(Editor's note: Texas Tech senior forward Plenette Pierson, a former Big 12 Freshman of the Year, will share a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season.)

Jan. 29, 2003

	Pierson

This week we had a tough stretch of road games. We had to go play at Texas and Colorado.

We started off with Texas in Austin. During this game we had a very slow start and therefore we had to play catch up the whole game. As we know, it is very hard to play catch up when you are playing in someone else's gym. During the first half, I got myself into foul trouble and was forced to sit the bench for at least 13 minutes or so. While on the bench, I watched Jia Perkins and Erin Grant attempt to keep the team in the game.

From the time I was forced to sit the bench, I knew that the second half was my turn to get the team back in the game. I think that we all came out with that mission in the second half, but Texas had already smelled a victory and kept running on all cylinders. We ended up losing 69-58. This victory was special for Texas coach Jody Conradt because it was her 800th win. Congrats, Coach Conradt. We learned a lot from this game and we can't wait to get a chance to redeem ourselves.

Up next was Colorado at their place. Going into Colorado we wanted to make a statement that even though we lost, we could pick up the pieces and get another win.

At the beginning of the game, we set our goal for coming out and jumping on Colorado early so that we did not have to play catch up again. We did just that and got out to an early start. Now we were clicking on all cylinders. We fixed the things that had gone wrong in the Texas game and tried to make it one of our strengths.

During this game we had great play from everyone, but the one person that I was very proud of was Natalie Ritchie. I say that because she had been in a shooting slump and during this game, after all her work after practice, it finally paid off -- she finished the night with 21 points and was 5-for-9 from behind the arc.

Jia Perkins and myself also had great nights, finishing with 19 and 22 points, respectively. We were on a mission and we accomplished that mission by beating a very good team in Colorado, 80-58.

Well, up next for us is Missouri at home and Kansas on the road. Can't wait to give you an update on those games.

For more on Pierson and Texas Tech, visit the Lady Raiders' official athletic site.