Game Notes

RUSTON -- Louisiana Tech will face its toughest task of the season Thursday night when the Lady Techsters host the red-hot Charlotte 49ers at 6:30 p.m. at the Thomas Assembly Center.

Tech (6-8, 1-2 C-USA) and Charlotte (12-3, 4-0 C-USA) meet for the fifth time in the series history with the two teams splitting the previous four games. Tech has dropped 5 of its last 6 games -- three of those by 2 points -- while the 49ers enter with a nine-game winnings streak.

The contest can be heard on the LA Tech Sports Network on ESPN 97.7 FM with the pregame show starting at 6 p.m. Fans can access free audio of the game through the Louisiana Tech X mobile app and the Red Peach Media mobile app or by logging onto ESPN977.com. Fans can also watch live video online through a paid subscription to CUSATV.com.

"It's going to be a challenging week," said Tech head coach Brooke Stoehr. "I'm glad we have these two at home. I think our team will be ready to compete. We have to be very good on the defensive end of the floor. Charlotte is very efficient offensively. They share the basketball well. They attack and drive and get good spacing and drive and kick and knock down three's. They have some experienced guards. I think they are effective because they can spread you out."

It's been a month and a half since the 49ers tasted defeat. Boise State defeated the 49ers on Nov. 26. Since then Charlotte has reeled off nine straight wins, including four straight to open Conference USA play. Included in the 49ers win total are victories over Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, East Carolina and WKU.

Charlotte picked up some points in this week's Associated Press Top 25 poll -- the first time since March of 2013 that the 49ers received Top 25 votes.

The 49ers are one of only two teams in the league to boast four players in double figures, led by Grace Hunter (16.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg), Ciara Gregory (14.2 ppg, 50-138 three-pointers), Lefty Webster (13.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and Laia Raventos (10.1 ppg, 41 steals).

Louisiana Tech counters with a team that has been in every single game this season, but that hasn't had a lot of success late in games finding ways to win. During the last few weeks, Tech has lost three games by two points each -- with all three games being tied inside of 10 seconds to play before the opponent hit the game-winning shots.

"It's a matter of a young team finding ways to win," Stoehr said. "We talk all the time about how game winning plays can come in different times and situations within a game. It could be diving on the ball for a loose basketball and getting possession in the third quarter when you need a stop. You just never know."

Sophomore Jasmine LeBlanc has recorded three straight double doubles in league play, including 16 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high 4 blocks in Saturday's 63-61 loss at UTSA.