Texas Tech Brings the Hard Hat to The Pit, Leave with a 82-57 Win
The Lady Raiders didn’t just pack their bags for their first road test of the season versus New Mexico, they packed a hard hat.
And in Albuquerque, they’ve always needed one.
“This is a really tough place to play,” said head coach Krista Gerlich postgame. “That’s a really good basketball team. They’re going to win a lot of games, and there’s a reason why power fours won’t come here. It’s a hard place to play, but super proud of our kids and just their tenacity. They never panicked. They competed hard. It was, it was a really nice overall win.”
Counting Sunday, Texas Tech has played at The Pit seven times. Before this trip, the Lady Raiders had come away with a win only twice, the last coming in 2010. It’s an unforgiving place to play, with a rowdy crowd in the stands making sure you know it.
Texas Tech didn’t shy away from that. On Saturday, the team all signed a yellow hard hat; on Sunday, they wore it. They refused to let the Lobos win the toughness categories despite a foul-fest of a first half, then settled in and played their game after the break on the way to an 82–57 win and a 7–0 start to the season.
“That first half was amazing. It was hard. A lot of fouls. It was very physical. Our kids didn’t back down.”
Texas Tech Stat Leaders
Jalynn Bristow: 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks, 3 assists — led Tech in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks
Snudda Collins: 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Bailey Maupin: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
Jada Malone: 10 points in 10 minutes, 4 rebounds
Denae Fritz: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steals
Gemma Núñez: 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 points, only 1 turnover
Team totals: 40–33 rebounding edge, 20 assists on 28 made shots, 37 bench points, four players in double figures with two more one basket away
How It Happened
In a game they wanted to be the agressor, Texas Tech got exactly the start it needed thanks to Denae Fritz. The senior attacked the rim through contact for the opening basket and added seven early points, doing exactly what the staff had asked of her.
“We challenged her… whoever had Hooks on them needed to attack the basket,” said Gerlich on Fritz’ aggressive approach. “The very first attack she went and got a layup right at her. She was really locked in on on what our game plan was and confident in her shooting. And she defended Hooks most of the night.”
It was a first half dominated by grabbing, slapping, whistles and stop and start basketball. But the Lady Raiders kept their poise and took advantage of the fouls from New Mexico to get 15 points at the free throw line and take a 39-29 lead into half.
After the break, Tech’s core trio of Jalynn Bristow, Bailey Maupin, and Snudda Collins did what they’ve done all season. Bristow led the team across nearly every category, Maupin provided efficient scoring and decision-making and Collins delivered timely, sometimes acrobatic, shots that stretched the lead.
On the defensive end, Tech started throwing different looks at the Lobos. Switching at times into a 1–3–1 and seeming to frustrate New Mexico, creating turnovers and sparking transition opportunities.
“We tried to take a little of their aggression out of them by changing our defenses,” explained Gerlich. “We got a couple of turnovers, spread the gap a little and then defended them really well.”
Against New Mexico’s pesky on-ball pressure, Gemma Núñez was once again the steadying force. Her eight assists, with only one turnover, helped Tech push the lead safely into double digits. Meanwhile Jada Malone added another efficient outing off the bench, posting 10 points in 10 minutes with four rebounds.
In the end, Texas Tech walked out of Albuquerque with its first road win of the season and a 7–0 record. Most of all the mindset stayed the same, as Jalynn Bristow said in the locker room celebration afterward: “Let’s make it 8–0.”
Next Up: Hoopfest Challenge in Frisco, Texas: 11/25-11/27
Texas Tech takes on their Thanksgiving tournament heading to the Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Challenge at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. They are scheduled to play Old Dominion at 4:30 PM on Tuesday and North Texas on Thursday at 2 PM.
“Both of these next games are going to be tough,” said Gerlich. “Both teams are really athletic. Old Dominion, like it gets after you. I mean, they’re super pressure. They try to trap you everywhere, they press. And we’ll have to handle their pressure and take care of the basketball, not give them easy points in transition. And then North Texas, same thing. North Texas, Coach Burton does a great job, they’re really disciplined and they can defend. So two big games in Frisco for us, and we hope a lot of people that are Red Raiders in the Metroplex for Thanksgiving will come out and support us.”
Games will be streamed on FloSports.
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