The Wildcats (15-1, 2-1 Big 12 Conference) will visit Lubbock, Texas to take on Texas Tech for the first of a two-game road trip following a 59-52 victory over No. 20 Iowa State Saturday. The road trip will conclude Saturday with a game against in-state rival Kansas. In their previous meeting the Wildcats steamrolled over Kansas at home 72-39.
The Red Raiders (11-5, 2-1 Big 12) are coming into the match-up against the Wildcats as winners in six of their previous seven games, including a home win against 14th ranked Texas.
"Texas Tech is definitely a big challenge," junior guard Kari Kincaid said. "We have got to bring new energy everyday and that's what we are going to try and do against Texas Tech."
Tonight's match against the Red Raiders will pose many opportunities for the Wildcats, including a chance at their first Big 12 road victory of the season. The Wildcats failed in their first attempt at No. 3 ranked Oklahoma, falling 64-48.
"Getting a win on the road here at this stage in Big 12 play is crucial," head coach Deb Patterson said. "I look at every match-up as a big game scenario."
Texas Tech has been winning when playing on its home court at the United Spirit Arena. Entering Wednesday's contest against the Wildcats, the Red Raiders will put a ten-game home win streak on the line. The Red Raiders rank second in the Big 12 in home attendance as well as averaging 8,537 fans per game.
The Wildcats are not strangers to the road games this season. During non-conference play they were 7-0 on the road including a two-game stint against Pac 10 opponents Washington and Washington State over the winter break.
"With the schedule that we were given, we were taking advantage of all of those road games and learn to play together and win on the road," Kincaid said. "We did well in the pre-season, but we have got to bring it over to the Big 12 play."
The Wildcats will look to take their swarming defense to Lubbock tonight against the Red Raiders. Currently, K-State leads the Big 12 in scoring defense, holding opponents to 49.9 points per game. Meanwhile the Red Raiders have been giving up an average of 59.6 points per game, good for ninth in the conference.
"I think defensively we are working extremely hard, and individually they are accountable," Patterson said. "Everybody has a big desire to get the job done but I think our accountability pass-by-pass has been pretty high during the course of this season."
Patterson said she feels her team matches up well against Texas Tech and looks to be successful in this critical stage in the Wildcats season.
"When we are on the road playing against Texas Tech, I look at that team and I say 'This is a team we are battling with,'" Patterson said. "This is a team that was picked close to us, and us close to them in the preseason. We are two teams that are going to have to slug it out all year long.
"This is a very big road trip for us," she said.
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