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Big 12 team-by-team preview: Texas, Baylor battle for the top

By Jada Butts

COLLEGE PARK, MD - MARCH 17: West Virginia Mountaineers center Lanay Montgomery (15) with teammates at the start of the Div. 1 NCAA Women's basketball 1st. round game between Elon and West Virginia on March 17, 2017, at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland. West Virginia defeated Elon 75-62. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - MARCH 17: West Virginia Mountaineers center Lanay Montgomery (15) with teammates at the start of the Div. 1 NCAA Women's basketball 1st. round game between Elon and West Virginia on March 17, 2017, at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland. West Virginia defeated Elon 75-62. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TX – NOVEMBER 20: Texas Tech Lady Raiders guard Arella Guirantes (23) and Texas Tech Lady Raiders guard Recee’ Caldwell (4) guard New Mexico Lobos center Erica Moore (42) during the game between New Mexico Lobos and Texas Tech Lady Raiders on November 20, 2016 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.
LUBBOCK, TX – NOVEMBER 20: Texas Tech Lady Raiders guard Arella Guirantes (23) and Texas Tech Lady Raiders guard Recee’ Caldwell (4) guard New Mexico Lobos center Erica Moore (42) during the game between New Mexico Lobos and Texas Tech Lady Raiders on November 20, 2016 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. /

Texas Tech

Projected Finish: 6th

Key Returners:

Recee’ Caldwell 14.5ppg, 38%, 2.8 rpg, 4.5 apg, 34 mpg

Jada Terry 9.4 ppg, 53%, 6.2 rpg, 25 mpg

Brittany Brewer 5.8 ppg, 45%, 5.7 rpg, 22 mpg

Biggest losses:

Arella Guirantes 9.9 ppg, 41%, 4.8 rpg, 1.2 apg, 27 mpg

Ivonne Cook-Taylor 9.7 ppg, 43%, 5.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 25 mpg

Larryn Brooks 9.3 ppg, 37%, 1.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 29 mpg

Newcomers:

Erin Degrate C, 6-6, Waco, TX, Sophomore

Sydney Goodson G, 5-8, Argyle, TX, Sophomore

Lauren Harrison G, 6-0, The Woodlands, TX, Sophomore

Lyndsey Whilby G, 5-11, Powder Springs, GA, Freshman, #30 guard(Hoopgurlz)

Tinana Stojsauljevic F, 6-2, Zagreb, Croatia, Sophomore

Angel Hayden G, 5-6, Canyon, TX, Freshman, #23 PG (Hoopgurlz)

Head coach: Former Lady Raider Candi Whitaker is entering her fifth season with her alma mater. Whitaker saw big improvements in the 2016-2017 season with the help of three highly-ranked transfers in Recee’ Caldwell, Larryn Brooks, and Jada Terry. She led the Raiders to some key upsets over Oklahoma State and Big 12 tournament champion, West Virginia. The Raiders made some noise this past season, and are looking to keep it rolling.

Key non-conference games:

Texas A&M 11/26

LSU 11/30

New Mexico 12/6

Outlook: There are some intangibles that you don’t see on a stat sheet, and that is what Ivonne Cook-Taylor brought to this team. Her defensive presence and her high-release pull-up jumper will all be missed this season for the Lady Raiders. In addition to Cook-Taylor graduating, Texas Tech lost two other starting guards who decided to transfer. Its looking as though this team will shift from being guard oriented to dominant in the post position. If the guards are able to follow Caldwell’s lead and consistently contribute, the Raiders should be looking at a successful season.

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