lot of work to do. Its a 16 piece pie and tonight was just one of the pieces of the pie." Curry said she expects another loud crowd to come out to the A&M game. "Wednesday night we need to get after those Aggies," she said. "Everybody in the crowd needs to be in here and just be loud and just be proud."