Today in Gallagher-Iba Arena marks a meeting of two teams coming off of two vastly different games and outcomes. Oklahoma State is looking rebound from the home loss to Oklahoma last Saturday and Texas Tech is hoping to have built some momentum with their upset win over Texas A&M in Lubbock just three days ago.
Starting for the Cowgirls is the ‘standard’ lineup headlined by Andrea Riley and Tegan Cunningham, who are joined by Lakyn Garrison, Precious Robinson and Megan Byford. The 14-9 Red Raiders start seniors and team scoring leaders Ashlee Roberson and Jordan Murfree along with Jordan Barncastle, Christine Hyde and Monique Smalls.
Three point shooting begins the day, with Tech hitting their first three 3-pointers and OSU struggling from the field, starting the first four minutes shooting just 28.6 percent. The visitors take the early 11-5 lead on the Cowgirls at the first timeout as the clock shows 15:52 remaining in the first half.
This game is not starting the way head coach Kurt Budke was hoping and he’s substituting various lineups to try to find a way to manufacture some offense. A layup by Megan Byford breaks the 5:15 second stretch of no basket to make the score 17-8. Perhaps that spark was just what the Cowgirls needed because Riley hits a much needed three on the next possession to cut the Tech lead to six heading to the second timeout with 11:07 to play before the halftime break.
The shift to the 2-3 zone defense seems to have given the Cowgirls a better opportunity on the defensive end of the court and when they switch back to man coverage, Tech gets a trey. The Cowgirls have been playing catch-up since the tip and they’re whittling away at what was once a double-digit lead. It’s now a two-possession game, with the Red Raiders up 20-16 with just under eight minutes to go in the half.
Coming out of the timeout, Andrea Riley hits a jumper has the last 10 points for the Cowgirls, a 10-0 run for the team. After a steal and a basket by Tech followed by another O State turnover and Red Raider points, the Tech lead is back to seven at 25-18. To compound the Oklahoma State shooting woes, the Cowgirls also have eight turnover and eight team fouls with just over four minutes in the first.
The Texas Tech 3-point shooting clinic continues as the Red Raiders hit another one, and bring their talley to six treys by five ladies thus far in the game. All of Jordan Barncastle’s six points have come from beyond the arc. With 3:01 to go, the score is 28-20 in favor of Tech.
The end of the period is closing out in favor of the Cowgirls, ending the half on a four point run and cutting the lead 28-24 at halftime. OSU is being outrebounded 24-16 – and it is sure to be a topic of discussion in the locker room by Kurt Budke. Last Saturday against Oklahoma State, the rebound disparity was what Budke attributed the loss to and today is starting off much the same. The Cowgirls are losing the battle on the glass, both offensively and defensively.
Tegan Cunningham and Andrea Riley both have 10 points apiece and are leading all scorers. But, only two others on the O State squad have scored at all. For the Red Raiders, eight ladies have points on the board, with Jordan Barcastle leading the way with her two threes. Monique Smalls and Christine Hyde are close behind, with both ladies sitting at five. Tech has three ladies with four boards in the first half, Ashlee Roberson, Chynna Brown and Marissa Ashton as the same eight scorers all have at least one board on the night.
After the Tech hot hand to start the game, their shooting cooled considerably to let the Cowgirls climb back into this one. Both teams are just over 35 percent from the field, but the Red Raiders are 6-of-11 from beyond the arc while OSU is just 3-of-11 from long range. Four Cowgirls have two fouls heading into the second half.
The second half starts off on a more positive note for the home team, with OSU forcing a turnover and Toni Young getting points after an offensive rebound. After giving up a basket to Tech, Young gets an opportunity to shoot two from the line and pull the Tech lead to three. Tech is hanging tough and not getting rattled by the Cowgirls, and after another Barncastle trey the lead is back to nine, 38-29 with 15:32 to play. Andrea Riley picks up her third foul as we head into a timeout in this nine-point game.
Tech gets the lead back to double-digits coming out of the timeout and Toni Young joins Riley in having three fouls. Riley looks to take this game over, but is making poor shots, forcing the ball. After a block and fast break Riley gets a quick layup and gets the game back to a nine-point lead for the Red Raiders.
With 11:47 to play, the score is 44-34 and Oklahoma State is still trying to find a way to get a spark of offense going. That might be a tough task for OSU, as Riley has now picked up her fourth foul on a quick whistle. Tech is up by 14 now and the Cowgirls and in trouble. The defensive is allowing points on almost every possession and only have 10 minutes to get something going. Riley comes back in and it will be interesting to see if she can avoid contact for such an extended period of time.
With 7:54 to go, the Cowgirls are down by 11 at 52-41. The time to make a run is dwindling with each tick of the clock for OSU. Texas Tech is still outrebounding State by quite a margin and the foul issues of the Cowgirls aren’t helping. Riley and Cunningham both have four and Toni Young is sitting at three. At the next timeout with 6:41 to go the lead is 12 and OSU doesn’t seem to have any effective offensive options.
Riley is at the line coming out of the break and misses two straight free throws, her first attempts from the charity stripe tonight, continuing the shooting woes of the Cowgirls. But Tech is letting OSU hold out hope for a comeback, with two consecutive turnovers and a block by Precious Robinson. With 4:35 to go, O State has the game down to six and a missed layup by Tech gives the home team the ball and the crowd some life.
Barncastle gets to the line and equals her career high of 17 points with the two makes. Tech leads by six with just under three to play and Toni Young is now the third Cowgirl on the floor with four fouls. With 1:11 to play and a timeout on the court, the score is 60-55 and Oklahoma State is clawing its way back. Toni Young just scored off an offensive rebound and putback but then fouls out on the next possession.
With 37.4 seconds to play the second Cowgirl to foul out of the game is Andrea Riley and Tech heads to the line. OSU will need some major magic to come back from this now six-point deficit in the waning seconds.
Tech walks away from Stillwater the upset winner with a 65-57 victory and hands Oklahoma State their third straight loss. Up next for OSU is another tough home game against Texas A&M while Tech will travel to Baylor and look to continue their winning ways.
