March 14, 2011
Photo Gallery | Women's Bracket | NCAA Selection Release | Audio of Press Conference
RUSTON - Although Louisiana Tech head coach Teresa Weatherspoon joked with the media Monday night that she wasn't worried leading up to the NCAA Selection Show, the third-year Lady Techster boss finally relented when asked a second time.
"I wasn't nervous," said Weatherspoon, who saw her team earn a No. 10 seed in this year's event. "This was a long day. Of course I was nervous. I was actually ready to hear the good news. Our kids did a great job this year. They earned this. This wasn't something that was given to us; this was earned. I was nervous just waiting to hear Louisiana Tech's name called."
And it was. Weatherspoon and Co. gathered at President Dan Reneau's house didn't have to wait long during the one-hour show on ESPN as LA Tech's name was called in the first 15 minutes. The Lady Techsters will be the No. 10 seed in the Dallas Region and will face the No. 7 seed Rutgers in a first-round matchup Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City.
"What a great day this is at Louisiana Tech and for this basketball program," Weatherspoon said. "What a tribute to what these kids have done this season. We have done some great things. We have learned a lot from the beginning of the season to this point. These kids got it done. This is a big day that these kids deserve. It's time to prepare ourselves to go out to Shreveport, Louisiana and represent this University in the proper way."
Following its heart-breaking 78-76 loss to Fresno State in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship game Saturday in Las Vegas, Louisiana Tech knew it had left its fate in the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee's hands.
However, it also knew it had earned an opportunity to play in its second straight and 27th overall NCAA Tournament. LA Tech enters the tournament with a 24-7 record, a WAC regular season title to its name and winners of 17 of its last 19 games.
Tech will face a Rutgers Scarlet Knights (19-12, 11-5 Big East) team that finished fourth in the mighty Big East Conference, a league that is sending nine teams to the tournament. Rutgers is led by Hall of Fame coach Vivian Stringer, something that isn't lost on Weatherspoon.
"I tell you what I do know about Rutgers," Weatherspoon said. "I know coach Vivian Stringer. She's a mentor of mine and calls a lot to be help to me. What a great honor it will be to play against her. She runs a very, very good program. We will run up against a team that is very good defensively. We just have to be prepared for what Rutgers will bring."
The other matchup in the Bossier City site will pit No. 2 seed Texas A&M against No. 15 seed McNeese State. Texas A&M is coached by former LA Tech assistant Gary Blair. With the NCAA bid, Louisiana Tech ranks third all-time in appearances with 27, trailing only Tennessee (30) and Georgia (28).
Louisiana Tech recently joined Tennessee as only the second women's basketball program to ever win 1,000 games as the Lady Techsters joined the elite club Friday with its 66-59 win over Nevada in the WAC semifinals.
Tech fans can purchase tickets to the Lady Techsters games in Bossier City starting Tuesday at 10 a.m. by calling the Tech Ticket Office at 318-257-3631 or by logging onto www.LATechSports.com.
What: Bossier City First- and Second-Round Site
When: Sunday, March 20 and Tuesday March 22
Teams: Texas A&M vs. McNeese State at 4 p.m. | LA Tech vs. Rutgers at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: 318-257-3631 or log onto www.LATechSports.com
