Women's basketball: Texas Tech, TCU tangle for first Big 12 win
Despite facing the only Big 12 Conference team with a losing record, Texas Tech women's basketball coach Krista Gerlich said there will be no overlooking TCU.
Both teams will vie for their first conference win Saturday at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena, a venue where the Lady Raiders haven't won in two tries under Gerlich.
Like Tech, the Horned Frogs lost their first two Big 12 contests to foes who sit at 2-0 entering the weekend. TCU dropped to 6-7 overall with Wednesday's 81-69 home loss to Texas.
"I don't think that it matters what anybody's record is in the Big 12," Gerlich said Friday. "I mean, clearly TCU played really well against Baylor and Texas. They had two really tough draws as well and played them down to the wire. They can certainly play with anybody, and you just want to make sure that we don't ever overlook an opponent or that we don't respect them.
"In the Big 12, it's anybody's ballgame any single night. I think our kids understand that. We haven't won at TCU since we've been here, so that's another challenge."
Knisha Godfrey led the Horned Frogs with 17 points against Texas, which held at least a nine-point advantage throughout the second half. Godfrey's output bumped her average to 6.5 points per game.
Tomi Taiwo, one of five TCU players in double figures Wednesday, is the team's leading scorer at 13.6 points, followed by Lucy Ibeh's 9.0. The Horned Frogs are last in the Big 12 in scoring (61.0) and field-goal percentage (38.1%).
TCU averages 22 free-throw attempts per game but shoots at a 65% clip. The team went 32 of 42 (76.2%) against Texas.
"They play extremely hard and they're very athletic," Gerlich said of TCU. "They try to score at all three levels. … They're very active on defense. They're just really good athletes and really good players. We're going to have to control them and make them take difficult shots and not foul them. We have to defend without fouling, because they're really good at getting to the free-throw line."
The Horned Frogs are second-worst in the conference with 16.7 turnovers per game. Gerlich is hoping Tech can take advantage with defense leading to transition opportunities.
It was a rough go on defense against No. 21 Kansas, which beat the Lady Raiders 77-59 Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks shot 50% from the field and won the rebounding battle 37-29.
Bre'Amber Scott scored a team-high 21 points on 6-of-14 shooting against Kansas. Tech shot 40.4% as a team, including 22.2% from 3-point range. Jasmine Shavers, the reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Week, followed with 11 points.
Transfer center Jazmaine Lewis made her first start Wednesday, notching four points and five rebounds in a season-high 25 minutes. It was her lowest output since a scoreless game against Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 25.
The move meant Rhyle McKinney came off the bench for the first time this season. The guard attempted two shots and finished with three points for the second consecutive game.
Consistent with her approach, Gerlich said Saturday's starting five will be based on matchups.
The coach is expecting a "battle" with TCU in front of a crowd of Lady Raiders family and friends from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. She's hoping for a better start after falling behind by 10 through the first quarter at Kansas — the team's second true road game.
"I think our kids learned that we've got to come out and from the tip be ready to play," Gerlich said, "if we want to try to win on the road."
Texas Tech at TCU
Big 12 Conference women's basketball
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena, Fort Worth
Records: Texas Tech 12-3, 0-2; TCU 6-7, 0-2
Radio: 107.7 FM
Live stream: ESPN+
Big 12 standings
Team Conference, Overall
Baylor 2-0, 11-3
Iowa State 2-0, 10-2
Kansas 2-0, 12-1
Texas 2-0, 11-4
Kansas State 1-1, 12-3
Oklahoma 1-1, 11-2
Oklahoma State 0-2, 10-4
TCU 0-2, 6-7
Texas Tech 0-2, 12-3
West Virginia 0-2, 9-4
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Women's basketball: Texas Tech, TCU tangle for first Big 12 win
