HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Despite a game-high 19 points by Junior
Keiunna Walker, the Lady Techsters fell to Southern Miss 65-60 on Thursday night inside the Reed Green Coliseum in Conference USA action.
The Lady Techsters fall to 8-7 on the year and 0-4 in Conference USA action with the loss, while Southern Miss improves to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
A back-and-forth affair early, saw both teams trade baskets through the midway point of the opening period. Eight early points by Walker and a jumper by sophomore
Anna Larr Roberson lifted Tech to a 14-10 lead with 2:58 left in the first quarter. A pair of layups in the last minute of the opening frame by Southern Miss cut Tech's lead down to 17-16 after the first period.
Walker drained a mid-range jumper to open the second stanza, giving Tech a 19-16 advantage. Momentum changed directions moments later as Southern Miss rattled off a 9-2 run to take a 25-21 lead. Tech rallied to take the lead at 28-27 with 3:32 remaining in the first half as Roberson knocked down her first three of the season. Another jumper and a three by Southern Miss gave the Golden Eagles a 32-28 lead at the break.
Southern Miss extended their lead out to double-figures as Melyia Grayson and Macy Weaver combined on a 10-2 run to take a 42-32 lead with 6:55 left in the third period. The Lady Techsters responded with a 19-5 surge that featured baskets by six different Tech players. Back-to-back three's by sophomore
Lotte Sant and Walker as well as layups by sophomore
Salma Bates and Brannon pushed Tech out in front 51-47, before taking a 52-50 lead into the fourth quarter.
Tech pushed their lead out to as many as seven at 58-51 with 6:51 left in the game on a jumper by Roberson and a layup by Walker, but Southern Miss answers with a 14-2 run over the final 6:32 of the game to claim the 65-60 victory over the Lady Techsters.
NOTABLES
- LA Tech falls to 10-12 in the all-time series against Southern Miss and has now lost the last six games played in Hattiesburg.
- The Lady Techsters fell to 0-4 in conference play for the first time since the 2013-14 season, Tech's first year in Conference USA.
- Keiunna Walker scored a game-high 19 points on 9-of-16 shooting. Walker has now scored in double-figures in 15 straight games.
- Walker is one of just three players in Conference USA to have scored in double-figures in every game this season.
- Anna Larr Roberson collected her sixth double-double of the season and the 13th of her career with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Her six double-doubles is the second most in C-USA this season.
- Roberson has now scored in double-figures in eight straight games and has grabbed double figure rebounds in seven games this season.
- After outrebounds the Golden Eagles last Sunday, Tech was outrebounded 30-29 tonight.
UP NEXT
The Lady Techsters return to the Thomas Assembly Center on Monday, Jan. 17 when they battle UTSA at 1 p.m. in Conference USA action.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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