Lubbock, Texas ? The closer the game, the better Jia Perkins seems to like it. She proved that Monday night.

Perkins scored 23 of her 29 points in the second half, leading fifth-ranked Tech to a 76-69 victory over California.

“I love close games,” Perkins said. “I just wanted to go out there and do what I could for the team. Luckily, I hit a few shots.”

She scored eight of Tech’s nine points during a critical second-half run that helped the Raiders (7-0) break open a close game.

“Jia showed she was a big-time go-to player tonight,” Tech coach Marsha Sharp said. “She really made a difference.”

Casey Jackson added 17 points and Natalie Ritchie 14 for the Raiders, playing their third game in four days.