Perimeter Shooting Carries Sooners Past Texas Tech

Oklahoma hit nine 3-pointers, creating a large enough margin to hold off Texas Tech for their fourth-straight Big 12 win.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:09 pm

By: News On 6

Perimeter Shooting Carries Sooners Past Texas Tech

Originally Published: Jan 19, 2011 10:8 PM CDT

Stephany Speck
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- The Oklahoma Sooners proved again why Sherri Coale is one of the best coaches in women’s college hoops by beating the Texas Tech Lady Red Raiders 71-61.

The No. 14 Sooners (14-3, 4-0) started the game weakly, falling short to Tech (16-2, 3-1) on 50/50 balls, failing to physically post up and struggling in their offensive production.

But it must have been a pretty strong halftime speech by Coale, the birthday girl of the night, which lit a fire under the Sooners.

Coale’s squad came out with a burst of energy in the second half, led by freshman Aaryn “Vegas” Ellenberg, who hit four 3-pointers. The Las Vegas native was exactly what the Sooners needed on offense, making 8-of-9 at the free throw line and shooting 32 percent from the field, leading all scorers with 24 points at the end of the game.

Adding to her efforts was the usual scrappiness from Danielle Robinson, who ended the game with 16 points and five assists. D-Rob's performance wasn’t without sacrifice though -- she took a hard elbow to the nose in the second half and threw herself on the court for a loose ball.

The Sooners’ second-half toughness paid off, as they handed the Lady Raiders their only second loss of the season and their first loss in conference play.

The Lady Raiders’ Kierra Mallard kept her team in the game, notching a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Teammate Chynna Brown hit plenty of jumpers too, racking 17 point in the team’s loss.

Oklahoma’s Carlee Roethlisberger and Joanna McFarland both recorded seven boards apiece, while fans got a look at a productive Whitney Hand. The sophomore struggled putting up points in the Sooners’ last two games, but she showed her strengths against Tech, finishing with 14 points and five rebounds.

Coale’s team gave her what any coach would want on her birthday -- a 10-point victory over an impressive conference competitor. They’ll look to remain perfect in Big 12 play when they travel to Kansas Jan. 23.