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Texas Tech center Stephanie Okechukwu becomes women's college basketball's tallest player at 7-1
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- Texas Tech center Stephanie Okechukwu becomes women's college basketball's tallest player at 7-1
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech center Stephanie Okechukwu scored six points in her debut as women's college basketball's tallest player at 7-foot-1.
The 21-year-old freshman scored her first points on a pair of free throws and added 10 rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes in a season-opening 64-37 win over Charlotte on Thursday night. Destinee Hooks led the Lady Raiders with 16 points.
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Texas Tech coach Krista Gerlich believes there's still much room for Okechukwu to grow as a player.
"She does not think she played well," Gerlich said. "I'm excited for her and it's only going to get better. There is definitely more."
Okechukwu is from Nigeria and eclipses the previously tallest players listed at 6-10 — Middle Tennessee State freshman Nicole Dominguez and Eastern Illinois sophomore Abbie Boutilier.
Okechukwu signed with Texas Tech in January but did not play last season. After completing her high school career in Japan in 2024, she split time playing in an AAU league in the Philippines and training in Nigeria.
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She was initially limited to just two years of college eligibility because she took what was considered a gap year off before the NCAA granted her four years after Texas Tech filed an appeal for a waiver.
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