Feb. 24, 2009
#6/5 Baylor (21-4, 9-3) vs. Texas Tech (15-11, 5-7)
Wednesday, Feb. 25 - 7:00 p.m. (CT)
Ferrell Center (10,284) - Waco, Texas
OVER THE AIRWAVES
TV: None
Webcast: BaylorBears.com
live audio (free) and video (pay)
Radio: ISP Sports Network
92.9 FM-KLRK
www.baylorbears.com
Radio Talent:
Rick May (Play-by-play)
Lori Fogleman (Color analyst)
Live Stats: www.baylorbears.com
BAYLOR HOSTS TEXAS TECH ON WEDNESDAY
No. 6/5 Baylor, 21-4 overall, 9-3 in the Big 12 and alone in second place in the league standings, will host the Texas Tech Lady Raiders on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 7:00 p.m. (CT).
Junior post Danielle Wilson leads the Lady Bears in both scoring and rebounding at 15.5 points and 9.6 boards a game while senior guard Jessica Morrow ranks second on the team in scoring at 10.8 a contest, while senior guard Jhasmin Player and senior forward/post Rachel Allison aren't far behind at 9.9 and 9.6 a game, respectively. Four players haul down 5.2 or more rebounds a contest, Wilson leads the way with 9.6, Allison follows with 6.0, while sophomore guard Melissa Jones manages 5.5 a contest and Player hauls in 5.2 an outing. The Lady Bears average 44.4 rebounds a contest while limiting their opponents to just 34.3.
The Lady Raiders are 15-11 on the season and 5-7 in league play. The Lady Raiders are 3-7 away from the United Spirit Arena this season and 3-3 in league road games. Their five league road wins have come over Texas (65-62), at Kansas (57-49), at Colorado (66-60), Texas A&M (60-53) and at Oklahoma State (74-70).
WILSON CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER POINTS
Junior Danielle Wilson, the Lady Bears' leading scorer and rebounder, is closing in on the 1,000 career point milestone. With 995 points, the 6-3 post needs to score five points to become the third Lady Bear to achieve the 1,000 milestone this season and the 27th overall.
Wilson's teammates Jessica Morrow and Rachel Allison achieved the milestone earlier this season. Only one other time in Lady Bear history have three players reached 1,000 career points in the same season; Debbie Polk, Gaye Pack and Jackie Valentine achieved the feat in 1982.
LADY BEAR LEADERS
With 25 games under its belt, Baylor continues to rank among the Big 12 Conference leaders in rebounding and is No. 6 nationally in rebounding margin (+10.1). Four players haul down 5.2 or more rebounds a contest, junior post Danielle Wilson leads the way with 9.6, senior post Rachel Allison follows with 6.0, while sophomore guard Melissa Jones manages 5.5 a contest and senior guard Jhasmin Player hauls in 5.2 an outing. The Lady Bears average 44.4 rebounds a contest while limiting their opponents to just 34.3.
Wilson leads the team in both scoring and rebounding at 15.5 points and 9.6 boards a game while senior guard Jessica Morrow ranks second on the team in scoring at 10.8 a contest. Player and Allison aren't far behind at 9.9 and 9.6 a game, respectively.
BAYLOR LADY BEARS
IN THE POLLS
6 - Associated Press
5 - USA Today/ESPN Coaches
PROBABLE STARTERS (based on previous game)
21 Kelli Griffin-So., G, 5-8 - 6.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.3 apg
15 Jhasmin Player-Sr., G, 5-10 - 9.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.4 apg
3 Jessica Morrow-Sr., G, 6-0 - 10.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg
14 Rachel Allison-Sr., F, 6-1 - 9.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg
11 Danielle Wilson-Jr., P, 6-3 -15.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.1 bpg
SCOUTING THE LADY RAIDERS
The Texas Tech Lady Raiders are 15-11 on the season and 5-7 in league play. The Lady Raiders are 3-7 away from the United Spirit Arena this season and 3-3 in league road games. Their five league road wins have come over Texas (65-62), at Kansas (57-49), at Colorado (66-60), Texas A&M (60-53) and at Oklahoma State (74-70). All five wins have come by eight or fewer points.
