RUSTON, La. - The Louisiana Tech women's basketball team returned to Ruston in strong fashion over the Florida Atlantic Owls with a 64-49 win tonight inside the Thomas Assembly Center.
After FAU (5-15, 1-8 C-USA) took a 3-2 with 7:23 in the first quarter, junior
Keiunna Walker scored eight quick points of her game-high 19 to lead LA Tech (12-8, 4-5 C-USA) on a 12-0 run over the next six minutes of the quarter racing to a 14-3 lead with 2:12 to play in the first.
In the second quarter with Tech up 24-12,
Anna Larr Roberson used a personal 7-0 run fueling a 15-4 stretch for the Techsters over the next six minutes to build a 39-16 lead with 1:24 left in the half. Roberson finished the night with 16 points and four rebounds.
Tech used the comfort of the TAC to their advantage shooting a blistering 60.2 percent in the half on 18-29 shooting including hitting their only three-point attempt and both free-throws through the first 20 minutes.
Defensively, Tech held FAU to just 26.5 percent shooting in route to a 19-point advantage at the break (39-20).
Tech increased their lead by the end of the third quarter to 22 and eventually stretched to their largest lead of the game at 26 (58-32) with 8:31 left in the game thanks to the all-around play of freshman guard
Silvia Nativi.
Nativi finished the night with four points, pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds, and dished out a career-high seven assists.
Salma Bates and
Robyn Lee each contributed nine points in the win which saw the Techsters outscore the Owls 48-16 in the paint.
Tech closed out the contest getting some valuable conference experience for some players as 10 Techsters logged minutes in the fourth quarter leading to the 15-point win in front of the home faithful.
NOTABLES
- Louisiana Tech is now 8-2 all-time versus Florida Atlantic and now 4-0 in games played in Ruston.
- Keiunna Walker has now scored in double-figures in 21 straight games and is one of three players in C-USA to have scored in double-figures in every game this season (Savannah Wheeler- Marshall and Zakyia Weathersby – UAB).
- Walker also took her 23rd charge of the season and 103rd charge of her career.
- Silvia Nativi registered two career-highs tonight in rebounds (11) and assists (7).
- Anna Larr Roberson has now scored in double figures in 13 straight games this season.
- Roberson, the conference USA leader in free-throw percentage (0.85), now has a current streak of 21 straight makes.
- Tech is now 10-2 when out rebounding their opponents beating FAU 43-31 on the glass.
NOTABLES
Head Coach Brooke Stoehr...
"I think we learned some valuable lessons in those eight of ten on the road. Some were painful but we'll take those lessons and be able to transfer them into February and March. It's always great to play at home. You're sleeping in your own bed, your players are going to class in their same routine and we practice at the same time every day. There's just a familiarity of the court and the rims. We are excited to get a win tonight and be ready to move forward for Saturday against FIU."
UP NEXT
The Lady Techsters will continue their home stand Saturday Feb. 5, at 2:00 p.m. inside the Thomas Assembly Center for a conference USA matchup against Florida International.
The Techsters will be celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day and will also honor Coach Kay Yow in the annual #Play4Kay Pink Out game.
All girls and women will get in the game for free.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in Lady Techsters Basketball, follow them on Twitter (@LATechWBB), Instagram (@LATechWBB) and Facebook.com/LATechWBB.
