RUSTON – Louisiana Tech and ULM were in a defensive battle for 40 minutes Wednesday night in the Thomas Assembly Center. The Warhawks ended with a 60-52 win over the Lady Techsters.
 
Silvia Nativi picked up where she had left off from the previous three games. The guard connected on her first two shots to give the Lady Techsters an early 6-4 lead halfway through the first. Jianna Morris and Salma Bates added three free throws, but the Lady Techsters would go scoreless over the final three minutes of the quarter.
 
The pace of play started to pick up, but both teams continued to pressure the other. The Lady Techsters forced the Warhawks into four turnovers, but ULM would connect on three 3-pointers to take the 25-19 lead into the half.
 
Bates knocked down a corner three to open the half and breathe life into the Lady Techsters. ULM would get five quick points in response, but LA Tech would start to attack the basket and get the Warhawks into foul trouble. 
 
An and-one by Robyn Lee sparked a 12-4 run to tie the ballgame up for the first time since early in the second quarter. However, ULM's Daisha Bradford started to take control of the game with the final four points to end the quarter with the Warhawks up 38-34.
 
ULM would extend their lead to eight early in the final stanza. With under three minutes remaining, the Lady Techsters tried to make one last push and pulled within three at 51-48 before ULM would knock down seven free throws in the final minute to come away with the win.
 
Anna Larr Roberson, Morris, and Nativi would all finish in double-figure scoring. Roberson led the way with 12 points and eight rebounds. Morris had 11 points, and Nativi finished with 10.
 
Bradford finished with 26 points and nine rebounds for the Warhawks. 
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Brooke Stoehr 

"They were the tougher team. Looking at it, we went 17 of 52 and struggled to score. We only got six offensive boards, three of which are dead balls. We have to find a way to generate some offense. One way is to get yourself to the free throw line. We got there 22 times, but we put them there 23. We fouled there at the end and gave them eight free throws. You can't let someone come in on your home court and dictate those things. We got stops, and our zone was effective.
 
"It's just a matter of going track down a loose ball. When you've got a size advantage, you've got to win the rebounding battle. For this group right now, we're struggling to score, and we'll continue to work through that and fight and figure out ways to generate some offense, but we got to rebound the ball."
 
 
NOTABLES

• Jianna Morris scored in double figures in back-to-back games.
• The Lady Techsters have forced every opponent into 10+ turnovers this season. It is also the fourth time they have forced 15 or more in a game.
• Mackenzie Wurm had three blocks in a game for the eighth time in her career.
• The five blocks as a team are a season-high and the fifth time with multiple blocks in a game.
• The 16 free throws made were the most in a game this season for the Lady Techsters.

 
UP NEXT
The Lady Techsters will travel to take on Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 3 at 1 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on SECNetwork+ and heard on KNBB 97.7.
  
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in Lady Techsters Basketball, follow us on Twitter (@LATechWBB), Instagram (@LATechWBB), and Facebook (LATechWBB).