Dec. 30, 2009

Box Score

SAN ANTONIO - Shanavia Dowdell had a career performance Wednesday night as she led Louisiana Tech to an 82-72 win over Texas-San Antonio at the Convocation Center before 804 fans in the finals of the UTSA New Year's Classic.

Dowdell scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds, hitting 13-of-17 field goals and 4-of-6 free throws while playing all 40 minutes.

"She was simply unstoppable," said Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon , who saw her team improve to 8-3. "She dominated inside for us. She worked hard all night to get position and then she finished. She's our workhorse.

"Our guards did a nice job of delivery her the basketball at the right time and place. They were patient and it paid off."

Dowdell earned all-tournament team honors along with teammate Whitney Jones, who struggled mightily for the first 31 minutes of the game before coming up big down the stretch.

Jones, who entered the game averaging over 12.0 points per game, was scoreless until she hit a three-point at the 8:39 mark of the game, upping the Tech advantage to 62-49. Jones then converted a pair of conventional three-point plays - one at the 3:46 mark and another at the 3:15 mark - to keep UTSA at arm's length.

However, arguably her biggest contribution came with 1:10 to play and Tech clinging to a four-point lead when she found Dowdell inside, who delivered with a spin move baseline as the Lady Techsters upped the advantage to six.

Jones hit two free throws with 29 seconds to play to seal the victory for Tech.

"Whitney settled in finally," Weatherspoon said. "She came up with some clutch plays when we needed them. She didn't allow herself to be affected late by her struggles early."

Dowdell and Jones were joined in the big-night category by guards Tarkeisha Wysinger and Brietta Thomas off the bench. Wysinger scored 12 points in 18 minutes while Thomas added 10 points, a career-high nine rebounds and a career-high three blocks in 28 minutes.

The first half saw 10 lead changes and six ties as UTSA led 23-21 before Martina Holloway hit a three-pointer with 8:10 to play igniting a 9-0 Lady Techster run. Tech would never trail again.

Dowdell scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the opening 20 minutes of play to offset an impressive performance by Roadrunner guard Whitney York, who scored 19 of her 27 points in the first stanza.

Tech led 39-31 at the half.

UTSA quickly closed the lead to 39-35 in the second half before the Lady Techsters used a 15-5 run to grab its biggest lead of the game at 54-40 on a jumper by Wysinger with 11:40 to play in the game.

However, Ashleigh Franklin scored 26 of her team-high 29 points over the final 20 minutes to almost single handedly keep the Roadrunners in the game. Franklin scored 16 straight points for UTSA late in the game but it wasn't enough as Tech won its fourth straight game.

For the game, Tech hit 44 percent (30-68) of its field goals while hitting 6-of-23 three-pointers and 16-of-24 free throws. UTSA hit only 34 percent (23-67) of its field goals, 1-of-13 three-pointers and 25-of-39 free throws.

Tech outrebounded UTSA 52-42.

Tech returns to action Sunday at 2 p.m. when it travels to Hattiesburg to face Southern Miss.