Rough second quarter dooms Lady Raiders in Big 12 opener loss to No. 15 Iowa State

Even with a disastrous second quarter, the Texas Tech women's basketball team clawed within reach late in the game. But a momentum-shifting play sealed a Big 12 Conference-opening win for No. 15 Iowa State.

After the Lady Raiders sawed the deficit down to seven points — the smallest margin in the second half — all-America guard Ashley Joens answered with an and-1 with 5:55 remaining. Bre'Amber Scott also received a technical foul on the play for what referees told Tech coach Krista Gerlich was a shove after the initial contact on the infraction.

When the dust settled, the Cyclones had added five points without taking time off the clock. That began a 15-2 run for conference favorite ISU, which left United Supermarkets Arena with a 76-58 victory Saturday.

"Any time that they get four free throws in a row, it's gonna be tough," Gerlich said. "They shoot the ball really well there. That's going to be an extension of their lead right there. It was just unfortunate. I thought it was a hard foul, but I thought that we were competing."

The result snapped Tech's 11-game winning streak and ended an eight-game homestand.

"I'm proud of our kids for fighting until the end," Gerlich said. "I think that we had some adversity throughout the game, and I thought that our kids held together and gave themselves a chance. It got away from us towards the end, obviously, but I thought that our kids did a pretty good job."

Scott, who scored a team-high 18 points, accounted for the Lady Raiders' second technical of the game. Gerlich picked up her own for arguing calls during a tumultuous second quarter. For the game, Tech committed 23 fouls to ISU's 10, including a 7-2 margin in the second stanza.

The Cyclones (9-2 overall, 1-0 conference) took advantage to the tune of 25-of-27 shooting from the charity stripe. The Lady Raiders (12-2, 0-1) finished 4 of 8.

"The free-throw line, obviously we need to get there more and keep them off the free-throw line," Gerlich said. "But it looks like to me that that's the biggest glaring stat of the night."

Joens finished with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, tacking on seven rebounds. Lexi Donarski added 21 points, while 6-foot-6 center Stephanie Soares posted 14 points and 16 rebounds. Junior guard Emily Ryan also had a double-double for the Cyclones with 15 points and 10 rebounds to go with six assists.

"We have, in my mind, as tough a backcourt as there is in the country with Em and Lex," ISU coach Bill Fennelly said. "They get us into the right stuff. Obviously then you add Ash's stuff; we're very skilled there. … We made our free throws. I thought we defended really well most of the game.

"When they cut it to nine and we called timeout, we just challenged them to play the best seven minutes of the season. And I think we did, at both ends of the floor."

Jazmaine Lewis totaled 13 points and a team-high six rebounds. She was the only other Lady Raider to score in double figures.

The Cyclones used a pair of runs in the second quarter to create a 40-26 cushion at halftime. ISU opened the frame with the first seven points and had a 15-2 stretch capped by consecutive 3-pointers. That turned a tied game into a 14-point deficit for Tech.

The home fans booed the referees as they left and returned to the court during the halftime break, fired up after Gerlich's technical marked the 12th foul called on the Lady Raiders in the first 20 minutes. The Cyclones had tallied six fouls.

Tech will look to bounce back on the road at Kansas on Wednesday. The Jayhawks won their first 10 games before a triple-overtime loss to Nebraska. KU (11-1, 1-0) opened Big 12 play Saturday with an 80-65 road win over Oklahoma State.

"This is what we've been waiting for," Scott said of conference play. "This is what we want. You want to play at the highest level, and I think everybody on our team wants that challenge as well. … It's big-girl basketball. We say we want to make it to the big dance, well, this is what we've got to do to get there.

"We just have to keep playing hard, stay focused and we'll get it done."

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Second quarter dooms Lady Raiders in Big 12 opening loss to Iowa State