Feb. 6, 2009

Box Score

RUSTON -- Shanavia Dowdell and Adrienne Johnson each scored 18 points to lead Louisiana Tech to a 70-60 win over Idaho Friday night in Western Athletic Conference action at the Thomas Assembly Center.

With the victory, Tech (12-10, 5-3 WAC) completed the regular season sweep of the Vandals (8-11, 5-3) and pulled even with them in the WAC standings heading into Sunday's match-up against Boise State.

After Idaho built and early 11-point lead only eight minutes into the game, the Lady Techsters settled down and slowed the Vandals down.

"I thought we defended very, very well after getting off to a slow start," said Tech head coach Chris Long. "There were a couple of times they got us. If you make a mistake defensively against them, they don't miss. I thought they shot the ball very well when we did make a mistake. I also thought we eventually wore them down defensively."

Idaho hit four three-pointers in the opening eight minutes of the game as the Vandals built a 20-9 lead with 12:20 to play on a three-pointer by Rachel Kloke. Tech fought back and used a 9-0 run over the next five minutes to trim the deficit to two before Idaho answered and pushed the lead back out to 27-19 with 4:05 to play.

That's when the Lady Techsters started rolling offensively as Tech outscored Idaho 16-3 down the stretch thanks to eight points by Dowdell. Tech led 35-30 at the half.

"Offensively, I thought we finally settled down," Long said. "You have to give Idaho a lot of different looks offensively. They sit back in that match-up zone. I thought we executed and got the basketball where we needed to in order to be successful."

The Lady Techsters came out of the locker room and eventually pushed their lead out to as many as 11 points at 48-37 with 15:24 to play on a pair of free throws by Whitney Jones after a technical foul was called on Idaho coach John Newlee.

The lead remained comfortable until the Vandals used a run to cut it to 56-53 on a pair of free throws by Kloke with 6:11 to play.

On Tech's ensuing possession, sophomore guard Sidney Stewart drove the lane with the shot clock running down and found Dowdell underneath for a layup with only one second remaining on the shot clock to push the lead back out to five points.

Johnson then completed a conventional three-point play on Tech's next possession to push the advantage back out to eight and Idaho would get no closer than seven the rest of the way.

"I thought our bench played well," Long said. "We have some injuries so we need them to step up. It was great to see Tarkeisha Wysinger out there. I asked her after the game how she felt, and she said `I feel great.' It's been a tough time for her during the rehab, but she has kept a positive attitude. She will definitely help us as the season moves forward."

In addition to Dowdell and Johnson's big nights, Jones added 11 points and Stewart chipped in with 10 for Tech.

Yinka Olorunnife and Derisa Taleni each scored 18 to lead Idaho.

Tech returns to action Sunday when it hosts Boise State at 2 p.m.