Head coach Kristy Curry is in her third season at Texas Tech after a highly successful head coaching stint at Purdue. Curry posted a 179-51 record in seven seasons at Purdue. She is 226-94 in 10 seasons as a head coach, including 47-43 at Texas Tech. Curry and Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey were both assistant coaches at Louisiana Tech serving under current Baylor assistant coach Leon Barmore. Mulkey served there from 1985-2000 while Curry was there for three seasons (1996-99).
Texas Tech is led in scoring by 5-10 senior forward Dominic Seals' 13.8 points and 8.0 rebounds. Senior guard Jordan Murphree ranks second on the team in scoring at 11.7 points while 6-3 freshman center Kierra Mallard is the team's second-leading rebounder at 8.2 an outing.
TEXAS TECH'S PROBABLE STARTERS (based on previous game)
3 Maria Moore - Sr., G, 5-5 - 8.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.4 apg
13 Jordan Murphree - Jr., G, 6-0 - 11.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg
41 Dominique Seals - Sr., F, 6-2 - 13.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg
31 Ashlee Roberson - Jr., F, 5-11 - 5.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg
20 Kierra Mallard - Fr., C, 6-3 - 9.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg
SERIES RECORD
Baylor and Texas Tech will meet for the 68th time when the two teams square off on Wednesday evening in the Ferrell Center. Texas Tech leads the series 46-21, however Baylor has won 10 of the last 11 games including six straight, Baylor's longest win streak in the series.
Baylor is 8-20 all-time in games played in Waco. Head coach Kim Mulkey owns a 12-7 record against Texas Tech, including a 6-2 mark in Waco and four straight Ferrell Center victories.
ALL-AMERICAN CANDIDATE WILSON ON A ROLL
Baylor's Danielle Wilson, an All-American candidate, has been on a roll since the Lady Bears played Wisconsin. Over the past 19 games, the junior post has produced 15 double-doubles, led the team in scoring on 13 occasions and rebounding in 15 contests. In addition, against Texas State and again against Missouri, she poured in a career-high 26 points and at Texas Tech she hauled down a career-high 17 rebounds. Over the 19 games she has averaged a team-leading 17.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.42 blocks.
Wilson has raised her season averages to 15.5 points and 9.6 rebounds a game, both of which lead the team. She has blocked a team-leading 78 shots which ranks her No. 1 in the Big 12 at 3.1 a contest.
Wilson has hauled down 239 rebounds, 116 (48.5 percent) of which are off the offensive glass.
As of games through Feb. 23, Wilson ranks No. 8 nationally in blocked shots (3.1). In addition, with 995 career points, Wilson needs to score five points to become the third Lady Bear to achieve the 1,000 milestone this season and the 27th overall.
LED ME GUARD HER COACH
When deciding which player to assign to defend the opponent's top perimeter player, coach Mulkey often hears from 6-0 senior guard Jessica Morrow, "let me guard her coach." Morrow's long arms and lanky frame make her a daunting defender and she has often held her assigned player to well below her scoring average this season.
In addition, Morrow has stepped up her offensive production since the start of Big 12 play. Prior to entering league action, the 6-0 guard averaged 9.7 points a game to rank fourth on the squad in scoring. She has raised her season scoring average to 10.8 ppg which ranks No. 2 on the team. In Baylor's 12 league games, Morrow has averaged 12.1 points a game.
OFF THE BENCH
Coming off the bench, sophomore guard Melissa Jones has proven to a valuable asset to the Lady Bears. Not only can she hit from the outside, but she can post-up, is one of the team's best rebounders and leads the squad in steals.
The Thornton, Colo., native is averaging 7.4 points and 5.5 rebounds while hitting 50.4 (62-123) percent from the floor, including 38.9 percent (14-36) from three-point range. She has dished out 42 assists and stolen the ball a team-leading 38 times.
