Texas Tech 70, No. 24 Texas 58

1/20/2008 8:38 PM

By BETSY BLANEY
Associated Press Writer

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -Texas Tech knew the importance of its game with Texas.

A loss would have meant trouble for the Lady Raiders, who were winless in their first three conference games. But the Lady Raiders started strong and held up when the Longhorns fought back to within single digits.

Tech held on to beat the No. 24 Longhorns 70-58 on Sunday night.

``I thought our kids fought really hard, and scraped and clawed,'' Tech coach Kristy Curry said. ``We needed this so bad.''

Texas trapped and pressed Tech for much of the game, which led to 26 turnovers. The Lady Raiders had 28 turnovers earlier this season.

Dominic Seals, who scored a career-high 27 points and got her eighth double-double of the season to lead Tech, attributed the win to starting stronger and aggressiveness by the Lady Raiders.

``Mainly we played smart throughout the whole game,'' she said. ``We knew we couldn't allow ourselves to get down any more.''

After Tech led by as many as 15 points early in the second half, Texas whittled the margin to 57-53 as Brittainy Raven hit a layup and a free throw with 2:59 remaining. Carla Cortijo stole the ball and her outlet pass found Raven under the basket.

But LaVonda Henderson hit a field goal with 2:34 remaining and then hit two free throws on the next trip to put Tech up 61-54.

Texas could get no closer.

Seals hit on 11-of-16 shots and pulled down 14 rebounds.

Tech got the ball inside and it paid off. The Lady Raiders scored more than half their points (36) inside the lane.

Texas shot well below its season average, hitting 21 of 62 shots (34 percent). The Longhorns came into the game averaging 43.8 percent.

The win kept Tech (13-5, 1-3 Big 12) from setting a record for most consecutive losses to open conference play. The Lady Raiders lost their first three conference games in 1987-88 when they played in the Southwest Conference.

Ashlee Roberson matched her career highs with 13 points and 10 rebounds for her first career double-double.

Raven and Ashley Lindsey each scored 15 points to lead Texas (13-5, 1-3).

``Tech showed their grit,'' Texas coach Gail Goestenkors said. They played like a team with their backs against the wall. I thought they were very determined to come away with this win.''

In the first half with the game tied at 14, Tech used an 11-2 run, including two buckets by Seals and a 3-pointer by Racquel Christian, to go up 25-16. The Longhorns went almost six minutes without a field goal. Christian hit her third 3 at the buzzer to give Tech a 37-24 edge at the break.

Texas was without Earnesia Williams, who had started all 17 games for the Longhorns. Her right knee was sore after she hurt it last week.

``It was tough not having her on the floor,'' Goestenkors said. ``She could have gotten some rebounds for us.''

The win made it five in a row for the Lady Raiders over Texas in Lubbock against the Longhorns.