 |
| |
|
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
||
 |
|||
|
EVENTS
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|
LUBBOCK, Texas (Ticker) -- Plenette Pierson scored 22 of her 28 points in the second half to lead second-seeded Texas Tech to a 73-52 victory over Virginia Tech in a NCAA Tournament Mideast Region second-round game. The Lady Raiders (25-6) advanced to the "Sweet 16" for the seventh time and will meet Purdue in the regional semifinals on Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama. Texas Tech shot 63 percent from the field (17-of-27) in the second half, when it outscored the Hokies, 55-27. Pierson, a sophomore forward and second team All-American, led the way, hitting 8-of-13 field goals and six free throws. Virginia Tech (22-9) held a 25-18 halftime lead before Pierson took over. She made a free throw and four straight baskets as the Lady Raiders opened the second half with an 11-2 run to take a 29-27 lead. After Sarah Hicks converted a pair of free throws and Ieva Kublina hit a short jumper for the Hokies, Texas Tech went on a 20-6 run as Pierson hit four free throws and two jumpers, opening a 49-37 lead with 8:56 left. Chrystal Starling made a pair of free throws to pull Virginia Tech within 49-43 with 5:53 left, but the Lady Raiders went on a 12-1 spurt as Natalie Ritchie connected on a pair of 3-pointers. Ritchie finished with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Tere Williams led Virginia Tech with 17 points. |
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
