Jalynn Bristow’s 18 points powered Texas Tech women’s basketball past Arizona State, securing 25 wins and a top-five Big 12 finish before the conference tournament.
Texas Tech women’s basketball is rewriting its own recent history - and Jalynn Bristow made sure Senior Day felt like a celebration, not just a ceremony.
The No. 20 Lady Raiders closed the regular season with a gritty 58-51 win over Arizona State at United Supermarkets Arena, locking in their 25th victory and one of the program’s best conference finishes in more than a decade.
For a team chasing its highest Big 12 standing since 2012-13, the stakes were obvious. Texas Tech entered the afternoon needing composure and execution. What they got was Bristow at her sharpest.
The junior guard poured in 18 points on a blistering 6-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
She added four rebounds and a block, marking her 16th double-digit scoring performance this season. Early on, Bristow looked determined to set the tone, accounting for 12 of Tech’s first 14 points and refusing to let Arizona State dictate pace.
But this wasn’t a solo act. Senior Jada Malone delivered 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, finishing efficiently around the rim and knocking down key free throws.
Denae Fritz chipped in 10 points, hitting 2-of-4 from deep and contributing across the stat sheet with five rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block.
Adlee Blacklock provided a crucial spark off the bench, scoring six straight points during a momentum-swinging third-quarter run.
Gemma Nunez quietly controlled the flow, leading the Lady Raiders with eight rebounds and four assists while helping break Arizona State’s pressure late.
Texas Tech shot 42.9 percent from the field and an impressive 88.9 percent at the free-throw line. More importantly, they locked in defensively, holding the Sun Devils to just 23.5 percent from 3-point range and forcing 17 turnovers.
That defensive edge fueled a decisive 12-0 run in the third quarter that flipped a tight contest into a double-digit advantage.
When Arizona State made one last push in the fourth, the Tech defense didn’t budge. It attacked the press, converted in transition, and calmly sealed the game at the stripe.
The win moves Texas Tech to 25-6 overall and 12-6 in Big 12 play — their most conference wins since 2004-05. Now the focus shifts to Kansas City and the Big 12 Tournament, where the Lady Raiders enter as the No. 5 seed.
If Sunday proved anything, it’s this: Texas Tech women’s basketball isn’t just happy to be back among the league’s elite. They’re ready to make noise once they get there.