Super-senior Bre Scott has taken advantage of her last season, leading Texas Tech women’s basketball in scoring with 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game overall. In Big 12 play, she was averaging 20.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
She took it to another level Saturday with a career-high 37 points and 11 rebounds as the Lady Raiders took down Kansas State 85-65 Saturday at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kansas.
It’s only the third double-double with at least 37 points from a Lady Raider in the last five seasons. Vivian Gray had 38 points and 10 rebounds Feb. 20, 2021, in a 99-98 overtime win over Kansas. Brittany Brewer had 40 points and 15 rebounds March 8, 2019, in a 104-84 win over Oklahoma.
Texas Tech (13-4) is now 2-3 in the Big 12, while Kansas State drops to 12-6 and 1-4.
It had been almost 10 years since Tech won consecutive Big 12 road games until Saturday. It was also their first road win over Kansas State since 2015.
Scott did it from everywhere on the court, shooting 9-for-14 from the field including 2-for-5 from deep, and she converted 17 of her 19 free throws.
“We’ve played pretty well at times in the Big 12 up until now, but I thought this was our best 40 minutes by far,” Tech head coach Krista Gerlich said, “and a lot of it had to do with this senior [Scott] right here just being in the zone, just being in attack mode, playing within herself, playing great defense, and just doing whatever we asked her to do. But we had lots of different kids step up today, and [I’m] really, really proud of this win.”
One of them was freshman Jazz Shavers with a career-high 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting. She started the game with a steal and then got going on the offensive end, including 4-of-7 from the three-point line.
Scott said Shavers was really feeling her shot and also played great defense. She said everyone tonight played within themselves and contributed to the win.
Katie Ferrell had fouled out four straight games for the Lady Raiders, and the day before the game, Gerlich said some of it had to do with the assignments Ferrell drew, but they talked about making sure Ferrell stays in the game because they need her on the floor.
She did that Saturday, fouling just twice as she dished seven assists and got seven rebounds along with two steals and a block.
Freshman Kilah Freelon also scored a career-high eight points in 19 minutes, the most she’s played.
Scott said Gerlich has continued to tell Freelon to keep playing hard, and Freelon did that against Kansas State with important rebounds, points and defense.
“As a freshman, to come in at this stage, that is huge, so I’m really proud of her,” Scott said. “Hopefully, that gives her even more confidence to keep contributing for us.”
The Lady Raiders shot 52.8% from the field and 43.8% from the three-point line, led by 61.5% shooting in the first quarter.
In the first quarter, Shavers and Scott each had eight points and led the way to a 20-12 lead, and it felt like the Lady Raiders never let go.
Although the Tech defense, including Tatum Veitenheimer, held Big 12-leading scorer Gabby Gregory to two points and the entire K-State team to 39.7% shooting, Brylee Glenn tried to make a run for the Wildcats on multiple occasions. She finished the game with 24 points and two assists of her own.
One example is in the second quarter. Kansas State closed the gap to four points when Glenn got her two assists off Sarah Shematsi three-pointers, and then Glenn made a triple of her own.
After two offensive rebounds for Texas Tech, Shavers made a triple and Scott made two free throws on the next possession, then Scott followed it with a three-pointer to get Tech back up 12 points quickly.
With 7:14 to go in the game, Bryn Gerlich got it to Shavers for the open three-pointer to put Tech up 20, and it felt like it was just about over as Scott continued took over to keep the lead and give Tech a victory historic in more ways than one.
Up Next
Texas Tech is 2-3 in the Big 12 but 0-2 in Big 12 home games.
Krista Gerlich said this team needs to protect their home court, but it’s good they’ve stolen some on the road.
“We’re proud of our kids for stepping up and doing that today,” Krista Gerlich said, “and now we’ve got to go back and protect our home court.”
The Lady Raiders will be back home for their next game as they play the Texas Longhorns at the United Supermarkets Arena at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Scott knows Wednesday against Texas is an important game. Tech split the series with the Longhorns last year, winning on the road and losing at home.
“We just need all of Lady Raider Nation to come out and support us,” Scott said. “Be there, be loud, be proud, and help us to get the victory.”
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