Women's basketball: Texas Tech to rely on 'road-warrior mentality' at Oklahoma State

Krista Gerlich lauded the 8,000-plus fans inside United Supermarkets Arena on Saturday, but the Texas Tech women's basketball coach has seen most of the team's Big 12 Conference success on the road this year.

The Lady Raiders, who've nabbed two of their three conference wins away from Lubbock, hope to continue that Wednesday when taking on Oklahoma State at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

"I think we've been pretty tough on the road," Gerlich said Monday. "We've had some road-warrior mentality, and I think we've got to continue to rely on that. … I think our kids are going to draw on their experience that they've had so far of being able to go on the road and get some wins."

Gerlich lamented the team's shooting after losing consecutive games. Tech (15-6 overall, 3-5 conference) shot 31.3% from the field in a 79-59 loss to Baylor on Saturday. That followed a 38.7% outing at West Virginia a week prior. The Lady Raiders committed at least 17 turnovers in each game against the Big 12's top defenses.

Gerlich believes shot selection contributed to the porous performances, and she's hoping that's improved against an OSU team near the bottom of the conference in field goal percentage and points allowed.

"We've got to simplify some things, I think," Gerlich said. "It's difficult in the Big 12 because all of the matchups are different, so your attack is different. … So I think we're struggling a little bit with being able to adjust to the different attacks that we have to have. And our roster is made for it … but our mindset has to be able to understand what we're looking for and how we need to attack them."

The Cowgirls, who ended Tech's season in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament last year, have won six in a row in the series. OSU (14-7, 4-5) caught attention early after consecutive wins over Texas and Baylor in coach Jacie Hoyt's debut season. But the Cowgirls are 2-3 since, including a current stretch of three losses in four games.

Two of those losses were within five points before a 78-69 setback at Texas last Saturday. However, OSU has won three in a row at home.

The Cowgirls have four players who average double-digit points, led by Naomie Alnatas' 13.7. She scored 14 against UT, with Lior Garzon notching a game-best 21 points off the bench.

Alnatas and Garzon are part of a group of nine transfers to OSU in the offseason. Alnatas came over from Missouri-Kansas City, where she played under Hoyt. Gerlich said the Cowgirls look like they've "played together for a long time" because of their chemistry.

"Jacie's done a great job with them" Gerlich said. "… They just have really bought into that quickly. They're very dangerous. They're terrific on the 3-point line. That's going to pose a problem for us. … We're going to have to just get our offense going and not get into a track meet with them."

Texas Tech at Oklahoma State

Big 12 women's basketball

When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena, Stillwater, Okla.

Records: Texas Tech 15-6, 3-5; Oklahoma State 14-7, 4-5

Radio: 107.7 FM

Live stream: ESPN+

Big 12 standings

School Conference, Overall

Texas 7-2, 16-6

Iowa State 7-2, 15-4

Oklahoma 6-3, 16-4

West Virginia 5-3, 14-5

Baylor 5-3, 14-6

Kansas 4-4 14-5

Oklahoma State 4-5, 14-7

Texas Tech 3-5, 15-6

Kansas State 2-7, 13-9

TCU 0-9, 6-14

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Women's basketball: Texas Tech at Oklahoma State preview