Lady Techsters 90, Texas A&M-Texarkana 51
Louisiana Tech used a dominating performance on the boards and a balanced offensive attack to roll past Texas A&M-Texarkana 90-51 Thursday morning in its home opener at the Thomas Assembly Center.
Playing in front of nearly 3,500 fans, most of them local schoolchildren attending the annual Education Day game, the Lady Techsters outrebounded the Eagles 49-19 while placing five players in double figures.
Nine Lady Techsters scored in the victory as Tech bounced back from its season-opening loss at Toledo on Monday.
“Excited about how our team came out and started in front of a great crowd,” Tech head coach Brooke Stoehr said. “This is one of the best days of the year because we have such a great opportunity to positively impact so many students that could be attending their first college basketball game.
“We take great pride in competing in a way that inspires them and showcase how to be a great teammate, be coachable and give great effort.”
Tech wasted little time taking control, scoring the game’s first 13 points before Texas A&M-Texarkana responded with seven straight to cut the deficit to six.
The Lady Techsters maintained their advantage over the remainder of the opening quarter, taking a 19-11 lead into the second period. Tech forced eight turnovers in the first 10 minutes, converting them into 13 points.
The Lady Techsters turned up the defensive pressure in the second quarter, limiting the Eagles to just one field goal while forcing eight more turnovers.
Six Tech players scored during the period as the Lady Techsters outscored Texas A&M-Texarkana 17-7 to take a 38-18 halftime lead.
Jordan Marshall led Tech with nine first-half points, while Isla Airey provided a spark off the bench with five points and four offensive rebounds in less than four minutes of action.
The Lady Techsters continued to pull away in the second half, using improved ball movement and perimeter shooting to stretch their advantage.
Tech shot 50% from the field after halftime and connected on seven 3-pointers, shooting 41.2% from beyond the arc over the final two quarters.
Defensively, the Lady Techsters forced 13 second-half turnovers, blocked three shots and limited the Eagles to just five field goals.
Airey finished with 10 rebounds, including a career-high eight on the offensive glass. It marked her first double-digit rebounding performance since grabbing 12 against Lindenwood in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament during her freshman season.
Tech’s 30-rebound advantage was its largest since outrebounding Louisiana Christian by 27 last season.
Stoehr was pleased with her team’s overall performance, although she acknowledged there were areas that needed improvement.
“A lot of positives to take away from game two of the season, a little sloppy at times,” Stoehr said. “A few moments of carelessness, but I thought we came out in the second half and really moved the ball well and hunted good shots together.”
She travels to face McNeese State Sunday.
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Bulldogs 76, Arkansas-Monticello 17
Louisiana Tech turned in a suffocating defensive performance Thursday night, holding Arkansas-Monticello to just six field goals in a 76-17 rout of the Boll Weevils at the Thomas Assembly Center.
The Bulldogs (2-0) forced 23 turnovers, recorded 18 steals and limited their NCAA Division II opponent to just 15.8% shooting from the field in lopsided victory.
Tech led 38-8 at halftime and continued to pull away in the second half, outscoring the Boll Weevils 38-9 over the final 20 minutes.
Braylon Wenger led the Bulldogs with 13 points, connecting on three 3-pointers, while Iyran Francis Jr. added 12 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals. Adam Boyd provided a spark off the bench with 10 points, connecting on all five of his field-goal attempts.
The victory was Tech’s second straight to open its 100th season of basketball after the Bulldogs defeated Kent State 85-75 on Monday night.
Thursday’s contest was a much different challenge for fifth-year head coach Talvin Hester’s squad, which overwhelmed Arkansas-Monticello on both ends of the floor. Tech scored the game’s first four points and quickly built a 13-1 advantage as Francis scored six early points, including a pair of dunks.
The Boll Weevils struggled to find any offensive rhythm against Tech’s defensive pressure, making just three of their 21 first-half field-goal attempts while committing 11 turnovers.
The Bulldogs shot 55.2% from the field in the opening half, connecting on five 3-pointers while building their 30-point halftime advantage.
The defensive dominance continued after intermission.
Arkansas-Monticello managed just three field goals in the second half, shooting 17.6% while committing 12 additional turnovers. Tech took advantage of those miscues, scoring 36 points off turnovers for the game while holding the Boll Weevils to just four points off its own mistakes.
The Bulldogs also dominated inside, outscoring Arkansas-Monticello 46-8 in the paint and holding a 39-22 rebounding advantage. Tech finished shooting 52.6% from the field, connecting on 30 of 57 attempts, while recording 23 assists on its 30 made baskets. The Bulldogs also received 32 points from their bench.
Jay Tyler added eight points and three assists, while Jaylen Fenner and Trashaun Combs-Pierce scored six points apiece. Deven Bates contributed five points, seven rebounds and a team-high five assists, while Ethan Blackmon added five points and six rebounds.
Marvin Schindler led Arkansas-Monticello with seven points and seven rebounds. The Boll Weevils connected on just two of 17 attempts from beyond the arc.
The Bulldogs will face a much stiffer challenge Monday when they travel to Baton Rouge to face LSU at 7 p.m.
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McNeese 56, Grambling State 51
Grambling State erased most of a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit but couldn’t complete the comeback as McNeese held on for a 56-51 victory Thursday night at Townsley Law Arena.
The Lady Tigers (0-2) outscored the Cowgirls 16-8 in the final quarter, pulling within three points in the closing seconds before McNeese (2-0) sealed the victory at the free-throw line.
Angel Wilkinson led Grambling State with a game-high 20 points, including a 10-of-13 performance at the free-throw line. She also added four rebounds and two steals.
Da’Naya Ross contributed 10 points and seven rebounds, while Princess Anderson finished with seven points and three steals.
Despite shooting just 23.2% from the field, the Lady Tigers stayed within striking distance thanks in part to their work on the boards and at the free-throw line.
Grambling State pulled down 50 rebounds, including 17 on the offensive glass, and recorded 11 steals. The Lady Tigers also converted 23 of 32 free-throw attempts.
The two teams battled through a competitive opening quarter, with Grambling State taking a 12-11 advantage following a 3-pointer by Wilkinson.
McNeese responded in the second quarter, outscoring the Lady Tigers 18-12 to build a 31-24 halftime advantage.
The Cowgirls continued to extend their lead in the third quarter, taking a 48-35 advantage into the final 10 minutes.
However, Grambling State refused to go away.
Anderson helped spark the comeback, connecting on a pair of free throws with 7:32 remaining to pull the Lady Tigers within six at 48-42.
After McNeese pushed its lead back to seven, Ross converted two free throws to make it 51-44. Anderson followed with two more from the charity stripe, cutting the deficit to 51-46 with 3:51 remaining.
Wilkinson continued to lead the charge down the stretch, converting four late free throws, including two with 22 seconds remaining, to pull Grambling State within three at 54-51.
However, McNeese answered with two free throws in the closing seconds to preserve the victory.
Eve Fiala added four points and seven rebounds for Grambling State, while Aeris Macon pulled down six rebounds.
Valencia Fontenelle-Posson and Matilde Motta led McNeese with 14 points apiece, while Avari Berry added 11 points, four assists and four steals.
The Cowgirls shot 33.3% from the field and 32% from 3-point range, compared to Grambling State’s 23.2% overall shooting and 11.1% from beyond the arc.
