Bailey Maupin ignited Texas Tech's offense with a career-best 25 points, spearheading a dominant Big 12 victory and extending their winning streak.
No. 18 Texas Tech Lady Raiders continued their strong Big 12 push Saturday night with an emphatic 85-61 win over the Houston Cougars, riding a red-hot shooting performance from Bailey Maupin.
Maupin delivered one of her most complete games of the season, scoring 25 points on 7-of-13 shooting.
The junior knocked down five 3-pointers and was perfect from the free-throw line, adding six rebounds while consistently stretching Houston’s defense. Her early perimeter shooting set the tone and gave the Lady Raiders control from the opening quarter.
Texas Tech used a late first-quarter surge to seize momentum.
Maupin and Jalynn Bristow both connected from deep during a 16-3 run that pushed the Lady Raiders in front 21-12. From there, Tech steadily built separation. Maupin buried all four of her 3-point attempts in the first half, scoring 16 points to help Texas Tech take a 44-28 lead into halftime.
Bristow complemented Maupin’s scoring with a strong all-around performance. She finished with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, pulled down five rebounds, and altered the game defensively with four blocked shots.
Gemma Nunez added another layer of impact, posting 13 points while stuffing the stat sheet with seven assists and six steals, fueling Tech’s transition attack.
Houston struggled to keep pace, particularly with ball security. The Cougars committed 21 turnovers, which Texas Tech converted into a whopping 40 points. Amirah Abdur-Rahim led Houston with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Kierra Merchant and Briana Peguero reached double figures, but turnovers repeatedly halted any momentum.
The third quarter proved to be Houston’s best stretch, but Tech quickly shut the door in the fourth. A 3-pointer from Denae Fritz midway through the final period extended the lead beyond 20, effectively ending the contest.
The win marked Texas Tech’s seventh straight victory over Houston and continued a dominant trend in the series.
The Lady Raiders now return home to host Kansas on Tuesday, aiming to keep pace near the top of the Big 12 standings.