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LUBBOCK, Texas (Ticker) -- Texas Tech marched into its second straight "Sweet 16" as freshman Plenette Pierson led four players in double figures with 19 points en route to a 76-59 victory over Tulane in the Mideast Region. Aleah Johnson, Katrisa O'Neal and Tanisha Ellison had 12 points apiece for third-seeded Texas Tech (27-4), which plays No. 2 Notre Dame on Saturday in Memphis, Tennessee. The other "Sweet 16" matchup at Memphis will be top-seeded Tennessee and No. 4 Virginia. Conference USA Player of the Year Grace Daley scored 24 points for Tulane (27-5), which failed to set a school record for victories in a season. The Green Wave have never advanced to the regionals. The Lady Raiders used a pair of first-half runs to put away the Green Wave. Ellison scored seven points during an 11-0 burst that gave Texas Tech a 22-16 lead with 7:24 to play before the break. But the key run started 2:48 before intermission, when Pierson ignited a half-ending, 10-0 run with a jumper that made it 36-24. Amber Tarr hit a 3-pointer with 24 seconds left and Keitha Dickerson added one at the buzzer after a steal by Pierson. The Lady Raiders scored the first basket of the second half -- a 3-pointer by Melinda Pharies with 16:59 left -- and led by at least 10 points the rest of the way. The Green Wave got within 49-39 with 10:24 left but Texas Tech scored the next six points on baskets by Tarr, Ellison and O'Neal. The Lady Raiders shot just 44 percent (30-of-69) from the field but held a 38-28 rebounding advantage, scored 34 points off 27 turnovers and recorded 25 assists. Dickerson finished with nine points, 11 rebounds, six assists and six steals in 40 minutes. Daley shot 8-of-13 from the floor and 8-of-8 from the line but commited eight turnovers. Tulane finished the game at 44 percent (18-of-41) from the field.
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