Jan. 4, 2011
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Louisiana Tech forward Adrienne Johnson might need to visit a decompression chamber once she comes down from the high that is her senior season.
After all, she is approaching some pretty rarified air.
Johnson, who will lead the Lady Techsters into their Western Athletic Conference opener Thursday night at 7 p.m. CT at San Jose State, is quietly putting together one of the most impressive seasons in the 36-year history of the Lady Techster basketball program.
She seems to join more elite company on a nightly basis.
That's no small feat when you are talking about one of the most successful programs in the history of the game - a program that boasts dozens of All-Americans who donned the Columbia blue and red uniform.
LA Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon believes Johnson takes a back seat to no one when it comes to work ethic, heart and skill.
"Adrienne is a great athlete who can play any position on the floor. She is rare," Weatherspoon said. "When she first got here, she was playing the game so fast; too fast. I asked her to learn to play slow and under control. She trusted that. She makes me look like a genius."
While competing against the 24th toughest non-conference schedule in the country (according to collegerpi.com) which featured 11 of 13 games against postseason teams from a year ago, Johnson has averaged 21.5 points and 9.2 points per game despite seeing constant double teams from opponents.
The added attention hasn't had any type of negative effect on the two-time first team all-conference selection. In fact, according to Weatherspoon, it has simply fueled her fire.
"She wants it bad," Weatherspoon said. "She puts in the work every day in practice; every day. That's why she is so good at game-time. She loves a challenge. She lives for it."
Although there was some question whether Johnson's success would suffer from the graduation of frontcourt teammate and two-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year Shanavia Dowdell, Johnson has proven otherwise.
"(Not having Shanavia this year) did cross my mind," Johnson said. "However, I watched how Shanavia handled (leading the team), and I've tried to assimilate that. I have definitely seen teams play me differently this year. I'm seeing a lot more double teams.
"I've had to change my approach since I'm playing on the block more. Last year I played more on the trail. I know the double team is coming; my teammates communicate with me. Coach Spoon tells me to face up and attack that way."
And attack she has as Johnson has put the Lady Techsters on her back through the first two months and left opponents shaking their heads.
"(Georgia coach Andy) Landers kept telling me, `She's good, coach. She's good.'," Weatherspoon said referring to Johnson's 30-point, 11-rebound performance in the 77-62 win over Georgia last week in Miami.
Johnson's 21.5 points per game average would rank as the fourth best single season in LA Tech history, trailing only Sheila Ethridge (25.2 ppg in 1990-91), Venus Lacy (24.2 ppg in 1989-90) and Pam Gant (23.6 ppg in 1984-85).
She currently ranks among the nation's leaders in scoring at 11th and in field goal percentage at 31st. Among her conference brethren she ranks first field goal percentage (.549) and free throw percentage (.848) while also showing great range as she has connected on 10-of-22 three-pointers. She also ranks No. 2 in scoring, No. 3 in rebounding, No. 4 in steals (2.15) and No. 10 in blocked shots (0.85).
Sunday's career-high 34 point performance in Tech's 83-61 win over Southern Miss was just another day on the hardwood office for Johnson as she also set career-highs for field goals made (14) and attempted (23).
The 34 points were the most scored by a LA Tech player since Tasha Williams torched Hawaii for 36 points in a 79-78 overtime loss at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu on Feb. 10, 2005.
It was also Johnson's third 30-plus point performance of her career - and second in the last three games as she netted 30 points and 11 rebounds in a 77-62 win over Georgia - as she became only the 11th player in Tech history to score 30 points or more at least three times.
Johnson currently ranks 18th all-time in Tech history in scoring with 1,563 points. She is on pace at her current average of 21.5 points a game to finish in the top seven.
Depending on how deep LA Tech goes into the postseason, including WAC Tournament and any other postseason tournament, Johnson has an outside chance to become only the fifth player in program history to eclipse the 2,000-point plateau - and the first since Venus Lacy accomplished the feat in 1990.
Johnson is also well on her way to earning her third straight spot on the all-Western Athletic Conference first team as she would become the first LA Tech player to earn three straight first team positions since Tamicha Jackson did so in the Sun Belt (1997-2000).
She could also become only the third player in LA Tech history to average 15.0 points or more in three separate seasons as she would join three-time Kodak All-American Pam Kelly and Elinor Griffin.
As impressive as all of these numbers and accomplishments are, Johnson is somewhat oblivious to all the hype. The only thing she cares about is lacing up the high-tops, putting on the LA Tech uniform and playing hard for the next 40 minutes.
"People don't realize that she isn't always 100 percent when she steps on that court," Weatherspoon said. "But you would never know it. She believes in mind over matter. She thinks `My team depends on me. I'm a leader.'"
Johnson said she focuses on one thing and one thing only - what it takes to help her team win.
"I really didn't expect (these types of numbers)," Johnson said. "I just come out and play. I really don't worry about my averages. I don't even think about it. I just focus on winning, getting my teammates involved and executing the game plan."
Game Information
Who: LA Tech (8-5, 0-0 WAC) at San Jose State (0-13, 0-0 WAC)
When: Thursday at 7 p.m. CT
Where: The Events Center in San Jose, Calif.
Radio: ESPN 97.7 FM
Internet Audio: LA Tech All-Access at www.latechsports.com
