BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Following its two home losses to Rice and North Texas last week, Louisiana Tech head coach Brooke Stoehr went back to basics in practice this week.

It worked.

Kierra Anthony scored 35 points and Louisiana Tech held Conference USA's top scoring offense scoreless down the stretch as the Lady Techsters snapped the Blazers 10-game winning streak with a 73-68 victory Thursday night at Bartow Arena.

UAB entered the game with its best start in program history, winning 14 of its first 15 games this year. And when Blazer guard Rachel Childress hit a three-pointer – her seventh of the game – with 4:51 to play to give the Blazers a 64-55 lead, it appeared as if win No. 15 was only minutes away.

But the Lady Techsters had other ideas.  

Following a timeout by LA Tech, the Lady Techsters ended the game on an 18-4 run, including a 12-0 run over the final 2:41, to hand UAB only its second loss of the season. UAB fell 73-69 in overtime to Top 10 ranked Tennessee in late November for the only other loss of the year by the Blazers.

"We got down nine with 4:50 to go," said Stoehr. "I told them during that timeout that this can't be the time where we just lay down. It was the first time in a while I saw this group fight in a critical moment. I am really proud of them for that."

Down by 68-61 with 2:41 to play, Raizel Guinto hit a three-pointer – her only bucket of the night – and then Anthony followed with a three-pointer to close the gap to 68-67. Following a turnover by UAB, Anthony drained a long jumper to give Tech a 69-68 lead with 1:24 to play.

"I thought we defended really well besides losing Childress a few times," said Stoehr. "That kid can really shoot. She hit seven threes tonight. Kierra scores 35 and holds Kuzmanic to only eight points. That was a big effort on her part.

"We told our kids don't focus on the scoreboard. Don't focus on anything but your energy, your effort and your concentration in three areas. We need to screen a body. We need to defend scout specific, and I thought for the most part we did. We need to rebound to run. We outrebounded them 42-29 and they only had three offensive rebounds. That was a big thing for us."

UAB had multiple opportunities to retake the lead but Tech came up with stops. UAB was forced to foul and Taylor Stahly hit two big free throws with 19 seconds to play to up the lead to 71-68. After a missed three-pointer by Deanna Kuzmanic, UAB fouled with 13.1 seconds to play sending Nikki McDonald to the free throw line.

McDonald hit both free throws to increase the lead to 73-68 and Tech got another stop and then dribbled out the clock.

"We have to have contributions from everyone," said Stoehr. "I thought we did that. Even players who didn't start. Like Raizel's three in the fourth quarter was huge. Taylor's two free throws to put us up three. Nikki's free throws to put us up five. So many little things like that.

"Dixon's minutes off the bench were big. DeAndre'a came in during that first half and helped us get some good defensive stops. We have to have that. Bri Harris had some good moments. Sweets did. We have to have her and I thought she was big for us there in that third quarter."

Tech (9-7, 1-2 C-USA) entered the game on a two-game losing streak after losing a pair of league games at home to North Texas and Rice. However, the Lady Techsters shot 46 percent from the field and outrebounded UAB 42-29 to pick up the win.

Amber Dixon added 12 points while Reauna Cleaver scored eight points. McDonald scored six points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Anthony recorded her fourth 30-plus point effort of the year, hitting 16-of-34 shots, including 3-of-6 from the three-point line, and scored 13 points in the game-deciding fourth quarter that saw Tech outscore UAB 25-18.

Tech will return to action Saturday at Middle Tennessee at 6 p.m. in a game that will be on ESPN+.