Nov. 13, 2009

Box Score

RUSTON - Adrienne Johnson scored 29 points and Brietta Thomas added a career-high 22 points to lead Louisiana Tech to an 88-41 win over Centenary Friday night before 1,015 fans at the Thomas Assembly Center.

Tech (1-0) dressed only eight players for the game due to injuries as the Lady Techsters improved to 31-5 all-time in home openers, including 24-4 at the Thomas Assembly Center.

"We didn't get off to a good start, but we will learn from our mistakes," said Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. "This is exactly what we needed. We can watch film - film doesn't lie. We can show the young ladies what they did wrong and work on getting better over the next week."

Johnson hit 14-of-19 field goals to earn top scoring honors on the night while adding four rebounds, four steals, two blocks and two assists. Thomas, making the start in place of the injured Tiawana Pringle, connected on 9-of-13 field goals, including 4-of-6 three-pointers, as she edged her previous career-high of 19 points scored last year in a win over Arizona.

"I was proud of both Adrienne and Brietta," Weatherspoon said. "Adrienne is a freakish athlete. She is so incredible and can do so many things as people saw tonight. Brietta is really doing a better job of staying patient on the offensive end and letting things come to her. She is not forcing her shot."

Sophomore Kiara Young came off the bench to record her first career double double with 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds while Whitney Jones added 14 points.

"What people don't realize is Kiara is a good rebounder," Weatherspoon said. "She's is starting to get comfortable (on the college level). We are working on her becoming more consistent as a player."

After getting off to a slow start that saw Centenary build an early 5-0 lead and hold LA Tech without a field goal for the first four-plus minutes, the Lady Techsters started catching their rhythm. Despite reigning WAC Player of the Year Shanavia Dowdell sitting the final 17 minutes of the first half on the bench with two personal fouls, Tech caught fire.

Trailing 10-9 with 11 minutes to play in the opening stanza, Tech used a 20-2 run over a five minute stretch to build a 29-12 lead as Thomas scored 11 points during the run. Despite missing six of its first seven shots, Tech ended the half by nailing 17 of its final 28 field goals to lead 42-22 at the break.

Tech didn't let up in the second half, hitting 61 percent (19-of-31) of its field goals.

After Centenary scored 11 points in the first five minutes of the second half, Tech held the Ladies to only eight points over the final 15 minutes of the game. Centenary shot only 22 percent (7-32) from the field in the second half, including only 3 of 25 down the stretch.

For the game, Tech shot 56 percent (37-of-66) while holding the Ladies to only 26 percent (15-of-58). Tech also recorded 23 assists while only committing 11 turnovers.

Ashley Jackson led Centenary with 14 points while Anne Farrell recorded a double double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Tech travels to Nicholls State Nov. 20 for a 6:30 p.m. contest against the Colonels.