Freshman Kilah Freelon's role growing with Texas Tech women's basketball
With 1.5 seconds left in the first quarter, Kilah Freelon checked into the game against Big 12 foe Oklahoma. Texas Tech executed its inbound play, finding the freshman at the top of the key for a quick jumper.
She didn't play the rest of the night, finishing with a stat line of two points in two seconds.
Freelon's been hard to keep off the floor since.
The Denver native, who had played 47 seconds in conference play prior to Saturday, logged her most playing time of the season in the past two games — a pair of Lady Raiders wins. That included a career-high 23 minutes in Wednesday's 68-64 victory over No. 25 Texas.
Freelon shot 4 of 5 against the Longhorns in notching 12 points, seven rebounds and a block. As a spark off the bench, Freelon provides "everything that we need," senior guard Bre'Amber Scott said postgame.
"Her energy, her grit, her toughness," Scott detailed, "her ability to rebound the ball, to run the floor, get easy dump-offs, put-backs. … She's only a freshman, so for her to do this (against) a top-25 team, so proud of her. This is a big moment for her. I want her to enjoy it and know that we are so proud of her."
Having the backing of her teammates isn't lost on Freelon, either.
"My team has been such a big support for me," Freelon said. "As Bre said, I always want to learn and become better. So having their support, and them pushing me all the time, and our coaching staff that's constantly working with me, it's been really amazing. I knew once I got my opportunity I would just have to put forth what they've shown me and stay within myself."
The seven rebounds matched her season-best set against Mississippi Valley State. Although Tech (15-4 overall, 3-3 conference) lost the rebounding battle by one to UT, it's shown a vast improvement the past two games. The 85-65 win over Kansas State on Saturday was the only time the Lady Raiders have out-rebounded a Big 12 foe.
Tech will look to keep rolling Saturday at West Virginia. It would be the Lady Raiders' first three-game conference win streak under coach Krista Gerlich. The team's current stretch is the second time Tech has won consecutive Big 12 games during her tenure.
Gerlich said Wednesday part of the recent success has been players' team-first mentality.
"I think everyone is just really accepting their roles," Gerlich said, "and they're doing whatever it is we need per game, for each game. This particular game we needed to neutralize their bigs and try to take them out of it a little bit. We used every post player we have, in some form or fashion. But I just feel like our kids are just really embracing the team, the team — trying to win a game and not worrying about themselves so much.
"And that takes a while to get to that point."
Scott's offensive production hasn't hurt either. The senior scored a game-high 28 points against UT, which marked her fifth consecutive 20-point outing. Reigning Big 12 freshman of the week Jasmine Shavers, who has reached double figures in three consecutive games, followed with 13 points.
The duo will match up against the Big 12's second-best scoring defense Saturday. The Mountaineers (12-5, 3-3) allow 57.5 points per game on 37.7% shooting. WVU is also second in the conference in forcing 21 turnovers on average.
The Mountaineers led Kansas by 14 points midway through the third quarter Wednesday before being blitzed. The Jayhawks came away with a 77-58 home win.
Ja'Naiya Quinerly and Madisen Smith lead WVU with 13.2 and 12.6 points per game, respectively.
If there's an area Tech can try to exploit, it's rebounding. The Mountaineers have a minus-3.5 rebounding margin after KU notched a 48-27 advantage. No doubt, Freelon figures to have a say in that department.
Texas Tech at West Virginia
Big 12 women's basketball
When: Noon Saturday
Where: WVU Coliseum, Morgantown, W.V.
Records: Texas Tech 15-4, 3-3; West Virginia 12-5, 3-3
Radio: FM 107.7
Live stream: ESPN+
Big 12 standings
School Conference, Overall
Oklahoma 5-1, 15-2
Baylor 4-2, 13-5
Iowa State 4-2, 12-4
Texas 4-2, 13-6
Kansas 3-3, 13-4
Texas Tech 3-3, 15-4
West Virginia 3-3, 12-5
Kansas State 1-5, 12-7
TCU 0-6, 6-11
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Freshman Kilah Freelon's role growing with Texas Tech women's basketball
