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Taking a page out of the Texian army at the Battle of San Jacinto, the Texas Tech women’s basketball team can very well have their own slogan for this season by remembering a loss from its past.
“Remember New Mexico,” has become an unofficial battle cry for what happened earlier this season.
The Lady Raiders (9-2) can’t forget about their puzzling 65-61 loss to New Mexico in the second game of the season.
With Houston coming to town at 2 p.m. today in Tech’s final test before Big 12 Conference play, the Lady Raiders know they can’t take the Cougars lightly — which they may have done in the early loss to the Lobos.
Even though Tech slaughtered the Cougars last season — 88-58 in Space City — it can’t expect to be able to walk all over the Cougs again this season, said guard Monique Smalls, who added that she believes they took the Lobos a little too lightly because of how
well they have played them in recent years. The Lady Raiders beat New Mexico 69-43 last season, but lost by four this year. The Tech coaches aren’t letting the Lady Raiders forget that.
“They tell us every day,” Smalls said about how different teams are form year to year. “Every minute, every possession we’ve done in practice (Friday) because they don’t want another incident like the one in New Mexico to happen.”
Houston won just three games last season, but has have won five in the pre-conference schedule this year.
The Cougars (5-6) soundly beat New Mexico, 77-62, two weeks after Tech lost to the Lobos.
“When you beat a team by a lot,” Smalls said, “you’re like, ‘OK we’re about to play them again, let’s just do it again,’ but I mean as a point guard I’m not supposed to come out like that. So especially again Houston, I need to make sure all my players do not have that mindset, and the coaches will definitely be ragging on it all practice until the game.”
Today’s game marks the first match for Tech since a Dec. 21 win against Oregon State (66-48).
Tech coach Kristy Curry has always indoctrinated her players to only think one game at a time, and her seniors are doing a good job of relaying that message to anyone who asks.
At the same time, Curry doesn’t like to harp on just one game, but pointing the New Mexico loss seems to have stuck in the players’ heads.
Senior Chynna Brown knows her team just needs to take Sunday’s game with the same approach they should take in every game: Giving it their all and focusing on the task at hand.
“We just got to treat (Houston) just like any other game,” Brown said. “No matter who we’re playing — if we’re playing somebody ranked or an underdog — no matter who it is, you just go to treat this game just like any other game. And it’s our first game back playing at home, so it will be pretty fun. Our fans will come out and show a lot of love, so we just got to be ready to go.”
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thomas.magelssen@lubbockonline.com • 766-8723
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Comments (9)
Add commentperspective.
Here is some perspective for ya... It's time to FIRE Curry/Curry!
I Know What To Do About Curry-Curry
Today is December 30. Bring in Dicky Grigg today and simply cheat Curry-Curry out of their jobs.
Naw. Wasn't for it before and wouldn't be for it again.
Never mind.
Ho-Hum
Since this bunch of cupcake beaters hadn't played for 9 days, I thought the season was over!! Too bad, one more win (maybe) then their season begins and Curry-Curry will again lead them to a bottom feeder finish in the Conference. Surely a U-Haul will be in their drive-way by the time school is out........
wichita65
I know you wish and pray for this every single minute of every single day so that the person close to you can attempt to get the job. Keep pushing that agenda.
And today's winner is ...
...... witchita65 - 4
redraider2007 - 0
p.s. When will Morris score double digits in Big12 play? GGAAACKK! Not much. And they'll complain about being left out of the tournament after going 8-10. Recruits of Curry - two 6'5" who never got off the bench in losing to MSU (Morris? 3 pts). Sorry for the optimism, make it 7-11.
007
Throw your name into the hat for Curry-Curry's job. Since you sat on the bench and held Curry's clipboard for several years, you might be qualified to take her job. Couldn't do any worse but then, couldn't do any better either. Don't get run over by the U-haul truck that pulls out of Curry's driveway right after the season is over.
wichita65
Actually, Grant Fausett holds/held Kristy's clipboard. He's the Director of Basketball Operations. Just wanted your facts to be straight. Kristy & Kelly Curry have a very high basketball IQ. I really like the way Kelly's offense attacks the zone after several ball reversals. Their ball screen offense against the man is designed for their guards to get dribble penetration & open up the backside for a one-on-one matchup inside. They just need to land a big time post player.
RR007, I have to admit that I'm rooting for ...
... your point of view. I really see nothing wrong with the coaching, x's and o's, their value as citizens, etc. As with all college athletics, recruiting is the name of the game, not zones/screens/etc. As a former professional driver, I've been to/through every Big12 city numerous times. I can see an 18 yr old thinking Ft. Worth or Austin is a more "happening" place than Lubbock, but in truth they are just larger/more congested areas with more variations of the same things we have here. And the other 7 are no bigger/better than Lubbock, so there's really no excuse for our recruitment to have been so poor over the last 10 years, which includes all of the Curry's stay.
We don't have ANY players who can put the biscuit in the basket with any consistency. Our only big with talent has a medical condition (bless you Shauntal, hope you get well soon). We don't have a starting 4 or 5, much less a backup for either position. Two 6'5" reserves who aren't good enough to get off the bench against MSU, for Pete's sake. (Yeah Pete! toot toot). Successful programs are not built on charitable contributions to the local high school coaches' family!!! 7 years in and we get a 9th place finish?? I sincerely hope that "Kirby the Kliffbringer" has given the "Turdville Ultimatum" to this crew.
right Pete
I agree 100%. Curry-Curry may/may not know all about the x's and o'x but that's not all there is to coaching. Heck, with the talent that Duke has, I could probably coach them but coaching is about getting the right players at the right positions and getting 100% participation from the whole team. For some reason, she seems to think there is or has never been any talented high school girls west of Sweetwater and the ones she does get (read Schneider's) could'nt throw the ball in the Gulf if they were 100 miles east of Padre Island. As you said Pete, any talent, real talent, is probably going to end up at A&M, Baylor, UT, etc. and Curry will get those no one else really wanted. Keep recruiting marginal players to go along with average coaching ability and the same results for this year and beyond, will remain the same as it's been for last 6 years. 007 says she needs a big time post player, what does that mean?? She's recruited 2 from Monterey and a juco All-American. You don't need a 6'8" Griner, you need a player than can the job done. Stanford, UConn, and Notre Dame don't have excessively tall players; they just have really GOOD players.