LUBBOCK, Texas – The UCF women’s basketball team held off Texas Tech 69-64 to earn its first Big 12 road win at United Supermarkets Arena Saturday evening.
UCF (12-10, 3-9) capitalized on Texas Tech’s (16-9, 5-7) turnovers recording 22 points off of its 22 turnovers. The Black and Gold snagged 13 steals as Kaitlin Peterson led the Knights with eight. Peterson continued to lead the Black and Gold in points scoring 23. Mya Burns chipped in 18 points and went 9-10 from the free-throw line.
UCF got off to a slow start but quickly picked it up as Burns hit a layup that turned into a three-point play to tie the game, 5-5. Taylor Gibson ignited a 14-0 run by going 2-2 from the free-throw line. The Knights held the Lady Raiders to single digits, 21-9, marking the second time in Big 12 play UCF has held an opponent to singles in a quarter.
The Lady Raiders chipped away at the Knights lead with 17 points in the second quarter. UCF struggled from the field shooting just 30.8% while Texas Tech capitalized to go 42.9% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. UCF headed into the half with a six-point edge, 32-26.
Peterson started the Knights off in the third quarter with a fast break layup. Timia Ware then sank one from beyond the arc to give the Knights a nine-point advantage. UCF came out of the locker just like they did in the first scoring 21 points in the quarter, 53-39.
Texas Tech continued to chip away at the Knights’ lead and came close after a 10-0 run in the fourth to get within six points, 53-47 with 6:50 left in the game. A three-pointer from Texas Tech’s Kilah Freelon with 42 seconds left in the game put them within six points. The Knights pulled out the 69-64 victory to earn its first road win of the season.
UCF will host BYU (15-11, 4-8) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Addition Financial Arena. The Knights will have their annual Think Pink game in honor of breast cancer awareness.