Texas Tech’s Sidney Love Delivers Standout Night vs Iowa State
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The margin for error in the Big 12 is razor-thin, and the Texas Tech Lady Raiders are feeling it in real time.
Following a difficult stretch in which the team has dropped three of its last four contests, the urgency to find a reliable offensive spark has reached a season-high point.
Wednesday’s matchup against Iowa State proved frustrating for Texas Tech as a team. However, it clearly revealed one steady presence capable of carrying weight down the stretch came from Sidney Love.
Texas Tech’s Sidney Love Showed Steady Hand in a Tough Big 12 Battle
In a game where team-wide rhythm was hard to find, Love stood out as the primary exception. What made her performance especially notable was not just the final point total, but the efficiency and control with which she operated.
1k club for @sidneyyyloveee 💪 pic.twitter.com/4zFw8saDZy
— Lady Raider Basketball (@LadyRaiderWBB) January 29, 2026
Love led the team with 17 points, and the breakdown of that production is what should encourage the Texas Tech coaching staff. She finished 6-of-11 from the field and connected on 2-of-5 attempts from behind the three-point arc.
Love paired that composure with four assists and two steals, showing her ability to influence the game’s flow on both ends of the floor. The combination of double-digit scoring, playmaking, and defensive activity underscored her value as a complete guard.
Love’s calm presence in pressure moments is rooted in her extensive collegiate experience prior to arriving in Lubbock. From 2022 to 2025, she played a key role at UTSA. That's where postseason success and leadership were central themes.
During the 2024–25 season, Love helped guide UTSA to a historic 26–5 overall record and a dominant 17–1 mark in AAC play. That run resulted in a regular-season conference title and a WBIT appearance. She started 30 games, averaged 10.3 points per game, recorded 107 assists, and helped the Roadrunners go undefeated at home.
Built for the Moment Through Championship Experience
The year before, Love enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign. She averaged 9.6 points per game while leading UTSA to the AAC Tournament semifinals and a second-round WNIT appearance.
She finished the season with 106 assists. If that wasn't enough, she also posted a career-high 26 points against UT Arlington and recorded 17 double-figure scoring games.
As a freshman, Love earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team honors after producing 15 double-digit scoring performances. It also includes a season-high 23 points against UAB, while helping UTSA reach the Conference USA Tournament semifinals.
The consistency seen throughout Love’s collegiate career was established well before she reached the college level. At Steele High School in Cibolo, Texas, she was a four-year letter winner and McDonald’s All-American nominee who scored over 1,300 career points.
Her resume included 2022 Co-District MVP honors, District Defensive MVP recognition as a junior, 6A TABC All-State honors, and multiple All-Regional and All-Star selections.
Away from the court, Love balances basketball with academics and future ambitions. A business management major, she hopes to pursue a career in sport management or broadcasting. In her downtime, she enjoys coloring, writing poetry, and watching documentaries.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.