Feb. 16, 2011
RUSTON - Despite boasting an 11-game winning streak, Louisiana Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon and Co. aren't taking any team lightly as the final three weeks of the Western Athletic Conference season approach.
And when the Lady Techsters take the Thomas Assembly Center floor Thursday night at 7 p.m. against Hawaii, one thing is for sure - they won't be focused on the Rainbow Wahine's 3-9 league record.
Instead, they will focus on the memories of a hard-fought 74-69 overtime victory over Hawaii a month ago on the Island.
"That was a very tough game," Weatherspoon said. "They are a very good team. Don't look at their record as that is not indicative of what type of team they are. They did a very good job on us defensively and they crashed the boards against us. We must come out and run our offensive better while not relying on just one individual. We must put a body on them and attack the rebound. That will be the key to us winning."
In that first meeting, Hawaii had multiple opportunities to win the game, including a golden opportunity at the end of regulation. With Tech leading 61-60, Hawaii missed three shots in the final 15 seconds before finally being fouled.
Hawaii freshman phenom Kamilah Jackson, who scored 18 points and grabbed 20 rebounds, went to the line with a chance to win the game with only 2.8 seconds to play. However, Jackson misfired on the first attempt before connecting on the second to tie the game at 61-61 and send it into overtime.
There the Lady Techsters outscored Hawaii 13-8 for the win. Weatherspoon said that victory jumped started her team's run which has now reached 11 straight wins.
"I think you can look at that game as a turning point," Weatherspoon said. "We didn't play well at all. Yet we found a way to make plays when we needed to make them. We found a way to win a close game on the road."
The loss might have triggered a tail spin for the Rainbow Wahine, who lost their next six games. However, Hawaii has right the ship in the past two weeks, winning three of its last four including a 57-52 road win at New Mexico State Tuesday night.
LA Tech (18-5, 10-0 WAC) enters the contest with a two-game lead in the Western Athletic Conference race with six games remaining.
A win by the Lady Techsters would also be the 400th in the program's history at the Thomas Assembly Center as LA Tech boasts a 399-40 all-time mark at the TAC.
All LA Tech fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game as the Lady Techsters will be donning Under Armour pink uniforms for the first time ever. Any fan who wears pink to the game can purchase a discounted ticket for only $5.
The contest can be heard on the LA Tech Sports Network on ESPN 97.7 FM with the pregame show beginning at 6:30 p.m.
