OU Closes Regular Season with Loss to Texas Tech

Despite a combined 30 points from freshmen Aaryn Ellenberg and Nicole Griffin, the Sooners dropped their last game of the regular season.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:15 pm

By: News On 6

OU Closes Regular Season with Loss to Texas Tech

Originally Published: Mar 5, 2011 4:45 PM CDT

Oklahoma Sports Staff and Wire Reports

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Despite a combined 30 points from freshmen Aaryn Ellenberg and Nicole Griffin, the Oklahoma Sooners left Texas with a five-point loss after falling to the Texas Tech Lady Raiders, 61-56.

The Lady Raiders were led by Monique Smalls’ 13 points. The freshman averages only 5.7 points per game, but found her groove against the Sooners. Teammate Kierra Mallard finished with 10 points, while Tech’s lone senior, Teena Wickett finished with six.

The Sooners ended their 2011 regular season on a sour note, despite impressive performances from their underclassmen. Ellenberg and Griffin both added seven rebounds apiece for the Sooners, but the team’s leading scorer, Danielle Robinson, was held to only seven points.

Texas Tech used a 10-2 run to start the second half, including 3-pointers from Kierra Mallard and Christine Hyde, to go up 41-37 with 14:24 remaining in the game. The Lady Raiders led the rest of the way, though Oklahoma pulled within 56-55 on a layup by Nicole Griffin with 1:37 remaining.

Texas Tech (21-9, 8-8 Big 12) made 5 of 6 free throws to hang on for the win.

The Lady Raiders won despite being outrebounded (42-32) and outshot -- but just barely. The Sooners, who shot 58.3 percent in the first half, made just six field goals in 29 attempts in the second half, or 20.7 percent.