Nov. 1, 2010
RUSTON - Louisiana Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon will get an opportunity to see where her basketball team is at in preseason preparation when the Lady Techsters host Arkansas-Monticello Tuesday night at 6 p.m. in the first game of a basketball doubleheader at the Thomas Assembly Center.
The Bulldogs hosts Champion Baptist College starting 30 minutes after the completion of the first game.
Weatherspoon returns three starters and eight letterwinners from last year's team that won 23 games, captured the 2010 Western Athletic Conference Tournament title and advanced to the program's 26th NCAA Tournament.
However, she will be minus three-year starter and two-time WAC Player of the Year Shanavia Dowdell, who recorded 22 double doubles and led the league in scoring and rebounding the past two seasons.
"I'm glad it's here," Weatherspoon said. "We are happy to play. I know our players are ready to play someone else besides practice, practice, practice. It will be good for us as coaches to have the film to watch and see where we are. It's an exciting time. It's good to be back in action."
Weatherspoon does have the luxury of returning two-time first team all-WAC honoree Adrienne Johnson who averaged 16.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last year. Johnson could become only the third player in Lady Techster history to ever average 15.0 points or more in three separate seasons, joining former greats Pam Kelly and Elinor Griffin.
Johnson will also have plenty of help at her side as LA Tech returns senior guard Whitney Jones (10.3 ppg), senior forward Tarkeisha Wysinger-Mackey (8.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg), junior guard Jasmine Bendolph (7.8 ppg, 3.8 apg) and senior guard Brietta Thomas (5.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg).
Tech fans will also get a chance to see newcomers Shantale Bramble-Donaldson, Angie Felton and Jelena Vucinic and red-shirt freshman Tavasha Anderson.
Arkansas-Monticello is a Division II member of the Gulf South Conference that was 11-15 last season.
Tech fans can follow the action of the game via live stats by logging onto www.latechsports.com. There will be no radio and no live stream of any of the exhibition games.
