RUSTON ? Louisiana Tech hosts Louisiana-Monroe Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Thomas Assembly Center in the first game of a doubleheader.
The Tech Bulldogs host Arkansas-Pine Bluff 30 minutes after the completion of the Techster game.
The Lady Techsters (4-3) return to the hardwood after Saturday?s 67-62 loss to Southern Miss, in a game where Tech missed 24 of its first 27 shots. Head coach Chris Long said he is confident the shooting woes the past two games are not something he will have to worry about all year.
?We have struggled shooting the ball the last two games but hopefully it?s out of our system,? Long said. ?I have a lot of confidence in our ability to shoot the ball. We will knock down shots. We just have to continue to get on the offensive boards and to attack offensively and get to the free throw line. Our shooting will come around.?
In addition to the setback in the win and loss column against USM, the Lady Techsters also lost sophomore guard
Whitney Jones for Tuesday?s game as the former West Monroe native suffered a knee injury with only .5 seconds remaining in Saturday?s contest.
Jones, who averaged 10.6 points and 4.0 rebounds a game through the first seven contests, underwent an MRI on Monday and is out indefinitely.
?If it?s a season-ending injury then I feel terrible for Whitney,? Long said. ?It also will have an impact on our team, but at the same time it gives other players an opportunity. I feel like someone will step up to fill the void.?
Senior forward Jo Sneed (13.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg) has registered five double doubles for Tech while sophomore
Shanavia Dowdell (11.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and senior guard
Nastassja Levingston (9.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg) are also leading the Lady Techster offensively.
UL-Monroe (5-2) has played well through seven games with its only two losses coming to Syracuse and Southern Mississippi.
?ULM has gotten off to a good start, and they?ve done that mainly through the play of their defense,? Long said. ?They have a balanced scoring team with good athletes that rebound.?
The Warhawks are led by Jesse Carrier (11.4 ppg, 16 three-pointers), Shannon Lloyd (10.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Regena Jackson (10.0 ppg). As a team, UL-Monroe is forcing 25.0 turnovers a game.
Tech leads the all-time series against UL-Monroe 44-8, including a 22-1 mark in games played in Ruston.
The contest will be aired on ESPN 97.7 FM with the pregame show beginning at 5:30 p.m. The game can also be seen on www.latechtv.com and heard via the internet at www.espn977.com.
