One of the points that Texas Tech head coach Kristy Curry
emphasized on Tuesday was taking the rest of the season for her Lady Raider
squad one game at a time.
On Wednesday it was another game, another win and another
series sweep, the fifth of the season, for Tech as they brushed away Oklahoma State for the second time in 2013, winning this time around 61-53.
“I think it was a little different last time, we came down
and took some bad shots today in the first half and that put them into
transition immediately,” Oklahoma State head coach Jim Littell said following
the loss. “When you essentially are playing a lineup with five guards like
Texas Tech is and you take a bad shot it’s almost like a turnover because they
are out running the other way.
“I thought it was our shot selection and they had some nice
run outs.”
The Lady Raiders (21-7, 11-5 in Big 12 Conference play)
found some struggles from the field to start the game with Oklahoma State
pulling out to a 16-6 lead at one point, but then like Tech has done multiple
times this season - they came back.
Tech pieced together a 29-6 run fueled by senior Chynna Brown, reaching double digits in 16 of the last 17 games now, with yet another
double-figure performance.
Brown finishing the night going 8-for-15 from the field and
4-for-7 from beyond the arc for 22 points to lead all scorers in the game, 10
of those points coming during a crucial run in the first half, said she was
just feeling it on Wednesday night inside the United Spirit Arena.
“Just being aggressive, you want to defend your home court,”
Brown said. “Mainly me and my teammates came out and had fun. We just played
aggressive and tried to not think about it too much.”
Oklahoma State (19-8, 8-8) was able to come back cutting the
lead down to as close as four, trailing 53-49 with just one minute and 50
seconds left in the game.
Three Cowgirls finished in double digits with Brittney
Martin leading the trio with 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting.
But it wasn’t enough, Tech closing out the game from the
charity stripe, going 6-for-6 in the final minute, to secure yet another Big 12
win.
“I think we just kept our composure,” senior Casey Morris,
who finished with XX points, said. “I think, like Chynna (Brown) said, we’ve
been in these kinds of situations before this season and it showed with how patient
we were and we just wanted to be smart and get the free throw we needed to and
keep it away and let the time run out and try and do that and stay composed.”
The bench for the Lady Raiders played a key role with Jackie
Patterson and Shauntal Nobles combining for seven points and nine boards,
contributing to Tech’s 35 rebounds on the night.
Only one other Lady Raider reached the double-digit plateau
as Kelsi Baker finished with 12 points and six boards.
Tech now has a quick turnaround heading to Kansas State on
Saturday facing the Wildcats for the final time in regular season play, and
Curry credits her players and staff when it comes to preparing for a game so
quickly.
“It’s awesome,” Curry said. “It’s also I think important how
our coaching staff handles things, you know that we are really smart with the
time. We’re in an hour and a half max right now; we’ll have a recovery lift
tomorrow. But senior leadership,
and them having been here and done this before, you know it’s like I’ve said
all year, you’ve got to have a high tolerance for hard work and pain.
Everybody’s sore and everybody has to understand that the teams that work the
hardest right now are the teams that are going to win. Not only physically but
mentally, this group understands that and has learned from the past.”
Lady Raiders and Wildcats are set for a 12:30 p.m. first tip on Saturday in
Manhattan, Kansas.