Texas Tech women’s basketball sweeps major Big 12 honors as Krista Gerlich, Bailey Maupin and Snudda Collins lead a historic Lady Raiders season.
The Texas Tech women’s basketball resurgence is no longer a quiet storyline; it’s a full-blown statement season in Lubbock.
After a remarkable regular season, the Lady Raiders cleaned up in the Big 12 awards, headlined by Krista Gerlich winning Big 12 Coach of the Year and multiple Texas Tech stars earning All-Big 12 honors.
For a program that entered the season projected near the bottom of the conference standings, the turnaround has been stunning.
Texas Tech finished the regular season 25-6 overall and 12-6 in Big 12 play, securing its best conference finish in over a decade and positioning itself as one of the biggest surprise teams in women’s college basketball.
Under Gerlich’s leadership, the Lady Raiders rattled off a historic 19-0 start, tying one of the longest winning streaks in program history and vaulting the team into the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2012.
Gerlich’s impact goes beyond wins and rankings. Texas Tech knocked off three top-15 opponents this season and delivered one of the program’s most memorable moments by sweeping rival Baylor for the first time in more than 20 years.
The Lady Raiders even snapped Baylor’s 31-game winning streak in the series, signaling that Tech is once again a serious contender in the Big 12.
While Gerlich orchestrated the turnaround, the roster delivered too.
Bailey Maupin earned All-Big 12 First Team honors after leading Texas Tech with 15.3 points per game while also knocking down 62 3-pointers and converting 114 free throws.
The senior guard has been the offensive leader for the Lady Raiders all season, posting 27 double-digit scoring games and ranking among the national leaders in free-throw efficiency.
Her career numbers cement her place among Texas Tech’s all-time greats. Maupin already sits in the top 10 in program history in scoring (1,781 points), along with several other major statistical categories.
Then there’s Snudda Collins, who delivered one of the most dynamic seasons by a bench player anywhere in the country.
Collins captured the Big 12 Sixth Player of the Year award while averaging 14.8 points per game, the highest scoring average among reserve players nationally.
The senior guard also earned All-Big 12 Second Team recognition, piling up 460 total points, 46 3-pointers and 26 double-digit scoring games.
Defensively, Jalynn Bristow provided another critical piece to Tech’s breakout season.
The junior forward averaged 11.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while leading the team with 67 blocks - a number that ranks among the best shot-blocking totals in the country.
With the Big 12 Tournament approaching and an NCAA Tournament berth within reach, Texas Tech women’s basketball suddenly looks like one of the most dangerous teams in March.
And after a season like this, the rest of the Big 12 knows it.