THIBODAUX, La. - Adrienne Johnson score 18 points to lead five players in double figures as Louisiana Tech defeated Nicholls State 90-50 before 204 fans at Stopher Gym Friday night.

With the victory LA Tech improved to 2-0 on the young season setting up its biggest test of the year when it travels to Jonesboro, Arkansas Tuesday to face Arkansas State.

Despite shooting 58 percent from the field and outrebounding Nicholls State 44-27, Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon was not nearly satisfied with her team's performance.

"We did a lot of things well," Weatherspoon said. "However, we have a long way to go. We have to learn how to start games and we have to learn how to finish games. We weren't very good at either tonight."

Weatherspoon saw her team get off to a slow start as the Lady Techsters committed turnovers on each of its first four possessions of the game before Johnson hit a shot at the 17:33 mark to tie the game at 2-2 and start a 9-0 run.

Once the Lady Techters settled down offensively, they hit their first five shots from the field and built as much as a 28-14 lead with 9:05 to play. However, Nicholls State hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut the lead to 28-20 as the Colonels appeared to set to make a run.

However, junior guard Whitney Jones scored 10 points to ignite a 24-3 run to close the half as the Lady Techsters entered the locker room leading 52-23.

Tech hit 68 percent (22-32) of its field goals in the opening half while limiting Nicholls State to only 28 percent (9-32). Jones (14 points), Johnson (14 points) and Dowdell (12 points) each recorded double figures in the opening 20 minutes of play.

"I thought we settled down offensively after the first few minutes and played well in the first half," Weatherspoon said. "We knew that if we ran our offense, they were going to have trouble guarding us. Nicholls State plays hard and they scrap. We just had an advantage with our size and we utilized it."

Tech came out in the second half and struggled offensively, committing 11 turnovers over the final 20 minutes. The Lady Techsters scored only eight points in the first eight minutes of the final half in large part to missing a number of easy shots.

"We did miss a lot of close shots in the second half but I will say we did a good job of always hustling back to the defensive end," Weatherspoon said. "Our effort was there. We got a little sloppy on the defensive end late and committed some fouls and sent them to the free throw line. It's another game we will learn from as we move forward."

In addition to Johnson's 18-point performance, Jones added 16 points, Dowdell 14 points and 10 rebounds, Brietta Thomas 12 points and Tarkeisha Wysinger 12 points in the victory.

Rischanda Bickham led Nicholls State with 18 points although she only hit 6-of-22 field goals while Jasmine Hoskins added 13 points.

For the game, Tech shot 58 percent (35-60) from the field, including 5-of-8 from the three-point line. The Lady Techsters also hit 15-of-19 from the free throw line.

Tech returns to action Tuesday when it travels to Jonesboro to face Arkansas State at 7 p.m.