Box Score Nov. 18, 2014

Box Score

NATCHITOCHES, La. - Tiara Davenport scored a career-high 15 points and JaQuan Jackson added 12 points but Louisiana Tech couldn't overcome a 4-of-36 performance from the three-point line as Northwestern State defeated the Lady Techsters 69-57 at Prather Coliseum Tuesday night.

With Northwestern State (2-0) utilizing zone defenses all night long, the Lady Techsters couldn't find the same touch from the field that led them to a season-opening win over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday. Instead, Tech missed shot after shot from the perimeter and didn't get enough production within the paint to overcome the subpar shooting.

"All the credit goes to Northwestern State," said Tech head coach Tyler Summitt. "They are a very well-coached team. They executed their offense and defense and again credit to them for this win. We did not have a good shooting night. And more importantly we let it affect our effort. It can't affect our effort. I think you saw at the end when shots weren't falling, the effort came back because we knew we were running out of time. We have to have effort for 40 minutes. We can't allow shooting percentage to affect effort. All the credit goes to Brooke and Scott and Northwestern State."

One game after shooting over 50 percent from the field and 10-of-17 from the three-point line in the win over SFA, Tech shot only 32 percent (23-70) from the field and 11 percent (4-36) from behind the arc. Tech fell despite out-rebounding NSU by 18 and despite taking 27 more field goal attempts.

"People can make a lot of excuses for this loss," Summitt said. "At the end of the day the effort wasn't there. If the effort wasn't there and this still happens, then we can start looking at other things. Effort is 100 percent in our control."

Tech never led in the game. Northwestern State jumped out to an early 7-2 lead as the Lady Techsters misfired on six of their first seven shots from the field. The Demons pushed the advantage to 18-7 on back-to-back-to-back three-point field goals, including a pair by Amy Staha who finished the night with a game-high 19 points.

After NSU extended the lead to 22-9, Jackson hit back-to-back three-pointers to close the gap to seven. However, the Demons answered again with a pair of easy layups and two free throws.

"We will watch film on their execution of offense against our discipline on defense," Summitt said. "As they ran their cuts hard, I thought we defended the first 20 seconds well. Those last 10 seconds is where good teams make stops. That's what we have to get to, a 30-second defense and a 40-minute game."

Northwestern State led 33-23 at the break as Tech hit just 3-of-17 from the three-point line and 26 percent from the field.

The second half saw Tech shoot well when it was able to penetrate the NSU zone. The Lady Techsters hit 13-of-17 two-pointers in the final 20 minutes; however, they couldn't overcome a 1-of-19 half from beyond the arc.

NSU extended its lead to 16 points at 53-37 with 8:08 to play before Tech used a 9-1 run capped by a Whitney Frazier layup to cut it to 54-46. However, once again, the Demons executed on the offensive end and pushed the advantage back to 15 with less than three minutes to play.

"This is a great learning moment," Summitt said. "After SFA we didn't let the high get too high. After this loss we aren't going to let the low get too low. This isn't going to be a roller coaster ride. It will be a process. We are still working to instill our culture and our system. Losing is never going to be tolerated at Louisiana Tech but again we aren't going to let the low get too low."

Louisiana Tech's bench accounted for 36 of the 57 points led by Davenport, Jackson and Kevione Moten, who added career-highs in points with nine and rebounds with four.

"Our bench play by JaQuan, Tiara and Kevione was a bright spot," Summitt said. "I am proud of them for how they came off the bench. I am proud of the team for fighting to the end. I think we had the effort at the end. We have to have a 40 minute game."

Tech outscored NSU 30-16 in the paint and 24-8 on second chance points in the loss.

The Lady Techsters will return to action Saturday when they travel south to face UL-Lafayette at 12 p.m. at Long Gym.