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LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Kierra Mallard gave an all-out effort for No. 10 Texas Tech. It wasn't good enough.

Mallard scored 18 points Saturday but the Lady Raiders fell short against Kansas State, 62-61.

"I thought she did a great job of wanting the ball," Texas Tech coach Kristy Curry said. "We've got to put 40 minutes of it together from all 12 Lady Raiders whether on the bench or the floor."

The Lady Raiders had a chance with 6.6 seconds left after a jump ball. But Monique Smalls missed a short jumper as time expired. Texas Tech has lost two in a row.

"We got two great looks, probably got fouled twice. Got two more great looks on the inbounds and what do you do?" Curry said. "You just hope it goes in."

Mallard said the Lady Raiders must start faster.

"We can't just come in the second half and try to win the game," Mallard, the team's leading scorer. "It starts in the first half."

Jalana Childs scored 23 points to lead Kansas State.

Childs scored seven of the Wildcats' last nine points to erase Texas Tech's 58-53 lead. She hit two free throws with 1:43 left to put Kansas State (13-3, 4-0) up for the first time since 43-40 earlier in the half.

Christine Hyde and Morris scored 10 each. The win gave the Wildcats their first 4-0 start since winning the regular season Big 12 title in 2007-08.

Texas Tech made 9 of 17 free throws, while Kansas State shot 9 for 12.

For much of the game Kansas State ran the shot clock down to fewer than 10 seconds, reducing the Lady Raiders' possessions and forcing them to play defense.

The Lady Raiders opened the second half on 16-6 run, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Casey Morris to tie it at 43, to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit - their largest this season. They went ahead for the first time since early in the game on a shot by Mallard and steadily pulled ahead, getting their largest lead at 58-53.

The Wildcats lost Tasha Dickey, who finished with 17 points, when she fouled out with Texas Tech leading 58-55. Branshea Brown made a key bucket to pull Kansas State within 61-60. Childs then hit two free throws.

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