March 11, 2010

Box Score

RENO, Nevada - Jasmine Bendolph scored a career-high 24 points and Adrienne Johnson added 22 points to lead Louisiana Tech to an 82-65 win over Utah State in the first round of the 2010 Western Athletic Conference Tournament at the Lawlor Events Center Wednesday night.

The duo's performances were huge considering two-time WAC Player of the Year Shanavia Dowdell was saddled with foul trouble in the first half and ended the night with a season-low two points and no made field goals.

"I had to do a little bit more tonight (with Shanavia in foul trouble) and step it up," Bendolph said. "As a team we played together and shared the basketball."

Bendolph hit 8-of-13 field goals, including a pair of three-pointers, and 6-of-6 free throws to best her previous career-high of 18 points which came at the same venue in last year's semifinal loss to Nevada in the WAC Tournament.

"It's always big when Jasmine plays the way she did tonight," said Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon. "Both JB and Adrienne are incredible athletes and are capable of taking games over at any time."

After Dowdell picked up her second personal foul less than four minutes into the game, Johnson and Bendolph combined to score 25 points in the first half to propel the Lady Techsters (21-8) out to a 41-28 halftime advantage.

Tech shot 50 percent (17-34) from the field in the opening half while holding Utah State to only 33 percent (11-33).

The Lady Techsters opened the second half by pushing their lead out to 50-34 on a pair of Bendolph free throws with 15:39 to play before Utah State (13-17) fought back, using a 12-0 run over the next four minutes to cut the deficit to 50-46.

"I loved our effort in the second half and the character that we showed," said Utah State head coach Raegan Pebley. "We split with Louisiana Tech in the regular season and believed we could beat them here on a neutral floor. We didn't, and it's disappointing."

Junior guard Brietta Thomas ended the run by nailing a three-pointer - one of three she hit in the game - with 11:30 to play as Tech quickly pushed the advantage back out to 59-48. Another Thomas trifecta at the 2:49 mark of the half gave Tech an insurmountable 69-54 advantage.

Thomas ended the night with 11 points while Tarkeisha Wysinger added 11 points and Kiara Young seven as the Lady Techster bench scored 32 points in the contest.

"It was a very, very tough game and our team never gave up," Weatherspoon said.

Tech advances to face Nevada Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT as the Wolf Pack defeated Boise State 64-59 in their first round contest.