The Texas Tech Lady Raiders delivered a statement on Saturday, dismantling Arizona 80-49 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock to move to 16-0 on the season and secure the best start in program history.
The victory pushed Tech to 3-0 in Big 12 play and marked the program’s most lopsided regular-season conference win since a 46-point blowout of Colorado in Jan. 2005.
The Lady Raiders showcased depth, efficiency, and defensive dominance, placing five players in double figures while completely suffocating the Wildcats on both ends of the floor.
Denae Fritz led the way with a season-high 16 points, shooting 60 percent from the field and knocking down four of her six attempts from three-point range. She added five rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a team-high three steals, continuing her strong all-around play.
Adlee Blacklock followed with a season-best 15 points, all coming from beyond the arc or the free-throw line, while Jada Malone stayed nearly perfect inside, scoring 14 points on 83.3 percent shooting. Bailey Maupin poured in 13 points, hit three triples, and added five assists and four rebounds, while Snudda Collins rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points and a career-high three blocks.
Texas Tech's balance extended beyond scoring. Gemma Nunez once again controlled the game at point guard, finishing with eight assists and zero turnovers for the second straight outing while also grabbing eight rebounds.
Jalynn Bristow anchored the interior defensively, recording four blocks to go along with five rebounds and seven points.
As a team, the Lady Raiders shot 47.5 percent from the floor and 41.9 percent from three, drilling 13 3-pointers and dishing out a season-high 22 assists.
Defensively, Tech was relentless, piling up a season-best 11 blocks and holding Arizona to just 35 percent shooting overall and 25 percent from deep. The Wildcats were held nearly 28 points below their season scoring average.
Maupin opened the scoring with a three on Tech's first possession, and after a brief Arizona response, the Lady Raiders unleashed a barrage from deep and in the paint to seize control.
Texas Tech led 22-11 after the first quarter and turned the second into a runaway, closing the half on an 11-0 run to take a commanding 49-25 advantage into the locker room.
Any hope of a comeback vanished in the third quarter as Texas Tech tightened the defensive clamps and continued to attack offensively.
Collins fueled a key stretch with blocks, steals, and finishes at the rim, while the Lady Raiders steadily extended the lead. By the fourth quarter, it was simply a matter of closing strong, which Tech did behind more perimeter shooting and disciplined defense.
The win further cements Texas Tech as one of the most complete teams in the country and places this group firmly in the program's history books. The Lady Raiders will look to keep the unbeaten run alive Wednesday night when they travel to Morgantown to face West Virginia at 6 p.m. CT. on ESPN+.