Lady Raiders pick up final non-conference win
By: Travis Cram, Tech Athletics
Updated: December 30, 2012
LUBBOCK, Texas --
Casey Morris
scored 13 points to lead four Lady Raiders in double figures as Texas
Tech ended non-conference play with a convincing 86-56 win over Houston
on Sunday at United Spirit Arena.
Tech (10-2) won its 48th consecutive non-conference game at home, dating back to its last regular season
loss to the Cougars on Dec. 4, 2007.
Senior
Christine Hyde (12), senior Chynna Brown (11) and junior Kelsi Baker
(10) ended the game in double
figures while the other seven active players on the roster also scored.
Baker finished in double figures for the eighth time in nine games.
"I
think you have to be pleased, anytime you hold someone in the thirties,
percentage-wise, and you can score
80 points coming off the break," head coach Kristy Curry said. "I love
our balance. We had four in double figures, and then seven, seven,
seven, and nine.
"What
they all have to understand is that they are all going to be called
upon and everybody on that bench
has a chance to impact the game. I think we know that together it's
going to take all of us and I was pleased with how they all showed up
and played today."
Houston (5-7) battled back and forth in the first 10 minutes of play as Morris scored five of Tech's first
seven points. The Cougars built an 11-7 lead before the rest of the Tech offense started to catch fire.
Tech went on a 20-9 run to build a seven-point lead late in the first half before doubling it to go into
the break up 38-24 - thanks in large part to Morris' 3-point shooting and 13 first-half points.
"I
think that usually works best when I come out strong and shots fall,"
Morris said. "I think that just
makes my confidence build. But even when I do come out and miss I think I
need to still keep on shooting, just like anyone else on our team who
is a shooter they just need to keep on shooting just like they've been
preaching throughout the season, but it is
always good to start off strong."
She
would continue to contribute on offense with rebounds and assists in
the second half as Tech scored on
11 of its first 12 possessions. The Lady Raiders went up by as many as
34 points while hitting 17 of 28 in the final half (60.7 percent) and
overcame 23 turnovers - their most in a game this season.
And
it wasn't just the starters producing this time. Tech's bench
contributed 35 points, including a season-high
seven in the second half by senior Mary Bokenkamp. Amber Battle added
seven points and seven rebounds along with Jackie Patterson's nine and
Shauntal Nobles' seven.
"I
think coming off the bench we all try to have the most energy as
possible coming into the game," Bokenkamp
said. "We were all together on the bench in the first half watching and
trying to keep our minds focused so when we got our chance in the second
half we wanted to make the most of it. We just tried to come out with a
lot of energy defensively and rebounding
and baskets happened to fall as well, so it worked out."
Tech will head to Stillwater to take on No. 14/13 Oklahoma State (10-0) at 7 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The Cowgirls
enter the game with the nation's longest winning streak - 16.
